Highlights as I see it
In an effort to stem its eroding market share, eBay has been focusing on narrow categories such as car parts, luxury goods, collectibles and refurbished appliances. But in 2020, Walmart surpassed eBay in US e-commerce sales, while a recent survey showed that Chinese upstart Temu is attracting more repeat shoppers.
Chief Executive Officer Jamie Iannone cited momentum in these so-called focus categories and said the strategy contributed to the company’s increase in gross merchandise volume, the value of all goods sold on eBay.
GMV increased 1% to $18.4 billion during the quarter, beating analysts’ average estimates of $18.1 billion. The San Jose, California-based company said it had 132 million active buyers in the quarter, unchanged from a year earlier.
In an effort to stem its eroding market share, eBay has been focusing on narrow categories such as car parts, luxury goods, collectibles and refurbished appliances.
I get collectibles, maybe refurbished appliances and maybe pre-owned luxury goods…so what am I missing about car parts, that makes eBay an option for those? Is that where local mechanics and body shops are shopping?
I’ve only gotten one or two items there but they guarantee the fit. You put in ALL the details of the car from year to engine size, body style and what you are looking for and their system shows what is out there.
I have not looked at Amazon for the same items but my experience looking for things on Amazon leads me to NOT go there for anything detailed.
Amazon’s Automotive & Powersports Part Finder and Fitment Data “Search Stripe” Tool works pretty well if it’s been setup properly for the ASIN’s PDP - which often enough doesn’t appear to be the case…
But does Amazon guarantee the fit?
As far as I’m aware, not beyond the AtoZ Guarantee. It’s been some time since I used it, but I’ll run a test to see if the options have changed from what I remember.
Ebay provides a place for pick a part recycle places to sell parts for vehicles that are not easily found in auto part stores.
Example: We own a 2004 Suzuki Florenza. Suzuki no long sells automobiles in the US marketplace. New parts for these cars are hard to find as the inventory has dried up as the car is 20 years old. We bought our car when we lived in Southern California where Suzuki had a strong presents and where more of the old cars would be in a pick a part center. Now we’re in Texas where there were less Suzuki cars to begin with. Ebay auto part sales provides a way for us to get some body / interior parts that can not be found locally.
Any one with an older classic car would could use Ebay. Back in the day, people with classic cars would look in those free auto trader magazines for parts. Those have pretty much disapppeared … thus Ebay as one avenue of replacement.
That Ebay is investing heavily in promoting Ebay as a source for car parts. That both individual sellers and junk yards are parting out cars to Ebay. It is a lot easier to list a used car part on Ebay than Amazon and short of buying locally there are few other online sources.
So many auto parts buyers and sellers complain about bad transactions but it really has a niche that is immune to Amazon. Ebay buyers are much more likely to dirty their hands than the typical Amazon buyer.
This makes sense.
And I didn’t realize those had dried up. My dad was a car-o-phile (gearhead? gearophilia?) but died a few years ago, so I assumed I wasn’t seeing them just because he and his stacks of them aren’t around.