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For us, success happens together. Our goal is to create holistic advertising solutions for individuals, entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes to boost their sales and grow their brand on eBay. Earlier this summer, I shared a preview with sellers and developers during our annual eBay conferences about an upcoming addition to our advertising portfolio, Promoted Listings Advanced. This new campaign is an exciting complement to Promoted Listings Standard, historically referred to as Promoted Listings, which has seen great success over the past several years, with sellers who have adopted it seeing an average of double-digit sales increases.From our data, we know that search plays a critical role in making a sale happen on our marketplace. Our analysis shows that the majority of eBay purchases, approximately 70 percent, start from search. Moreover, one in five eBay purchases start with a listing that appeared at the top of our search results page. Currently in beta, Promoted Listings Advanced is the next step in developing a universal suite of advertising solutions for sellers seeking more preferred access and control in search rankings and budget planning. As we look ahead to debuting Promoted Listings Advanced to eligible sellers later this year, I’m excited to share today this important product update for sellers who use third-party software platforms to help run their business.We’ve partnered with leading software providers for online businesses in the U.S., Europe and China to make Promoted Listings Advanced more widely available for sellers via APIs, or application programming interfaces. These partnerships include: ChannelAdvisor, Frooition, Just Applications, Pacvue, Push Auction, SoldEazy, Teikametrics and TongTool. With these new collaborations, Promoted Listings Advanced will become more accessible for sellers who use these platforms every day. In the coming months, we’ll work with additional partners to integrate this product into their software.How Promoted Listings Advanced WorksPromoted Listings Advanced uses a cost-per-click model, a standard model used by other marketplaces, ecommerce platforms and digital publishers. In this model, sellers will pay a small fee each time an eBay shopper clicks on a promoted listing. With our sellers’ feedback in mind, we’ve also added more access around keyword control and budget planning for Promoted Listings Advanced. Here’s how this new campaign works.Keyword ControlSellers can use our suggested keywords (search terms that we have determined to be relevant and likely to perform on eBay) or select their own. This keyword control gives sellers the ability to target their listings, reaching shoppers while they are actively searching for products the seller has listed (or ones just like them). Using an auction format, sellers will determine how much each click is worth to them. From there, they can bid on a keyword to “win” the auction, which is run every time a user does a search. Budget PlanningPromoted Listings Advanced has a daily budget feature with which the seller controls how much they want to spend on a campaign per day. This level of control helps sellers manage their advertising investment and overall margins. Once a campaign hits its daily budget, charges are paused until the next day when the budget resets.Both campaign types, Promoted Listings Standard and Promoted Listings Advanced, help eBay sellers’ items stand out among billions of listings across the eBay marketplace and be seen by millions of active buyers when they’re browsing and searching, increasing the likelihood of a sale.We recommend, when possible, sellers use both campaign types to test and learn. Using them together provides maximum reach and maximum visibility. And because of the different fee models, sellers can manage risk — thanks to Promoted Listings Standard cost-per-sale model — with the predictability of a daily budget and control keyword targeting.Our team is excited about the momentum around our advertising portfolio to help our sellers grow and thrive on our marketplace. We’re looking forward to launching Promoted Listings Advanced later this year for all eligible sellers in service of our founding purpose to create economic opportunity for all. 

