ClickZ eBay Insights Newsletter | 🌎 eBay’s Role in Climate Policy & Business

PLUS: eBay’s 2025 market strategy is shaped by AI, sustainability, and first-party data

Author

Nandini Sehgal
February 26, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

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Welcome to eBay Merchant Insights, your trusted source for updates and analysis on eBay’s latest developments.

Editor’s Pick ✨

@clickz_official

🚀 @Amazon ads: what you’re missing 🛒 For years, Amazon has been a black box - but what if your Meta ads were driving more impact than you ... See more

Nécessaire, like many brands, knew that their DTC ads drive Amazon conversions but simply couldn't measure this relationship. With Amazon representing one-third of US eCommerce sales, this lack of visibility is endemic.

With Halo, Nécessaire were able to see their Unified ROAS, a new metric that measures the combined return on ad spend across DTC and marketplaces like Amazon. They discovered that TikTok's Unified ROAS was twice as high and Meta's ROAS was 87% higher than previously measurable with DTC-only ROAS.

Armed with this knowledge, they adjusted their channel mix and achieved 47% higher Prime Day revenue than industry benchmarks.

Sector Spotlight 🎥

E-COMMERCE INSIGHTS

eBay launches an "Evolving Shop" for Pokémon Day, spotlighting Eevee with auctions of rare cards and collectibles starting at nine cents. This strategic initiative aligns with eCommerce trends, offering U.S. marketers actionable insights into leveraging limited-time events to drive engagement and platform performance, underscoring niche market potential.

E-COMMERCE ANALYSIS

eBay sellers are navigating a transformative 2025, leveraging past learnings from cautious, value-conscious buyer behavior. Sustainable and affordable options, such as refurbished items, continue to gain traction. By strategically aligning with seasonal trends, offering exclusive products, and utilizing tailored pricing, sellers can distinguish themselves in the marketplace.

Real connections through eBay's networking events, like the eBay Business Roadshow, enable growth and innovation. Embrace AI technologies to refine marketing strategies—using tools for AI-assisted bulk listings and data-driven, trend-based campaigns ensures competitive advantage and operational efficiency.

The evolving advertising landscape, shaped by third-party cookie deprecation, demands a reliance on first-party data to create precise, high-intent audiences. Sellers must adapt to privacy-centric dynamics by prioritizing strategic agility, focusing on maintaining consumer value, trust, and enhancing platform effectiveness.

ECOMMERCE INSIGHTS

In 2025, eBay sellers encounter opportunities shaped by previous experiences and emerging trends. Reflecting on 2024, the adoption of cautious buyer strategies and sustainability interests have refined seller approaches. Notable insights include:

  • Coupons and competitive pricing strategies have boosted gross merchandise value (GMV); strategic promotions and exclusive offerings are advantageous.

  • Building buyer trust via extended return periods and strategic channel alignment proves essential.

Growth avenues for 2025 are robust, featuring:

  • Networking opportunities through events like the eBay Business Roadshow and targeted seller meetups enhancing connection.

  • AI and ML innovations driving personalized, data-driven marketing, thus boosting operational efficiencies.

Navigating the evolving landscape requires leveraging first-party data for accurate targeting amid third-party cookie deprecation. Adapting dynamically to these shifts remains critical for succeeding in the competitive retail environment.

CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

eBay's involvement in depoliticizing climate policy during Trump's second term offers deep insights for eCommerce and digital marketing professionals. By emphasizing broader business impacts and engaging in collaborative efforts with companies like Etsy, eBay aligns its sustainability goals with evolving federal directives. This approach not only ensures resilience against political shifts but also enhances strategic marketing campaigns that resonate with enduring industry trends, showcasing the importance of adaptability and foresight.

Through alliances with similar platforms, eBay advances the circular economy, unlocking insights into cross-industry cooperation as a powerful tool for market influence. By focusing on collective action and transparent communications, eBay exemplifies the value of strategic partnerships in advocacy, crucial for eCommerce strategies. These insights guide marketers to leverage strategic partnerships and align marketing efforts with both regulatory and market dynamics for optimized platform performance.

Influencer Corner 📣

Barry Hott on LinkedIn: Make beautiful ads! Seriously. If your brand is at significant scale, you should invest in polished, high-production ads!

Yes, I, the "make ugly ads guy" am saying you can go make pretty ads and run them on TV, YouTube, or other placements where consumers want and expect to see that style of content (or where they can't skip it 😅) and it will probably benefit your business significantly...

BUT do not expect them to perform well or be relevant to your audiences on TikTok or IG/FB, especially not as an ad.

Attending eTail Palm Springs?

Optimization Hub ⚙️

AD PLATFORM EVOLUTION

WTF is open-source marketing mix modeling?

Open-source marketing mix modeling (MMM) is gaining traction as a strategic tool, with Google's Meridian leading the shift towards transparent and privacy-compliant solutions. This model uses Bayesian causal inference to enhance budget allocation across digital platforms, attracting support from industry giants and promising more accurate, insightful marketing strategies.

"It’s great to see the shift away from the fundamentally broken model of user-level and cookie-based MTA, which has been eroded by signal loss from privacy changes. Since iOS 14 and ATT, opt-out rates have hit ~75%, leaving major measurement gaps. A machine learning probabilistic approach is the way forward."

DIGITAL MARKETING PLATFORMS

Social media is a powerful tool for eBay sellers, offering targeted engagement, brand elevation, and increased conversions. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram drive product discovery and visual storytelling, while TikTok fuels viral trends and LinkedIn enhances credibility for B2B categories.

Leveraging platform-specific strategies—such as paid ads, influencer collaborations, and SEO-driven content—can optimize visibility and boost sales. With the right approach, social media becomes a key driver of sustained growth for eBay businesses in a competitive marketplace.

ADVERTISING INNOVATION

P&G's AI-driven strategy transforms advertising by optimizing ad spend and enhancing communication through rapid ad testing and media automation. Reinventing the agency model, P&G focuses on efficiency, quality, and flexibility, achieving significant cost savings and improving creative outcomes. This strategic innovation offers insightful parallels for enhancing Amazon platform performance and consumer engagement.

Social Media Marketing

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