eBay is introducing ‘managed delivery’, a cost-effective fulfillment service to launch next year, beginning in the U.S., that will provide shoppers faster and more reliable delivery on millions of popular products. The initiative will enable sellers with high-volume inventory to meet rising consumer expectations while reducing cost and complexity.
Managed Delivery will provide sellers the ability to store, pack and ship their products through expert logistics partners managed by eBay. The new service allows sellers to store inventory closer to buyers in strategically located warehouses across the country, resulting in faster delivery time and lower shipping costs.
eBay will power the Managed Delivery experience through a global technology platform and third-party partners will run the operations, creating a seamless end-to-end fulfillment process for sellers that will allow them to manage their inventory through Seller Hub and other industry-standard solutions. The new service will give sellers the ability to offer the free shipping buyers want with a more reliable and faster delivery promise – and hence drive their sales on eBay.
“A common request we hear from our high-velocity sellers is to help make delivery of high-volume items easy and fast,” said Devin Wenig, President and CEO, eBay.
“Managed Delivery will be a competitively-priced logistics solution for businesses selling high-volume goods in popular categories like electronics, home and garden, and fashion. The implementation of this service will dramatically lessen the shipping burden on sellers, while improving the shopping experience and making unboxing fun for buyers,” he added.
The service will be available for fulfilling orders placed on eBay and other online platforms.
“eBay’s fulfillment pilot has made it easier and faster to get our products in the hands of customers,” said David DiBartolomeo, Select Tech, who has been enrolled in an eBay fulfillment pilot in the U.S.
“Today, shoppers are looking for fast and free delivery and this new service has allowed us to increase customer satisfaction while simplifying our business and saving money at the same time,” DiBartolomeo added.
With approximately 1.5 million packages being sent daily in the U.S. by eBay sellers, Managed Delivery will also result in hundreds of millions of eBay branded boxes and packages being placed on front porches across the United States within the next few years. These branded packages will not only deliver a better shopping experience for customers, but materially enhance eBay’s brand identity as a popular consumer shopping destination.
Managed Delivery is the third pillar of eBay’s ongoing evolution to create a more managed marketplace. The first two pillars being the creation of a managed catalog to make it easier for buyers to find what they are looking for, and the development of managed payments to create greater buyer choice in payment options.
Sellers who qualify for Managed Delivery will experience a range of benefits, including:
- Lower Fulfillment Costs: eBay will negotiate highly competitive rates on delivery options, saving sellers money on fulfillment costs
- Customer Support & Protections: Dedicated eBay customer service and enhanced financial and reputation protections on shipments
- Simplified and Faster Shipping: End-to-end fulfillment services resulting in more inventory delivered faster and with greater reliability
- Increased Sales: Ability for sellers to entice buyers with faster and reliable delivery
- eBay Branded Packaging: Eco-friendly eBay branded packaging for Managed Delivery orders
Buyers will benefit from:
- Fast Delivery: Millions of popular products arriving faster to buyers’ doorsteps
- Reliability: With 100% tracking, buyers can monitor their packages and know when to expect them
- Free: A significant increase in sellers offering free shipping on products buyers want
- Quality Packaging: Orders arrive in high-quality, sturdy, eco-friendly packaging
- Improved Customer Support: Simpler and quicker resolution on transaction queries