Building momentum as a community
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reminded just how much we’re building together. From more eBay Live partnerships to seller events around the country, the energy you’ve brought to these moments has been incredible.
In March, we invited our Up & Running Grant winners together at the eBay UK head office in Richmond. Spending time with our recipients reinforced the things I care deeply about. You want to stay informed, you’re keen to explore how AI can support your business growth and you value being part of a seller community that feels connected.
The feedback I was most proud to hear on the day was simple: sellers feel that we listen. You appreciate when our teams take the time to understand your businesses and respect what you have to say.
I also want to reflect on this year’s eBay Circular Fashion Fund, our programme supporting fashion startups in partnership with the British Fashion Council. Applications have now closed, and I’m pleased to say that we received over 1,250 submissions from more than 30 countries.
The ambition and quality shone through in each application. From supply chain innovation to authentication, it’s encouraging to see how so many of you are rethinking every stage of the fashion journey, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
In this month’s update, I’m sharing more on how we’re investing in eBay Live, strengthening our seller community through more Meetups and continuing to act on feedback to help improve your experience with us.
As ever, thank you for shopping and selling on eBay.
Eve Williams, General Manager, eBay UK
24 Hours of Drops
On 27 March, we brought you eBay Live’s biggest moment yet – 24 Hours of Drops. With over 350 sellers going live across the day, you made this an unmissable event for every kind of enthusiast.
What stood out to me most was the breadth of expertise on show. You showcased products from across the marketplace, including collectable card games, luxury fashion, electronics, beauty and sports memorabilia. The passion at the core of our community really shone through, and it was fantastic to see so many buyers tune in.
It was particularly interesting to see how buyers engaged throughout the day. They moved between categories and explored different kinds of inventory, creating a real opportunity for sellers to connect with a new audience. Catch up on some of our most highly anticipated streams below:
The Rolex Vault with Harry Pinero
The Oldhammer Vault with Henry Calvert
The World XI with Yaya Touré
Pokémon Battle Break with Calfreezy and Kyran Nijjar
Luxury’s Most Wanted Handbags with AJ Odudu
As well as our headline streams, there were hundreds more seller-hosted events, from DIY to sneakers and beyond. The energy you brought to each moment was fantastic, and I can’t wait to see how you’ll continue using eBay Live to transform your selling.
Investing in the future of eBay Live
As eBay Live continues to grow, we’re focusing on how we can bring more buyers into the experience and help sellers reach audiences they might not otherwise connect with.
Alongside past collaborations with M&S x Reskinned and Pokémon 30, we recently announced a new headline partnership with Saturday Night Live UK – supporting the British debut of NBC’s legendary late-night comedy show. As its title sponsor, we’ll be integrating eBay Live across TV, video, on-demand and social channels, introducing interactive shopping to a new generation of culturally-engaged viewers.
One particularly exciting part of the launch is our new YouTube series: The SNL UK Style Edit, featuring eBay’s own Pre-loved Style Director, Amy Bannerman. Amy will dress SNL cast members in capsule wardrobes sourced from our very own sellers, giving you the opportunity to showcase your stock in front of an audience of fashion enthusiasts.
We’re building a platform that’s energetic, interactive and rooted in community, and this is just the beginning. Interested in exploring how Live could work for your business? Register for eBay Live now to host your own event.
Gearing up for the next eBay Business Roadshow
Our London Roadshow was a huge success, and it was great to see such a fantastic turnout. The conversations, questions and honest feedback reminded me why spending time together as a seller community is so important.
As always, I was especially inspired by how much you all support each other. From swapping advice and sharing experiences to one-on-one conversations with our teams, moments like this make every event truly special.
Our Roadshows go beyond presentations, giving you the chance to connect and grow together. We’re constantly using the feedback you share to refine our events, making sure each one delivers practical tips, insightful conversations and direct access to experts.
If you’d like to get involved in the conversations, our next Roadshow will take place on 21 April in Cardiff, followed by 12 May in Newcastle and 19 May in Nottingham.
Secure your spot now to meet like-minded sellers, get advice from our teams and more – I’d love to see you at one of our upcoming events and hear about the business you’re building on eBay.