Yuuki Shishido has always been passionate about supporting his local community. For years, he dreamed of owning and operating a Japanese anime store, but living in a small town with a dwindling population where small businesses were struggling to get by meant his hopes seemed uncertain at best. That is, until he began selling on eBay in 2007. With a global marketplace at his fingertips, Yuuki found a world of anime fans hungry for collectible figurines, books, CDs and DVDs. He also found that his customers were just as passionate about sustainability and recommerce.“In Japan, anime goods are often made in bulk but lose popularity after a few months and are thrown away,” he explained. “I have always found this practice wasteful, but introducing anime goods that have lost value in Japan to buyers overseas restores value to these collectibles while exciting fans worldwide.” A collection of anime goods for sale in Yuuki’s store. As Yuuki’s eBay store grew in popularity, he began to search for ways to involve members of his community in the expansion of his business. After establishing a physical location in Asahikawa, the second-largest city in Hokkaido, his desire to help create economic opportunities for historically excluded people led him to connect with a disability outreach program. He now works with eight people in his store with various mental, intellectual and learning disabilities. To match his coworkers’ strengths with their abilities, Yuuki has developed a number of different tasks with varying levels of intricacy. For example, those who enjoy repetitive work help with packing materials, and those with good dexterity fold origami paper cranes as gifts for customers. “I want to help each person find how they can contribute by focusing on their strengths, interests and goals,” he explained. “Especially in small communities with dwindling populations, I believe we can find a way to work with different types of skill sets and create a better society.” Yuuki’s coworkers help with cataloguing inventory. Yuuki also is passionate about promoting accessibility and inclusion through his eBay store and sells products made by local artisans with disabilities. One of those artists, Miai, has a mental disorder that prevents her from going outside or connecting with the world, but she still wanted to showcase her art. With her permission, Yuuki sold four of her original drawings on his eBay store, with one buyer writing back, “I can’t wait to see what anime or character this artist will create in the future!” Sharing that news is one of Yuuki’s favorite eBay moments. “eBay and those four buyers gave so much more than money to Miai,” he said. “They gave her the hope and courage to pursue her passion. She still helps me with my business, and we smile every day.” During the pandemic, Yuuki has also begun selling hair pins made by the staff members of a local theater in an effort to attract customers back to the show business. And, of course, he continues to frequent local flea markets and recycling shops in search of anime collectibles for his store.“Since eBay has allowed my business to thrive, I want to provide as much support as I can to the local shops that are still suffering,” Yuuki said. Yuuki (left) and his wife Hanae (right) in front of their physical store. Selling on eBay connects Yuuki not only to his community, but also to history. He sees his store as an extension of a 400-year-old Japanese tradition known as Ukiyo-e — a form of traditional painting that served as one of Japan’s earliest forms of mass entertainment and advertising. “I look at anime goods as the modern-day Ukiyo-e,” he said. “And by selling collectibles to the world through eBay, I feel like I am continuing that 400-year tradition, which inspires my passion for what I do.” That passion, inspiration and tradition are just a few reasons why Yuuki and eBay are better together — and why we are smiling right along with him. 

eBay’s robust, virtual internship program brings together students from 70 different universities and colleges this summer, fostering the future of ecommerce amongst our business, technology and marketing teams. Our Intern Spotlight Series features interviews with our latest class of eBay interns as they explore their future career paths.Intern Omotayo Akingba is spending his summer analyzing eBay’s taxes. But the greatest takeaways of his internship have been the invaluable lessons he is learning about life — including how to be flexible in a new situation and accept ambiguity as an opportunity for growth and exploration.“The biggest insight I learned was that it’s okay to ask questions or admit that I don’t know the answer,” he said. “In fact, doing so eliminates the pressure of being perfect and encourages me to try things out.”We recently chatted with Omotayo, who is studying business and political economy at the College of Idaho, about his internship experience and why it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.”What drew you to eBay’s summer internship program?My sister works as a financial analyst at eBay and was actually one of the inaugural members of the Finance Futures Program, a full-time rotational program that exposes recent college graduates to different finance functions within eBay. She had told me all about the people that she works with and the different opportunities she’s experienced, so I thought it would be worth a shot to help figure out the next step of my career.I stumbled into my role with the Indirect Tax team, mainly because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. But I’ve come to understand that my internship is more about what I learn than what I do. My team has been so supportive in exposing me to new learning opportunities and projects. For example, they have been helping me get certified in Alteryx for data analytics, which has opened the door for more exploration in analytics work.What part of your internship has been especially meaningful for you?I meet with my manager Vanessa twice a week, sometimes more, and most of the time, it’s beyond just my projects. She wants to know how I am, what my plans are, how I’m moving forward, what I have learned. She has connected me with a diverse group of people at eBay so I can learn what others are doing at the company and hear their career advice.My team also holds biweekly meetings that we call “Breakfast and Learns.” These are team-building opportunities to come together and pitch new projects — participating has been integral to my learning. Presenting my own ideas to the team has shown me how to critically analyze and propose my recommendations in a digestible way.What has been your greatest challenge at eBay, and how have you learned from it?The biggest challenge for me was letting go of the need to get things done perfectly the first time around. In college, there is a competitive mindset where uncertainty about anything means you get left behind. The real world is not like that, especially when it comes to a changing marketplace that is always evolving. So my philosophy right now is, “Do the best you can,” which is so freeing.How have you contributed a fresh perspective to your team?Members of my team are constantly asking for my input as a Gen Z student and are eager to hear my opinions. Taxation is a hot-button topic for my generation, so these discussions aren’t just abstract, but an important issue to me personally. Because of this, it feels really rewarding to bring my perspective as a student to the Indirect Tax team and participate in the conversations about the work we do.How have you seen inclusion at work at eBay?The fact that leaders at eBay know my name speaks volumes about the company’s commitment to inclusion and empowerment. For example, the University Recruiting and Programming team recently organized a Q&A event with one of our executive leaders, and when he answered my question, he addressed me by my name — Omotayo, which surprised me because Zoom displays my middle name on screen.  We had only spoken briefly one other time, but he remembered me. From that interaction alone, I could tell that eBay is serious about being a community for everyone, from the newest interns to the most senior executives.

