eBay is launching a paid-shipping program called eBay Plus in which buyers in Germany can pay 19.90 euros/year and qualify for free and fast shipping – and free returns – for millions of eligible items. The program will begin its launch in late September and will be available to all buyers on eBay Germany by November.
Qualified sellers can choose which items to make available through the program; they receive a 15% discount on commission fees on eBay Plus transactions.
eBay will make the eBay Plus-eligible listings more prominent through the use of a logo and by giving them better visibility in search results, including filtering.
Buyers who join eBay Plus will also have access to exclusive deals and promotions through the program.
Sellers must be top rated and must offer 30-day return policies. In explaining the new program, eBay said the program is specifically targeted at German shoppers who rate the ability to return goods for free higher than other countries.
eBay executive Carl Gish told the Wall Street Journal eBay had been testing the program since May and that thousands of sellers had already signed up.
More information is available on the eBay Germany website (in German language).
