eBay is sharpening its focus on live shopping after reporting a strong quarter, signaling that real-time commerce is becoming a more central part of its marketplace strategy.
During its second-quarter earnings call, the company said eBay Live's gross merchandise volume rose roughly eightfold year over year across seven markets, alongside gains in viewers, watch time and items sold. eBay also plans to bring the format to more international markets in the months ahead.
CEO Jamie Iannone said the results show that live events can strengthen engagement, improve product discovery and accelerate activity across the platform. The company did not disclose the exact GMV figure, but it highlighted encouraging seller and buyer behavior.
According to eBay, more than 90% of regularly streaming sellers have seen GMV growth, while sellers using Live reportedly sell about three times more than those who do not. First-time shoppers in collectibles are also spending around 70% more than comparable non-Live buyers.
Launched in the U.S. in 2022, eBay Live has gradually expanded to markets including the UK, Germany, Australia, France, Italy and Canada. The platform recently moved beyond invite-only access and introduced self-service onboarding for eligible sellers across more than 300 categories, from electronics to fashion and collectibles.
eBay has also improved discovery tools on its homepage and mobile app, while simplifying event creation, inventory setup and live item management for sellers. Faster bidding response times are part of the company's effort to make livestream commerce smoother and more interactive.
As live shopping gains momentum across digital retail, eBay is positioning itself to compete more actively in a format that blends entertainment, community and commerce. The next phase could help shape how online marketplaces evolve toward more interactive shopping experiences.
