eBay has announced that it will be launching its membership program, eBay Plus, to Australia mid-June 2018. Australia is only the second market worldwide for the program, with eBay Plus launching in Germany in 2015.
The buyer-facing program will allow members to receive free delivery and free returns on Plus items, double FlyBuys points, exclusive deals, premium offers and premium customer service. It will cost members $49 per year, however, there is also a free 30-day trial and offer of $29 for the first year. Customers will also be able to filter searches by eBay Plus which is sure to lead to a shift in the consumer purchase journey and is great news for retailers wanting to enhance their visibility.
eBay launched Guaranteed Delivery earlier this year as another way to help retailers stand out from competitors and increase loyalty with consumers. Consumers should be excited for the possibilities with eBay Plus as a marketing tool.
How do you benefit?
- Prominence in search results – eBay Plus listings will be highlighted through a search filter. An exclusive eBay Plus badge will also be displayed
- Extensive marketing – The program as well as eBay Plus listings will be advertised through eBay’s extensive marketing and retail activities
- No additional fees to participate in the program – eBay won’t charge any additional fees (including final value fees) to display the Plus logo on your listings.
- Potentially increased sales as (eBay research shows that 68 percent of shoppers would shop more online if there’s free delivery and 45 percent of shoppers would shop more online if free and easy returns were offered).
The marketplace landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, with this latest announcement from eBay and an impending announcement from Amazon about the launch of its Prime membership program.
This latest offering from eBay, combined with Guaranteed Delivery, is really setting the standard for what consumers will come to expect from the marketplace experience and the online retail experience as a whole.
We are currently helping clients with the phased roll-out of eBay plus and also helping customers prepare for the mid-June launch. eBay will automatically opt-in listing offering best-in-class retail experience on eBay. What does this mean? The criteria include (but are not limited to:
- Sellers who are Above Standard or eBay Top Rated (eTRS);
- New and fixed priced listings;
- Returns are accepted;
- The item is located in Australia; and
- The item is non-bulky or heavy.
What to know more about what to expect from eBay Plus and how you can prepare? Contact us today.
