eBay Pilots Hosting Service to Overcome Live Commerce Seller Hesitation
eBay is launching a pilot "streaming as a service" program to connect sellers on its eBay Live platform with third-party hosts who can run livestreams on their behalf. The service, revealed by an eBay executive, aims to lower the barrier to entry for sellers who do not want to appear on camera. The program is expected to launch within six to eight weeks, but details regarding consignment fees or revenue sharing have not yet been provided.
Key Takeaways
- The pilot program will match sellers' inventory with third-party hosts who handle the on-camera presentation and livestream management.
- An eBay executive revealed the program is launching within six to eight weeks, but details on consignment fees or revenue sharing have not been released.
- eBay claims approximately 57.3 million of its 135 million active buyers are using the Live feature.
- The company's aggressive promotion of live events through homepage takeovers and search placements has drawn complaints from users who find it disruptive.
Why It Matters
eBay's move into a service model signals that providing tools alone is insufficient to scale its live commerce ambitions; it must now actively broker talent to build supply. This strategy of decoupling hosts from inventory owners differentiates its approach from integrated creator-seller platforms like Whatnot and TikTok. By treating hosting as a distinct, scalable function, eBay is trying to solve a participation problem that has slowed adoption. The critical detail to watch will be the revenue sharing model between sellers, hosts, and eBay, which will determine the program's viability for sellers.
Read full article at valueaddedresource.net
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