With the luxury resale market seeing exponential growth in recent months and showing no signs of slowing down, eBay is bringing a lust-worthy selection of designer handbags from the marketplace directly into the hands of shoppers, with first-of-its-kind luxury handbag machines popping up in Dumbo, Brooklyn, and Silver Lake, Los Angeles. 
For two days only — beginning today, Aug. 12, through tomorrow, Aug. 13 — shoppers visiting eBay’s luxury handbag machines will have a chance to score a coveted bag from luxury’s foremost brands, like the Hermès Birkin, Chanel Classic, Prada Diagramme and Louis Vuitton Nano Speedy Monogram. Style enthusiasts beyond the borders of Los Angeles and New York aren’t out of luck, however: by heading to eBay’s Instagram or Twitter, shoppers everywhere can play for a chance to grab a designer bag, all marked with eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee. 
In addition to the luxury handbag machines, eBay is also launching “A is for Authenticity,” a short film narrated by celebrity fashion stylist Law Roach. The video showcases some of today’s most covetable handbags as Roach narrates alongside a series of A to Z visuals, giving shoppers an inside look at eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee service for luxury handbags. 
Previously available for sneakers and luxury watches, eBay expanded its Authenticity Guarantee service to handbags in June 2021 as eBay’s luxury sales hit an all-time high with a 30% YoY increase. The service has significantly changed the way people buy and sell luxury items by leaving nothing up to chance, and to-date, eBay has authenticated more than 1 million items across sneakers, watches and handbags. 
“eBay’s luxury shoppers are constantly thinking about their next designer handbag,” said Tirath Kamdar, GM of Luxury at eBay. “In the same way traditional vending machines solve for convenience, eBay is making luxury instantly accessible, bringing designer handbags directly to enthusiasts in New York and Los Angeles — while also demonstrating the incredible inventory available on the marketplace.”
Ways to Win
Offering an engaging gaming element, in-person participants will have a chance to win one of six handbags displayed in each machine by participating in a luxury-based trivia game to test their knowledge of all-things-handbags. 
eBay’s luxury handbag machines will be at two locations (New York and Los Angeles) from 12-5 p.m. local time: 

Dumbo, Brooklyn: 

2 Main St
Brooklyn, NY 11201 

Silver Lake, Los Angeles: 

1529 Griffith Park Blvd 
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Participation Details

Pre-Registration: Visit eBay’s luxury handbag machine registration page at ebayhandbagmachine.com and RSVP through Eventbrite for free for Thursday, Aug. 12, or Friday, Aug. 13, by entering your name and email address. On the day of your registration, arrive at eBay’s luxury handbag machine and show your email confirmation to check in. Then, wait your turn to play the game for a chance to win one of eBay’s luxury bags. RSVP does not guarantee a chance to play as gameplay will be limited to 12-5 p.m.

Walk-Ups: There will be a limited number of walk-up spots available. Upon arrival, you’ll be given a link to register for eBay’s luxury handbag machine. If additional spots are available you’ll be invited to join the line once registered and wait your turn to play the game. Registration does not guarantee a chance to play as gameplay will be limited to 12-5 p.m.

Across the U.S. (online): People outside of New York and Los Angeles will also be eligible to win by visiting eBay’s Instagram or Twitter channels to enter an online/social media giveaway. Contestants can enter by commenting on the entry post on Instagram or replying to the entry tweet on Twitter. The contest ends on Aug. 16 at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be selected at random. 

