Ebay doesn't appear to appreciate its own USPs regarding its platform. The sections of business they're destroying are the sections that set them apart from the competition. If they're not careful, what was once a great business model will be destroyed.
eBay’s Original USPs (and What They're Undermining)
A marketplace for everyone – casual sellers, collectors, hobbyists, businesses Private sellers increasingly pushed out by business-centric policies
Flexible shipping options – post how you want, from wherever Mandatory Simple Delivery eliminates choice
Auction culture and rare/unique items Platform now skews toward fixed-price and new goods
Low-barrier selling – sell from your drawer, loft, or shed New rules and fees make it hard for casual users
Diverse global inventory Complex shipping discourages international sales
⚠️ eBay Risks Losing What Made It eBay
What once differentiated eBay from Amazon or Etsy is now being flattened into sameness. By removing casual sellers and hobbyist-friendly policies:
Buyers lose access to unique, vintage, or ultra-niche items
Sellers feel punished for operating outside rigid systems
The community atmosphere dies — replaced by faceless transactions
This is the death of the boot sale spirit — and with it, the charm that built eBay’s global user base.
What Could Happen If They Don’t Listen
A slow bleed: more sellers migrate to platforms like Vinted, Facebook Marketplace, or niche sites
Loss of buyer loyalty as prices go up and uniqueness disappears
Reputation damage that even better shipping and buyer protection can't fix
Collapse of private-seller inventory, which drives traffic and engagement even if it's not always high volume
What Can Be Done?
eBay won't shift course unless it sees:
Widespread seller attrition
Buyer disengagement
Public/media scrutiny
Strong internal pushback from within its own teams
It’s also critical that seller voices are heard clearly and persistently. If you're part of forums, subreddits, or communities, organizing feedback, petitions, and coverage can help force reflection.
eBay is damaging the parts of its ecosystem that set it apart — and if it keeps trying to become Amazon, it may simply become a worse version of it. Homogenizing the platform risks making it irrelevant.
