Since launching in Australia, eBay has always had a policy of placing local listings ahead and separately from those originating overseas. From today, that approach will change somewhat, with listings from the US and UK sites intermingled with those offered by Australians in a “variety of categories”.Buying online from overseas remains a hot-button topic, and eBay has been increasingly pushing towards being seen as a shopfront rather than an auction specialist. It hasn’t specified exactly which categories the change will affect, but says the initial push will be in areas where there’s a dearth of Australian listings. It also argues that despite making competitive listings more visible, it will be good for Australian sellers:
Displaying relevant listings from the UK and US will increase the likelihood that shoppers will find what they are looking for on eBay.com.au, and continue to shop and buy from eBay.com.au sellers.
For consumers, the move could be a potential win if eBay can get the listing mix right and highlight the best deals. For local sellers, it’s one more grievance to add to a long list. What’s your reaction to this change?
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