eBay is offering video streaming as an incentive for signing up to its Plus shopping membership program in Australia. The deal indicates eBay and Stan Entertainment Pty Limited are feeling the heat from Amazon, which entered the Australian market in December and launched its Prime membership program there in June.
Buyers pay $49/year to join the eBay Plus membership program, which launched in Australia in June. Members receive “free delivery and free returns on all eBay Plus listings, plus bonus flybuys points, exclusive deals and offers, as well as premium customer service.” Note that eBay Plus has some notable differences when compared to Amazon Prime: free delivery on eBay Plus items only applies to the standard postage service.
The current promotion offers 3 months of streaming video through Stan plus a $20 eBay gift card to shoppers who become a paid member of eBay Plus. It’s only valid for those who have not previously subscribed to the Stan Service and runs from October 15 – 31, 2018.
According to Ad News Australia, “This initial partnership between Stan and eBay, if successful, could be the precursor to a longer term relationship. It’s also one of the many moves eBay has made locally to future proof itself against Amazon, also reaching a partnership agreement with Australia Post in July to streamline delivery on behalf of sellers.”
eBay determines which items on its marketplace are “eBay Plus eligible,” and in July, eBay entered into a deal with Australia Post to offer a seller fulfillment solution powered by third-party vendor Fulfilio, which has warehouses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
eBay also offers a membership program in Germany, and last week, Wortfilter’s Mark Steier reported eBay Germany recently launched fulfillment and logistics services in beta after completing a pilot program, noting eBay had snagged the former Amazon EU Director of Prime Michael Pasch last year.
The new logistics offerings are operated by eBay subsidiary Shutl, and Wortfilter offers details about the programs and the partners with whom eBay is working.
eBay deals such as those in Australia and Germany indicate it prefers (or is forced) to partner with third parties rather than develop its own Amazon-like services.
eBay can not invest since they are running out of free cash flow because of the stock buy backs and the debt that is due next year so all they can do is partner with people. They do this instead of investing in what they already have to fix and marketizing what they have always been and always will be, a place for used and unusual items and collectables.
eBay = Dead Man Walking
Okay – IN a nutshell, let me see if I understand the overall 2018-2019 picture. As an Ebay seller – one would have to PAY ebay to have a store each month (whether or not anything sells) – if the seller does not choose to have “free shipping” then no final value fee discounts, no views at the top of a page etc. Of course, if the Seller get any views at all. And if they are on Managed Payments – Tsk, tsk, Paypal Buyers – THEY HAVE A STORE ON EBAY that they have paid for to SHOW OFF THEIR STUFF!!!
Now as a BUYER – THEY are going to PAY Ebay for the privilege of Buying FREE SHIPPING and FREE RETURNS for $49 a year (plus maybe now have access to a 1980’s movie video they can see for free from Amazon, hulu, etc.) AND, AND – Since THEY PAID for ONLY FREE SHIP and FREE RETURNS EBAY will further limit their choices from the 2+ million listings and sellers to maybe three VERY EXPENSIVE or VERY CHEAP (Chinese) Sellers – Because Ebay will ONLY SHOW THE PRIME MEMBERS “Free Ship and FREE Return” Sellers – Thus YET AGAIN DECREASING the Limited, Barely Non-existant Visibility for those Non-Free Shipping Store Owners that PAID to be SHOWN.
WHAT could go WRONG here???? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm…..
I am sure all of those BIG Commence Sellers will spend ALL of their profits ON EBAY to support each other right ?..ha,…ha…..HAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA