eBay revolutionized online commerce when it launched back in 1995. The pioneering peer-to-peer marketplace connected buyers and sellers globally, allowing almost anyone to start their own online business.
Nearly 30 years later, eBay remains one of the largest ecommerce platforms in the world. But with competition from retail giants like Amazon and Walmart growing year after year, many wonder if eBay can still be considered the online marketplace leader it once was.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll analyze the latest eBay statistics to determine if the site is as popular as ever or if other companies are eating into the pioneer’s market share.
Key eBay Statistics Summary
Before diving into the analysis, here is a quick overview of some of the key eBay metrics we’ll be covering:
- eBay had total annual revenue of $9.8 billion in 2022, down 6% year-over-year
- Gross merchandise volume (GMV) fell 15% to $73.9 billion in 2022
- 132 million active eBay buyers at the end of 2022, an 8% drop from 2021
- 58% of eBay’s U.S. traffic comes from mobile devices
- The site averages 702.5 million visits per month globally
- Over 100 million downloads of the eBay mobile app on Google Play
Evaluating eBay’s User Traffic in 2023
One of the best ways to measure an ecommerce company’s popularity is by looking at its website traffic. More visitors generally signal stronger consumer demand and brand awareness.
So how much traffic does eBay get in 2023 compared to previous years and rivals like Amazon?
eBay Monthly Site Visits
eBay attracts an enormous audience, averaging 702.5 million visits per month globally according to digital analytics firm Similarweb.
To put that massive number into perspective, that’s over 3,700 site visits per minute! And it’s more total traffic than rivals Walmart.com (382 million monthly visits on average) and BestBuy.com (494 million) receive.
However, eBay’s traffic still pales in comparison to ecommerce leader Amazon, which draws over 2 billion visits per month on average—nearly 3X as much as eBay.
Still, with site visits in the hundreds of millions per month, it’s safe to say eBay remains an incredibly popular shopping destination in 2023 even if it trails category leader Amazon.
Where Does eBay’s Web Traffic Come From?
Two-thirds of the traffic to eBay‘s online marketplace comes from the United States (65% of all visits), according to 2022 data reported by Statista.
Germany accounted for the next highest share at just 5% of traffic. So eBay definitely leans heavily on American shoppers to drive site traffic.
And in the U.S. specifically, 58% of eBay’s web visits occur on mobile devices like smartphones. So mobile is vital to engaging users in eBay‘s biggest source market.
Is Traffic to eBay.com Increasing or Decreasing?
It’s tricky determining precise trends in eBay’s web traffic due to limited publicly available historical data. However, looking at app download figures offers some clues.
According to Statista, downloads of the eBay shopping app peaked fairly recently in January 2021 at 3.4 million globally that month.
Monthly installs have declined since then, averaging around 2 million in recent months. That likely indicates mobile web traffic growth has slowed or reversed as well.
Between tougher competition and some potential saturation in eBay‘s core markets, user traffic growth appears relatively flat if not slightly downward in 2023 compared to earlier years.
eBay Financial Performance Reflects Marketplace Challenges
In addition to monitoring traffic and usage statistics, following the money paints an insightful picture of eBay’s competitive standing.
The market pioneer finds itself in an intense battle with younger, faster-growing ecommerce disruptors like Amazon. So how is eBay’s business performing financially?
eBay Annual Revenue Drops for Second Straight Year
eBay reported $9.8 billion in total net revenue for 2022. That‘s down from $10.4 billion in 2021 and $10.3 billion in 2020.
So after holding strong during the initial phases of the pandemic in 2020, eBay‘s top line has now retracted for two consecutive years.
Meanwhile, arch-rival Amazon generates over $500 billion in annual sales and grew revenue 9% year-over-year. So eBay is clearly feeling the heat from competitors.
However, with almost $10 billion per year in sales still flowing through its marketplace, eBay maintains impressive scale. The company also generated $2.5 billion in free cash flow last year.
