TORONTO, April 15, 2015 /CNW/ - This month, eBay is
proudly celebrating 15 years in Canada. In 2000, as Canadians were recovering
from Y2K hysteria, eBay.ca launched
and has been changing the way Canadians shop ever since.
Over the past 15 years, eBay has transformed the way Canadians
buy and sell goods. eBay's global marketplace continues to connect
buyers with the things they need and love and sellers with
consumers around the world. Buyers have learned that no matter
where they live, and regardless of time of day, they can shop when
inspiration strikes. Sellers, meanwhile, have tapped into eBay's
potential to deliver sales, new customers and even new markets.
They have used eBay.ca to complement their brick and mortar
locations or existing e-commerce sites.
"The arrival and evolution of e-commerce has profoundly shaped
the Canadian retail landscape and eBay is proud to have led the
way," says Andrea Stairs, Managing
Director, eBay Canada. "Today,
eBay is the second largest e-commerce player in Canada and we remain committed to supporting
buyers and sellers across the country."
Within 15 years, eBay has grown to more than eight million
visits per month. During that time, more than 11 million Canadians
have purchased more than $10 billion
worth of toys, handbags, car parts, and more on eBay. Now a
powerhouse in Canadian retail, eBay facilitates more than
$1 billion in Canadian trade every
year.
"Beyond changing the retail landscape, we are so proud of the
role eBay has played impacting Canadian lives," said Stairs. "The
stories of eBay users – whether the collector finally connected
with his cornerstone piece or the mum who started a business from
her basement – are tangible evidence of the power of eBay's
technology."
From auctions to retail powerhouse
Since 2000, eBay has evolved significantly from its start as a
marketplace selling predominantly used inventory at auction. Today,
eBay is home to well-known brands, retailers and sellers of all
sizes. Now, more than 80 per cent of purchases made by Canadians
are for new products, and 75 per cent are made at fixed prices.
A mobile nation
Since launching the first eBay app, Canadians have gone on to
buy everything from houses to a helicopter using eBay and their
mobile devices. Today, a pair of women's shoes is bought via mobile
every four minutes in Canada and a
handbag every five minutes.
"Mobile has revolutionized the way we think about shopping and
at eBay we've seen a dramatic rise in the number of Canadians
buying on their mobile devices. We are the mobile e-commerce leader
in Canada, and around the world,
with more than 50 per cent of transactions having a mobile
touchpoint," said Stairs.
Entrepreneurs unlocking global demand
Entrepreneurs are at the core of eBay's continued success in
Canada. eBay's technology provides
small business owners with a newfound global reach that extends far
beyond traditional export channels. Today, 99.5 per cent of eBay
entrepreneurs are engaged in export, reaching an average of 19
markets.
Further, eBay's innovative e-commerce platform has helped more
than 600 Canadian entrepreneurs become millionaires over the past
15 years.
eBay Canada supports
Canadian talent
In 2010, eBay Canada
spearheaded a national initiative to support up-and-coming Canadian
designers by providing them access to eBay's global marketplaces.
Since then, eBay has collaborated with notable designers including
Preloved, Dean Davidson Designs and VAWK.
In honour of eBay's 15th birthday, eBay is proud to
announce an exciting collaboration with four of Canada's top designers—VAWK, Nicole Bridger
Designs, CAITLIN POWER and BAZZUL.
This exclusive seven-day auction runs from Wednesday, April 15th until
Wednesday, April 22nd at
eBay.ca/eBayTurns15 with free shipping across Canada.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit Operation Come Home's Youth
Workforce Initiative, a national program offering homeless youth an
opportunity to receive hands-on training and job search
support.
eBay Canada thanks its
community
To celebrate its 15th birthday, eBay is offering a
series of deals, contests and giveaways to thank eBay buyers and
sellers for their support over the past 15 years. Visit
www.ebay.ca/giveback for all of the details.
15 Fun Facts
- In 2001, Ricky Martin's pants
sold on eBay to benefit the Canadian Music Therapy trust fund
- Sir John A. MacDonald's bedroom
suite was listed on eBay in 2002
- Wayne Gretzky's jersey sold for
$26,000 on eBay in 2003
- Cumulative Canadian buying on eBay crosses the $1 billion mark in December 2004
- In 2007, a Quebec man sold a
two-metre-high snowbank on eBay for $3,550; the buyer used it for a snowball fight
with his family
- By January 2009, Canadians had
sold more 100 million items on eBay
- In 2010, the Vancouver Olympic Committee sold hundreds of
Olympic memorabilia items, including a game-worn Sidney Crosby jersey which sold for $35,100
- In 2012, Canadians purchased more than $3.5 million worth of Star Wars items using eBay
mobile
- Canadians spent almost $20
million on video games on eBay in 2012
- A pair of jeans was purchased every six minutes on eBay in
Canada in 2012
- In 2013, a fashion item was purchased every 2.5 seconds on eBay
in Canada
- The most expensive engagement ring purchased via eBay Mobile in
2013 was bought for $28,500
- Drake's lint roller sold on eBay for $55,100 in 2014
- In 2015, a pair of women's shoes is bought via mobile every
four minutes in Canada and a
handbag is bought every five minutes
- Justin Bieber's sneakers were
sold on eBay for more than $62,000 in
2015 with the proceeds donated to Stratford's House of Blessing Food Bank
About eBay:
Founded in 1995 in San Jose,
California, eBay Inc. connects millions of buyers and
sellers globally on a daily basis through eBay, the world's largest
online marketplace, and PayPal, which enables individuals and
businesses to securely, easily, and quickly send and receive online
payments. We also reach millions through specialized marketplaces
such as StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace, and eBay
Classifieds sites, which together have a presence in more than
1,000 cities around the world. eBay is visited by more than 8
million unique Canadians per month (comScore Media Metrix:
February, 2015).
SOURCE eBay Canada