eBay Expands Live Shopping After eBay Live GMV Jumps Eightfold

eBay is expanding its live shopping business after seeing record growth from eBay Live, as the online marketplace looks to compete more closely with platforms such as Whatnot and TikTok Shop.

During its second-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, eBay said gross merchandise volume (GMV) on eBay Live increased about eightfold year-over-year across seven markets. The company also reported increases in viewers, watch time, and the number of items sold.

eBay plans to expand eBay Live into additional international markets over the coming weeks and months as it looks to make livestream shopping a larger part of its marketplace.

Live shopping gains momentum

CEO Jamie Iannone told investors that the results strengthened eBay’s confidence that live shopping could increase engagement, improve product discovery, and help sellers move inventory more quickly.

eBay did not disclose the actual GMV generated through eBay Live, however, making it difficult to determine the absolute scale of the eightfold increase.

Still, the company says the results from sellers and buyers are encouraging. More than 90% of sellers who regularly stream on eBay Live have seen their GMV increase, while sellers using the feature generate about three times more sales than those who do not.

Buyer activity is also showing signs of growth. eBay said first-time shoppers in its collectables category spend about 70% more than comparable shoppers who do not use Live.

Expanding beyond the U.S.

eBay first launched Live as an invite-only service in the U.S. in 2022. The company expanded internationally with a U.K. beta in 2024 and has since introduced the feature in markets including Germany, Australia, France, Italy, and Canada.

Last month, eBay moved away from its invite-only approach by introducing self-service onboarding for eligible sellers across more than 300 categories, including electronics, fashion, and collectables.

The company has also added discovery features across its homepage and mobile app, making live events easier for shoppers to find. For sellers, eBay has simplified event creation, inventory preparation, and live item management while improving bidding responsiveness.

Competition intensifies

eBay’s renewed focus comes as live shopping gains traction in the U.S. and moves beyond its earlier niche status. Other major marketplaces and resale platforms are increasingly adding livestream commerce to their businesses.

StockX recently introduced live shopping capabilities, while Whatnot continues to grow and has reached a valuation of more than $11 billion. TikTok Shop is also reportedly testing a paid membership offering that could include free shipping and exclusive discounts.

For eBay, the latest results suggest that Live could become an increasingly important way to connect buyers and sellers while giving the company another tool to compete for attention in an increasingly crowded e-commerce market.