eBay has highlighted its commitment to eBay Focus Categories as fundamental to the online marketplace’s long-term growth plan.
This pledge will be welcomed by many sellers who have long called for eBay to focus on what they do best, connecting enthusiastic buyers with traders who have access to products that may not be available anywhere else.
What Are eBay’s Focus Categories?
By focusing on specific categories, eBay believes they have improved customer experience and satisfaction levels, which then filter across the rest of the marketplace. Several of these are categories that have an audience of enthusiasts and where preloved items, not just new ones, hold a high value. With eBays authenticity program these items are checked and guaranteed for authenticity by eBay or their authorised partners, creating a marketplace for high-end preloved goods where the buyer can trust they are getting the real deal.
In a post on eBay’s community boards, Jordan Sweetnam, Senior Vice President for eBay’s Global Markets team, suggested that Focus Categories encourage “enthusiast buyers” to spend more than $3,000 per year on their passions.
The other focus categories are parts and accessories for vehicles, new or used, eBay has a fitment program that means they will guarantee that the item will fit your vehicle or you get your money back, again creating buyer confidence and trust, this is a huge category for eBay. They have also added heavy equipment to their focus categories in the U.S. with a verified condition program from partners bidadoo. Every bidadoo equipment listing includes a detailed condition report, photos and video demonstration, and is sold with a bidadoo 100% Guarantee, buyers can get a full refund if a listing was not accurately represented.
What Are eBay’s Focus Categories?
Here is a current list of eBay Focus Categories:
- Parts and Accessories: Parts and Accessories for vehicles is eBay’s largest Focus Category and delivers some of the online marketplace’s highest net promoter scores (NPS). This means buyers are more likely to recommend their experience to other potential buyers. One out of every three eBay buyers buys parts and accessories! eBay’s recent collaboration with MTV to resurrect Pimp My Ride is just one example of how the marketplace is investing heavily in the parts and accessories category.
- Handbags: Fitting in nicely with eBay’s commitment to the circular economy, authenticated high end handbags are one of eBays focus categories.
- Sneakers/Trainers: eBay’s catalogue now features the top 40 sneaker brands across its four largest markets. This category is undoubtedly bolstered by eBay’s Authenticity Service, protecting and enhancing the buyer’s experience.
- Watches: Another category where trust is critical and bolstered by eBay’s Authenticity Service.
- Trading Cards: Initiatives like eBay Vault are designed not only to help streamline the buying and selling of high-value trading cards. It also helps card traders protect their investments in a secure environment.
- Heavy Equipment: In partnership with bidadoo, eBay launched the Verified Condition program for heavy equipment. To boost trust and confidence, the program indicates when heavy equipment has been inspected, in person, by a bidadoo professional or authorized representative.
Highlighting the importance of eBay’s Focus Categories, Jordan Sweetnam said, “Since implementing our Focus Category strategy, it’s clear that our success can be traced to delivering amazing, innovative new consumer experiences.”
Sweetnam is also keen to highlight new initiatives such as livestream shopping.
“This summer, we began experimenting with the introduction of Live Commerce. Early pilots of the livestream shopping experience saw users spending 15 minutes or more on the platform and one in four interacting directly with sellers. This experience shows immense potential, and we will continue to experiment and optimise it in the future.”
Learn More
If you are selling in the Parts and Accessories category Frooitions eBay tools for motor sellers, including all fitment data, will make listing your items on eBay a breeze and help reduce returns.
For all eBay categories, our eBay description templates with dynamic cross-promotion are proven to increase sales and order size.
To learn more about how Frooition can help you optimise your sales experience on eBay’s Focus Categories, schedule a 15-minute discovery call with one of our eBay experts today.
