After being live in the USA and many other countries for many months or even years, eBay Live has finally launched in Canada. This gives Canadians access to livestream shopping on the platform, and is eBay’s attempt to keep pace with competitors in the growing livestream commerce space.
eBay Live Available in Canada
Recently, eBay revealed that the company has brought its livestream shopping experience, eBay Live, to Canada. This offers Canadians a new way to discover, bid, and shop for a variety of different products in a live and fast-paced setting. They can also ask questions and see items up close and personal in ways they generally can’t with a standard eBay product listing.
According to Caroline Pougnier, the Director of eBay Live, North America, this platform also gives Canadian buyers a new and interactive way to connect with knowledgeable sellers, discover great inventory, and engage directly with the collecting community.
This reveal comes a few years after eBay Live debuted in the USA back in 2022. Since this initial debut, the experience has expanded to a variety of other countries, including France, Australia, Germany, Italy, and the UK.
In addition to launching in new markets, eBay has also expanded Live to new categories recently, ranging from Health and Beauty to Art and Antiques.
The expansion to Canada also makes sense time-wise, as there are currently major fandom and collectibles events on the horizon across the country. For those unfamiliar, collectibles are some of the most popular categories on eBay Live and eBay in general.
These events include the Fan Expo in Vancouver from February 14th to 16th, and the Collectors Supershow in Toronto from February 13th to 15th.
eBay Attempts to Catch Up to Rivals
This move comes at a time when eBay is trying to play catch-up with its rivals in the live shopping space. TikTok live auctions, which are branded as Countdown Bidding, have already existed in many spaces that eBay has dominated for years, such as collectibles.
Also, TikTok Shop has already essentially matched eBay’s size in terms of global GMV, with many expecting it to pull ahead in the near future. In addition to TikTok, WhatNot has also exploded in popularity and attracts many of the same people who shop for collectibles like sports and trading cards on eBay.
As a result of these competitors rapidly gaining market share, eBay needs to expand eBay Live as quickly and far-reaching as possible to keep up.
The Future of Ecommerce is Live
With so many brands getting into the space and billions of dollars being spent on livestream shopping, it may represent the future of ecommerce. The market is expected to explode, and many shoppers love how it seamlessly blends entertainment, shopping, and social interaction with others all into one experience.
Also, because these livestreams often feature product close-ups, demonstrations, and answer questions in real-time, there’s much less hesitation to purchase many cases. This experience also builds trust and helps paint a product as legitimate, as potential buyers can see it being used or shown off in real-time, without editing or enhancements.
As a result, ecommerce brands need to take note of this growing type of commerce and consider implementing it. While it’s not right for every type of product or company, it can certainly help you foster a better connection with your customers, boost loyalty, and make more sales.
If your brand is considering hosting livestreams to sell or market products, make sure to:
- Choose products that are visually-appealing and benefit well from demonstrations.
- Try to remain consistent with when you go live. If you go live on a certain day every week at the same time, it’ll be more effective than if you simply go live whenever you feel like.
- Take it seriously. It’s worth investing in a decent mic, using some good lighting, and finding a space that looks professional. If your streams are simply from a desk in your office, it may not feel as legitimate to some potential buyers.
- Choose a host who’s not only charismatic and comfortable on camera, but also someone with plenty of knowledge on the products to easily be able to answer customer questions.
- Try to keep the experience active by asking viewers questions, hosting polls, or playing games.
If you can keep these tips in mind and find ways to ensure people stay interested during the stream, livestream shopping can be an incredible way to generate revenue, stand out from your competitors, and improve engagement with your target audience.
