Marketplace eBay has launched a comprehensive emergency assistance program to support German retailers in the corona crisis. The marketplace has relaxed rules to make it easier for German merchants to get started on the flatform, and merchants with brick-and-mortar stores do not have to pay eBay a sales commission until the end of June.
eBay is one of Germany's largest marketplaces and has partnered with tens of thousands of small businesses and local retailers for years. That the marketplace wants to offer support in these diffuse times is therefore not surprising. The assistance program consists of four measures. Not only does eBay want to relieve and support regular sellers on the platform, it also wants to start helping local dealers struggling with declining sales and store closings. The program will give them quick and easy access to the marketplace. Entrepreneurs who are forced to close their stores due to the crisis can thus easily start selling online.
- Service status protection for eBay merchants.
eBay is aware that due to the corona crisis, active sellers on the platform are not always able to ship their items within the specified processing time or process an order altogether. As a result, the company has decided to protect the seller's service status from a downgrade during the period from March 20 to June 20. A new review will not take place until June 20, 2020. Of course, if a vendor's service performance improves during that period, the vendor will receive an upgrade. - Deferral of selling fees
To help small merchants in particular protect their liquidity in the current situation, eBay is offering them a 30-day delay in paying their sales charges. Starting March 25, retailers who want to take advantage of this offer will find more information on the Coronavirus page in the eBay seller portal. - Additional support for eBay retailers with physical stores
eBay is offering additional support to eBay retailers who also operate in physical retail stores. This group has been hit hardest by declining sales and store closures. For all items these retailers post on eBay and then successfully sell, retailers will not have to pay eBay sales commissions for the time being. eBay is also offering these retailers targeted, customized advice for their businesses. Dealers who qualify for this program will be contacted by eBay in the coming week and can decide if they want to take advantage of the offer. Over-the-counter retailers who have not been contacted by eBay but would like to participate in the program can also contact eBay at localhero@ebay.com. - Help with starting to sell on eBay
Dealers who must decide (forced) to start trading online due to the current situation are also receiving support from eBay. Dealers receive a premium store on eBay.de for free for six months, pay no sales commissions for successfully sold items for three months and can use eBay's customer service called Concierge Premium for free for six months. Merchants can leave the program at any time and do not have to make long-term commitments. Do you also want a premium store on eBay? Get in touch with us.