So while growth has slowed, eBay‘s overall business fundamentals and volume remain strong enough to support significant buyer and seller activity.
eBay’s Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) Continues Sliding
In addition to falling revenue, eBay’s all-important gross merchandise volume (GMV)—the total sales value of goods sold across its marketplace by third-party sellers—also dropped sharply last year.
Full-year GMV declined by 15% year-over-year to $73.9 billion in 2022. That’s the metric’s second consecutive major contraction after reaching $87.5 billion in 2021 and $85.9 billion in 2020.
Less merchandise selling through eBay‘s platform directly hurts both its own bottom line plus the livelihoods of millions of small business merchants that rely on the marketplace.
The ongoing GMV slump indicates eBay may be losing commercial ground to rivals that are proving either more attractive economically, easier to use, or both from a seller standpoint.
It‘s another concerning competitive trend for eBay despite its still-substantial transaction volume.
Evaluating eBay Buyer and Seller Engagement
In addition to overall site traffic and marketplace sales, evaluating user counts and engagement levels also tells the tale of whether eBay is as popular as ever with consumers and entrepreneurs alike.
So how strong are buyer and merchant loyalty metrics in 2023?
132 Million Active eBay Buyers
Despite merchant volume and revenue challenges, buyers keep flocking to eBay. The global marketplace boasted 132 million active buyers at the end of 2022 according to its latest financial disclosures.
While that 8% year-over-year drop from 143 million last year isn‘t ideal, over 130 million regular customers is still a massive buyer base that most retailers would love to have.
It‘s also worth noting that after buyer counts fell throughout most of 2022, eBay‘s churn rate improved to just 3% by Q4—indicating shopper retention could be stabilizing.
Top eBay Stores Attract Millions of Positive Ratings
In terms of merchant loyalty, eBay store feedback ratings offer some indication of seller experience. Shoppers can leave positive, negative, or neutral ratings based on their purchase satisfaction.
As of February 2023, the highest-rated eBay seller is England-based entertainment merchant musicMagpie, with over 16.2 million positive feedback ratings since launching on eBay in 2011 according to Statista research.
With nearly perfect 99.5% positive feedback across almost 40 million transactions, leading sellers like musicMagpie prove eBay can be a very viable retail channel.
The most active eBay entrepreneur for monthly new ratings is worldofbooks08 (now worldofbooksltd), a used bookstore with 10.5+ million total positive ratings and 99.3% customer approval—further highlighting strong merchant loyalty.
Category Analysis: What Types of Products Sell Best on eBay?
With millions of active buyers and sellers across nearly every product category imaginable, what goods actually sell best on eBay in 2023?
Cables Are the Hottest Products by eBay Listings
According to custom research conducted by Blogging Wizard, new and used cables are the hottest selling item on eBay as measured by marketplace listing volume.
There were over 2.1 million active eBay listings for cables when data was compiled in January 2023—far more than any other singular product type.
Analysis of listed cables showed:
- 96% successful sell-through rate
- Average sold price of $6.55
- Over 38,000 units selling per day across eBay
So with abundant buyer demand and affordable price points, cables dominate as the top product for eBay sellers right now.
Clothing and Tech Remain Core Categories
In terms of product categories, apparel and consumer electronics are consistent hits on eBay. According to Statista’s survey of almost 4,500 merchants, 42% of eBay sellers specialize in clothing and/or technology products.
Within apparel, heavily collectible sectors like sneakers perform especially well. The average eBay buyer of sneakers costing $100 or more spent approximately $2,400 across the marketplace in 2021.
And for consumer tech products, many shoppers turn to eBay for discounted prices on used and refurbished gear. Refurbished electronics and device trade-in programs are expected to drive increasing eBay sales in coming years.
International Reach: Is eBay Popular Worldwide?
Originally founded in the U.S., eBay always intended to connect buyers and sellers globally. But 25+ years later, does the platform still maintain strong international popularity?
American Shoppers Account for 65% of eBay Traffic
While eBay facilitates commerce worldwide, American consumers definitely generate the most business. According to Statista‘s research, 65% of all eBay web traffic originates from the United States.