The State of the Luxury Resale Market
The launch of eBay’s luxury handbag machines comes at a time when the popularity of investments in luxury items as alternative asset classes is growing quickly.  In partnership with Vogue Business, eBay has released an all-new Luxury Trend Report showcasing a snapshot of luxury trends, the tried-and-true popularity of iconic brands, a look at emerging styles, and consumer sentiments towards luxury and luxury resale. Read the full Luxury Trend Report. Key highlights include: 

Men are More Likely to Invest in Luxury: 76% of men are investing in pre-owned luxury, with 57% of men buying pre-owned luxury at least once a month compared to 37% of female shoppers. Men are also more likely to turn their investment into a sale, with 64% of men selling pre-owned luxury purchases compared to women (50%).  

Coast to Coast: While trends may differ from city to city, one thing is clear: shoppers across the U.S. can all agree on luxury. In 2021, The largest percent of Chanel sales in the U.S. were from the West Coast, and in the Northeast, oversized totes sold better than any other region. 

In Search of Pre-Owned: In addition to price (45%), luxury shoppers say the ability to find rare and vintage items (33%), exclusive products (31%) and sold-out products (28%) are why they shop pre-owned. 

Keeping it Classic: Over the past two years, iconic luxury brands Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci and Saint Laurent were the most coveted luxury handbag brands.  

Ticking Up: Luxury watch sales have reached a record-high. From top brands alone, such as Rolex, Omega, Breitling, Patek Philippe and Cartier, more than 25,000 watches were sold in the first half of 2021. Following the launch of Authenticity Guarantee, many brands saw upticks in searches, such as IWC, whose searches increased +12% month over month.

Material Matters: 2021 handbag trends are all about texture, with raffia bag sales increasing by 50% from January to July, and feather bags soaring 30% in that same timeframe. 

About eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee for Luxury Handbags
On eBay, a handbag is sold every 12 seconds. As the luxury category continues to gain momentum with recent quarter over quarter growth, in June 2021, eBay announced the expansion of its Authenticity Guarantee service to include luxury handbags.
As part of Authenticity Guarantee, new and pre-owned handbags that sell for more than $500 from 16 prominent luxury brands, including Saint Laurent, Gucci, Celine, Balenciaga, among others, will be authenticated by eBay’s team of professionally trained authenticators. Each handbag undergoes a comprehensive, multi-point physical inspection, ensuring that the item and collateral materials are consistent with the listing title, description, and image. Following this rigorous assessment, the handbag is sent via expedited shipping to the buyer, at no-fee to the seller or buyer. 
Shop luxury handbags at ebay.com/authentichandbags, and learn more about eBay’s authentication offering for watches, sneakers and handbags at ebay.com/buyauthentic.
For more, follow the conversation with @eBay on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

Corporate power purchase agreements executed for electricity from largest solar project in Louisiana
345 MWdc solar farm estimated to abate more than 450,000 metric tons of GHG emissions annually, equivalent to annual emissions from more than 99,000 fuel burning cars
Project to stimulate local economy by generating an estimated $30 million in new revenue to the Pointe Coupee Parish along with creating approximately 400 construction jobs

McDonald’s Corporation and eBay Inc. today announced agreements with Lightsource bp to purchase power from what will be Louisiana’s largest solar project, located 30 miles northwest of Baton Rouge in Pointe Coupee Parish. The 345 megawatt Ventress Solar project will help McDonald’s and eBay meet their sustainability goals and advance their commitment to climate action, while growing Lightsource bp’s expanding footprint of solar assets across the Southeast. Once complete, the project will generate over 600,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean energy annually, equivalent to the average annual consumption of 59,000 US homes.
“As one of the world’s largest restaurant companies, McDonald’s is uniquely positioned to help spur significant action around climate change,” said Emma Cox, Global Renewable Energy Lead at McDonald’s. “Our renewable energy deal with Lightsource bp will not only create Louisiana’s largest solar project and serve as the latest milestone in making significant progress toward our science-based emissions reduction target for 2030, but also demonstrate our belief that meaningful solutions to building a sustainable future require partnership and collaboration.”
“At eBay, investing in clean energy remains a focus of our business as we aim to attain 100 percent renewable energy by 2025,” said Renee Morin, Chief Sustainability Officer, eBay. “This project enables us to source the clean energy equivalent of our data center. Our collaboration with Lightsource bp and McDonald’s uniquely propels our shared goal to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy.”
Construction is expected to begin as early as the end of this year on the Ventress Solar farm, with commercial operation starting in mid-2023. Lightsource bp is developing the project and will be the long-term owner and operator.
“This agreement is a great example of the teamwork needed to achieve our mutual goals for a healthier, more sustainable and resilient planet and economy for generations to come,” said Kevin Smith, CEO of the Americas for Lightsource bp. “Customer aggregation deals such as this allow businesses of varying sizes and energy needs to come together and spur meaningful development of clean and affordable energy sources in the US. This collaborative agreement by McDonald’s and eBay is a model we hope others will replicate.”
Local economic benefits beyond reducing greenhouse gas pollution
Beyond improving the health and energy security of communities across America, large-scale solar projects help strengthen local economies. Construction of the over $300 million privately funded solar farm will:

