eBay Introduces ProStores Service

In a keynote speech at the eBay conference in California, Meg Whitman, Chief Executive told 10,000 eBay users, “As your business expanded, many of you are looking for opportunities off of eBay. And why wouldn’t you? You are smart business people.”

This message seems to signal a marked change in former eBay policy, which did not actively encourage eBay sellers to promote off-eBay transactions in addition to their Auction and Buy it Now listings.

EBay Inc has now launched an online service that will enable eBay sellers to create customised web shops and stores alongside the main eBay marketplace. ProStores allows users to create a shopfront that includes their own brand identity together with customised categories and unique internet address.

Whilst ProStores offers a “stand-alone” capability, the service still provides integration with existing eBay shops and also with eBay’s secure online payments system – Paypal. This combination gives the best of both worlds – eBay’s strong brand identity and market presence, plus the unique selling points of each individual vendor.

President of eBay North America, Bill Cobb said, "EBay sellers are looking to maximize their sales online, and many are interested in doing so through more than one channel."

Well done eBay! – this new approach offers eBay shops a great way of leveraging the strength of eBay on a global basis, together with their own special skills and services.