eBay continues to bet on live shopping after record quarter

As eBay tries to keep up with competitors like Whatnot and TikTok Shop, the online marketplace is making a bigger push into live shopping after seeing record results. 

During its second-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, the company noted that eBay Live’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) jumped about 8 times year-over-year across seven markets, along with increases in viewers, watch time, and items sold. It plans to expand eBay Live to more international markets in the coming weeks and months.

“These results reinforce our confidence that Live can deepen engagement, broaden discovery, and increase velocity across the broader eBay marketplace,” CEO Jamie Iannone told investors. 

However, it’s important to note that eBay didn’t share the exact GMV number, making it difficult to assess how significant the growth is. 

That said, eBay clearly sees Live as a key growth area, and the feedback from sellers and buyers looks promising. eBay reports that over 90% of sellers who stream regularly have seen their GMV grow, and those who use Live sell about three times more than those who don’t. 

Buyers are also spending more. First-time shoppers in the collectibles category are dropping around 70% more than their non-Live shopping counterparts.

eBay first launched Live as invite-only in the U.S. in 2022, then expanded internationally, starting with a beta in the UK in 2024, and it has since rolled it out in countries like Germany, Australia, France, Italy, and Canada. 

Last month, the company moved past its invite-only model and now offers self-service onboarding for eligible sellers in over 300 categories, which include everything from electronics to fashion and collectibles. 

The company also pointed to recent product improvements, including discovery features across its homepage and mobile app to make live events easier to find. Iannone added that eBay also simplified event creation, inventory preparation, and live item management for sellers, while improving “bidding responsiveness” to create smoother, faster livestreams.

The growth comes as live shopping in the U.S. moves beyond a niche trend, with more companies beginning to treat it more seriously rather than a side experiment. Even resale giant StockX recently introduced live shopping capabilities. Whatnot continues to find success, with a valuation of more than $11 billion. Additionally, TikTok Shop is reportedly testing a paid membership that offers free shipping and exclusive discounts.