Create approximately 400 construction jobs for 15-18 months, comprised primarily of local labor
Provide an estimated $30 million dollar boost to Pointe Coupee Parish over the project life – providing additional funding for schools, fire departments, libraries and health services – without a tax increase on its citizens
Deliver an indirect economic impact of over $200 million, according to a study by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, an economic development agency supporting the nine-parish Baton Rouge Area

“This project is exciting news for our parish,” said Major Thibaut, Pointe Coupee Parish President. “It brings the largest economic development project to the area in thirty years, with minimal impact on our infrastructure. The participation in the PILOT program means approximately $30 million in revenue for parish government, law enforcement and school system without an increase in taxes on our residents.”
Dual use solar – maximizing benefits to the environment and local community
With proper planning and land management, solar farms can increase biodiversity and improve local ecosystems. A long-term environmental action plan is underway for Ventress Solar that aims to maximize local sustainability benefits through habitat creation and co-located agriculture to farm the land while also harnessing solar energy.
CustomerFirst Renewables and 3Degrees, representing McDonald’s and eBay respectively, partnered to advise the buyer aggregation during the transaction, and Ballard Spahr led negotiations on behalf of the buyers.

About Lightsource bp
Lightsource bp is a global leader in the development and management of solar energy projects, and a 50:50 joint venture with bp. Our purpose is to deliver affordable and sustainable solar power for businesses and communities around the world. Our team includes over 500 industry specialists, working across 15 countries. We provide full scope development for our projects, from initial site selection, financing and permitting through to long-term management of solar projects and power sales to our clients. Lightsource bp in the U.S. is headquartered in San Francisco with development offices in Denver, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Austin. Since late 2017, the team has developed a pipeline of more than 8 gigawatts of large-scale solar projects at various stages of development across the United States with over 2.7 gigawatts of contracted assets representing more than $2.2 billion in potential investment. For more information please visit lightsourcebp.com.
About McDonald’s
McDonald’s is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with over 39,000 locations in over 100 countries. Approximately 93% of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook. www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.
About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects millions of buyers and sellers in 190 markets around the world. We exist to enable economic opportunity for individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations of all sizes. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2020, eBay enabled $100 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.
Media contact:Mary GrikasMary.Grikas@lightsourcebp.com

Today, eBay announced that it is extending its highly successful Up & Running grants program into another year, to help small businesses thrive online and secure their future.
The Up & Running Grants are focused on ensuring today’s small businesses are here tomorrow by committing more than $500,000 annually in funding and education resources to support the growth and success of existing small businesses on eBay. Now in its second year, the grants program builds on eBay’s long-standing commitment to small businesses and expands the company’s Up & Running initiative to another 50 US business sellers who will receive $10,000 grant packages.
“Small businesses power our economy, our communities and eBay’s marketplace. These businesses bring the rich and unique inventory that makes eBay one of the world’s most vibrant ecommerce destinations,” said Andrea Stairs, CMO & VP of Seller Community. “As the home of small business — with hundreds of thousands of small businesses, accounting for the majority of our annual gross merchandise sales — we feel a deep sense of responsibility to our eBay small business community. Continuing our Up & Running Grants program is part of eBay’s steadfast commitment in supporting and empowering our small business sellers through the relentless challenges brought on by the global pandemic.”    
The eBay grants expansion announcement follows a recent survey by Small Business Majority that found 56% of all microbusinesses expect they can only survive three months or less without additional funding or market changes. The inaugural grants program awarded 50 deserving small businesses across the nation with the money, tools, education and resources they needed to not only survive, but thrive through the pandemic. Nearly 90% of grant recipients* said the grant was extremely helpful to their business staying up and running and growing online, particularly amidst COVID-19-related challenges, while 94% said the grant was extremely helpful in assisting their business to better manage and plan for the future. 