Register for eBay Business Roadshow
More opportunities to upskill in AI
You’ve told me that one of the most useful ways to learn about eBay AI Activate is from other sellers. Whether it’s at Roadshows, Seller Meetups or community events, seeing how you’re using AI to solve real, everyday challenges is what makes it click.
AI isn’t just for early adopters or big businesses – it’s a tool every seller can use. That’s why we’re continuing to bring AI into our Meetups. You’ll start to see more opportunities to join in-person sessions, with practical demonstrations and real examples you can apply to your own selling. Each session will be unique, shaped by the seller leading it and the conversations happening in the room.
At a recent London Meetup, Anil from Hatopia and AJ from Rouge Technologies led a roundtable and a live demo to share their expertise on how they’re using AI tools to save time and grow their businesses. Anil even demonstrated how he’d built a performance dashboard using eBay data.
Check out the video to hear from Anil and AJ. If you’d like to learn more about using AI tools in your business, I’d encourage you to register for a Seller Meetup in your area.
Why our Seller Meetups matter
I often hear from sellers how valuable it is to spend time with other members of our community, who truly understand how running an eBay business works. Our Seller Meetups are the perfect place to do exactly that.
Many of you told us that attending our Meetups helped with connection, collaboration and a feeling of togetherness – creating a powerful shared experience that makes sure no seller feels alone.
We also know that you learn best from each other, rather than through formal presentations. Our Meetups create the space for that to happen, with opportunities to have discussions, swap seller stories and share real-world advice.
It’s clear that direct access to our eBay team matters. Being able to ask questions, share feedback and have open conversations helps us improve and allows you to feel confident with the tools and updates we introduce.
We’ve got plenty more Seller Meetups scheduled across the UK:
Portsmouth – Thursday 2 April
Bristol – Thursday 7 May
East Midlands – Thursday 21 May
Northampton – Thursday 4 June
North Wales - Friday 8 May
Brighton - Wednesday 20 May
East Midlands - Thursday 21 May
Manchester - Thursday 11 June
London (fashion focused) - Thursday 16 July
I’m looking forward to meeting more of you in the months ahead, so register for an event near you to reserve your spot. Interested in hosting your own Seller Meetup? Apply to lead an event and bring our community together in your local area.
Supporting our Up & Running Grant recipients
Last year, we were pleased to award 25 eBay business sellers a £10,000 grant to help fund their ambitions. In March, we welcomed that same group of winners to a dedicated focus day at eBay’s head office in Richmond, London.
The aim of the focus day was to help our winners make the most of their grants, whilst building connections. We covered a range of topics, including deep dives into eBay Advertising and how to sell on eBay Live, as well as speed networking between sellers. These sessions gave our grant recipients the opportunity to learn from each other, and our expert teams.
It was great to see all of the open conversations that took place. Hearing our winners’ thoughts on where we can deliver clearer updates, the importance of AI tools and how much they appreciate connecting with other sellers was invaluable. Moments like this remind me just how special our eBay community is, and it was fantastic seeing how the Up & Running Grant has made a positive impact on our winners’ businesses.
In the spotlight: PropUp Project
This month, we’re shining a spotlight on Up & Running Grant winner, PropUp Project – a business based in Brixton, London, that repurposes leftover materials from TV and film.
Former TV producers Kate Allan and Emma Chaplin founded the non-profit after seeing how many high-quality props, set pieces, costumes and equipment were being placed into storage or thrown away.
PropUp Project now recycles and resells these same items, reducing waste whilst supporting the local community. Kate and Emma have used eBay to connect with all kinds of buyers across the UK, including film fans, schools and charities. Since winning the Up & Running Grant, PropUp Project has had access to the funds it needs to hire more team members and scale selling. It’s always so inspiring to see how eBay has helped your businesses thrive.
Introducing the Issue Resolution Centre
We’re pleased to announce the upcoming launch of our new Issue Resolution Centre – an easier way for you to resolve account and listing issues and stay compliant, all in one place.
We know how important simplicity is when it comes to regulatory compliance. With clear prioritisation, step-by-step guidance and built-in actions, you’ll now have one streamlined location where you can see whether you need to take action.
Keep an eye out for more updates coming at the end of the month, including a video walkthrough to help you use the new platform confidently. In the meantime, our Issue Resolution Centre is already live – see how it can help keep your account running smoothly.