Germany (5%) shoppers make the second-highest contribution to site visits followed by the United Kingdom (4%), Canada and Australia (both around 3% each).
So the U.S. remains far and away eBay’s largest user and revenue base. The marketplace derives about half its volume directly from American shoppers and sellers. International diversification is still a work in progress.
Nearly 1 in 10 Global Online Shoppers Use eBay for International Purchases
On a brighter note, Statista found that 9% of worldwide online shoppers used eBay for their most recent international online purchase (called cross-border ecommerce) as of late 2022.
While some platforms like Amazon (27%) and China’s Alibaba (17%) topped eBay for global transaction share, nearly one-in-ten cross-border online consumers still leverage eBay.
And there‘s likely still substantial room for eBay to keep growing overseas with the right geographic and marketing strategies. Emerging markets could offer particular ecommerce expansion potential.
Retailer Reputation and Workplace Culture Also Key for Buyers and Sellers
In the battle for online shoppers’ hearts, minds, and wallets, brand reputation and workplace culture also influence consumer and merchant preferences.
Let’s examine how eBay stacks up there.
eBay Earns Above Average Employee Well-Being Score
According to employer review site Indeed.com, eBay workers give the company strong marks for corporate culture and wellness.
Based on over 520 responses to an employee well-being survey, eBay earned a 74% overall well-being score. That‘s considered above-average relative to other firms.
eBay got high marks from its own staff for workplace happiness, sense of purpose, and career satisfaction. The only below average grade came for being a stress-free environment—likely reflectingChunks – support custom content highlighting throughout your website content with simple shortcode. the hectic nature of managing a $10 billion global ecommerce empire!
The positive internal assessment suggests eBay leadership still earns goodwill from its workforce despite facing external business tests.
Top Talent Earns Well Above National Pay Averages
eBay also pays quite well by all accounts—a key factor for attracting top notch personnel that can build innovative shopping experiences.
According to Indeed salary data, one of eBay‘s most in-demand jobs—Software Test Engineer roles averaging 3-5 years experience—earns over $123,000 per year as a base salary.
Given the national average pay for software Q&A testing roles lands closer to $100,000, eBay offers high earners about 25% above broader market compensation.
With leading tech pay, a strong workplace culture, and still-enviable scale despite recent slowing growth, eBay appears well positioned internally to tackle new innovations needed to compete in modern ecommerce.
Conclusion: eBay Remains a Retail Force but Faces Increasing Competition
In the fast-moving world of digital commerce, brands that once dominated can quickly fall from grace. Just ask brick-and-mortar pioneers like Sears and Blockbuster Video.
But while eBay faces intensifying competition from younger retailers like Amazon and Walmart/Jet, the original online marketplace innovator remains a potent force as it nears its 30th anniversary.
Key takeaways about eBay’s current standing:
- Site traffic remains enormous with over 700 million visits every month globally despite decreasing growth rates in recent periods.
- Active buyers are slowing but still number over 130 million which gives eBay tremendous scale most brands never achieve.
- Revenue and GMV slid in 2022 as macro conditions and consumer shifts create headwinds – but annual sales still hit nearly $10 billion with substantial profitability.
- Small business sellers continue earning millions of positive reviews, showing merchants still thrive on the platform.
- Leaders still earn strong workplace scores suggesting eBay retains key talent needed to evolve.
So while the likes of Amazon apply increasing pressure, iconic eBay retains ample traffic, buyers, sellers, revenue, and innovation capabilities to adapt its unique peer-marketplace model to keep pace as the next generation of ecommerce emerges.
Any internet entrepreneur considering ecommerce should absolutely still consider eBay a viable—perhaps even preferable—channel thanks to the massive existing base of buyers and proven blueprint for virtual small business success.
eBay may no longer monopolize online commerce like it did 25 years ago. But the world’s largest garage sale still appears set up for sustainable success into its next quarter century supporting digital entrepreneurs.