“If I didn’t receive the grant right when I did, I would have gone out of business as my credit cards were all maxed and I couldn’t buy more inventory. This blessing allowed my son and I to keep our home and business running. I’ve also brought in many new customers and grown in confidence,” said Sarah Drobnick, owner of All is Well Period, and previous eBay Up & Running Grants recipient.
“We were struggling and applied for so many grants. We feel so fortunate that this is the one we received. It wasn’t just short term financial help. The long term education is going to pay off even more,” said Sevren Chwang, owner of Heated 4 U – Heated Clothing, and previous eBay Up & Running Grants recipient.
“It’s wonderful that eBay combined a grant with actual training. Grants are certainly helpful (especially during these times), but the training is also very valuable,” said Monica Henderson, owner of Fresh Finds, and previous eBay Up & Running Grants recipient.  

2021 Up & Running Seller Grants Program
Through the 2021 eBay Up & Running Grants program, 50 eBay small business sellers will each receive a $10,000 grant package composed of cash, premium access to guided online learning content through Seller School and direct training and coaching from expert sellers and eBay Growth Advisors. This program ensures sellers have the funding, education and resources they need to help grow their online business.
Once again, eBay is partnering with business accelerator Hello Alice to launch the grants program application and to provide access to mentorship and resources to all sellers who apply, whether they are ultimately chosen for a grant or not. Through Hello Alice, applicants will be enrolled in an online community of similar businesses for peer-to-peer networking and will also have access to thousands of free tools and resources for business owners. 
“There has never been a more tumultuous time for small businesses and their owners. Our partnership with eBay on their Up & Running Grants program ensures that small business owners have the capital they need to not only survive but thrive even amidst the ongoing challenges they face related to COVID-19”, said Elizabeth Gore, Co-Founder and President of Hello Alice.
Apply for an Up & Running Grant
Now through Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, eBay small business sellers are encouraged to apply for Up & Running Grants via an online application. Business sellers will be asked to share details of their small business and how they plan to use the grant to accelerate their growth. eBay is looking to identify sellers who represent a diverse range of backgrounds, bring their unique experiences and inventory to the marketplace, and are committed to their communities and the eBay ecosystem. To apply or learn more about eligibility requirements, sellers can visit ebay.helloalice.com.
About eBay Seller SchooleBay Seller School is eBay’s virtual learning platform offering on-demand lessons, videos, and more to help every eBay seller thrive in our marketplace. Seller School offers more than 85 beginner-level and advanced courses to help all sellers accelerate and scale their eBay business, regardless of their time and experience on the platform. Seller School is available anytime, from anywhere, and is 100% free. More information is available at ebay.com/smallbusiness.
About Hello AliceHello Alice is a free, multichannel platform that helps businesses launch and grow. With a community of nearly 500,000 business owners in all 50 states and across the globe, Hello Alice is building the largest network of owners in the country while tracking data and trends to increase the success rate for entrepreneurs. Our partners include enterprise business services, government agencies, and institutions looking to serve small- and medium-business owners to ensure increased revenues and promote scale. A Latina owned company, founded by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, we believe in business for all by providing access to all owners including women, people of color, veterans, and everyone with an entrepreneurial spirit. To learn more, visit www.helloalice.com, as well as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
For more information and applications, visit ebay.helloalice.com. 
*Grant recipients who responded to the eBay Up & Running Grants follow up impact survey.
About eBayeBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. We exist to enable economic opportunity for individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations of all sizes. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2020, eBay enabled over $85 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.
Media Contact: Camille Kowalewski, eBay, ckowalewski@ebay.ca, (416) 985-0991

eBay, one of the world’s most dynamic marketplaces, is partnering with former NFL athlete Emmitt Smith, PROVA Group, and Notable Live to bring fans a unique interactive experience, while giving them access to one-of-a-kind memorabilia from the athlete’s inimitable career.
Nearly every month throughout the 2021-2022 football season, Smith will be auctioning off — exclusively on eBay — legendary items from his personal memorabilia collection. Fans will have multiple opportunities during the season to get their hands on authentic, one-of-a-kind items like autographed trading cards and game-worn jerseys which Smith accumulated throughout the entirety of his football career, from his Pop Warner days to his induction into the NFL Hall of Fame. As part of the eBay offerings, Notable Live will also be providing a unique live virtual experience where fans can meet Smith and other athletes face-to-face to hear stories about their playing days and the PROVA-authenticated pieces up for auction.
“The memorabilia collecting experience has been due for an upgrade. The fans’ passion for the game and for their favorite players is what makes this space so special. It’s always been about the fans more than it is about the athletes,” said Emmitt Smith, Founder of PROVA Group. “I want fans to have a unique experience, and this exciting partnership with eBay, PROVA, and Notable Live that brings authentic game-used jerseys and a venue for face-to-face conversations with athletes is just what fans are looking for.”
Not only will buyers have the opportunity to purchase rare memorabilia from Smith, they will also get to speak to him face-to-face via Notable Live, a virtual events platform designed to connect fans with the stars they admire. eBay buyers will be treated to a real and raw conversation with Smith and other special guests. Buyers will get to ask questions, play trivia and more during the hour-long event. These virtual experiences with Smith will also be offered each week during football season. The partnership will include other sports greats to be announced during the upcoming 2021-2022 NFL season. Fans can register for a Notable Live Event at https://events.notable.live/.
Founder and CEO of Notable Live, Mike Antonucci says, “As a fan, you always want to get closer to the game and to the players who inspire you. With our partnership focused on delivering transformational solutions that provide fans true access to the players, we are excited to bring those solutions to life. Now fans, not only can buy genuine memorabilia directly from the source, but for the first time ever, create a unique memory to attach to those items they can’t get anywhere else.”
“We’re actively listening to our community to invest in new enhancements and bring the best collaborations to life,” said Nicole Colombo, General Manager of Collectibles & Trading Cards at ‎eBay. “Today, we are thrilled to announce our growing partnership to deliver innovative offerings that bridge both commerce and experience for football fans, sports fanatics and eBay consumers alike.”
Shoppers can head to ebay.com/EmmittSmithCollection now to shop authenticated items for auction.  Fans can also follow Smith at @emmittsmith22 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  Anyone interested in upcoming Events featuring Emmitt Smith and other stars can visit events.notable.live.
 
About eBay
eBay sellers have a passion for collecting, which gives a variety of options for shoppers and provides the community with a reason to shop on the marketplace. The eBay marketplace also offers buyers a unique place to find a wide selection of sports memorabilia to add to their collection, from the ultra-rare to the common, everyday. Millions of people come to eBay in search of sports memorabilia spanning a variety of sports and including a range of items – from the cool, rare, and highly in demand. Follow @eBay on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to see the latest sports merch and memorabilia offerings.
About Notable Live
Notable Live was founded in 2018 to create face-to-face, virtual interactions between fans and their favorite notables via a one-of-a-kind LIVE! interactive platform. Notable Live is a mobile app available on the App Store and Google Play that grants fans real access to notables by putting them “in the room” together for unforgettable virtual experiences. Connect with Notable Live at www.notable.live or on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
About PROVA Group, Inc.
PROVA Group, Inc. was founded by NFL legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Emmitt Smith, a man with first-hand experience with the effects of fraud in the collectibles marketplace. Using modern technology, PROVA Group has developed a lifetime provenance system that closes the gaps in today’s witnessed authentication practices and adds accountability where little to none currently exists.  It strives to build fan loyalty by empowering the consumer with real answers, legit experiences, and assurance in a marketplace where the leading options are no longer the best options. Connect with PROVA Group, Inc. at www.provagroup.com.

Following a record-breaking year for the trading card industry, eBay announces today the introduction of Price Guide and Collection tools for trading cards. The new features provide a single destination for enthusiasts to view, manage, and track the value of their trading card portfolios. 
Launching today in beta on Android, desktop, and in the latest version of the app in the Apple App Store, the new tools make it easier for users to actively collect and sell trading cards, with the ability to monitor the real-time market valuation changes of their portfolios, and list items directly from their collections. eBay is leveraging its extensive data catalog to provide a holistic view of a collection’s past and present value, offering unprecedented assessment, evaluation, and tracking capabilities. 
“Trading card enthusiasts have been waiting for a tool to understand the real-time value of their collections, and manage their inventory as part of a portfolio,” said Nicole Colombo, General Manager of Collectibles & Trading Cards at ‎eBay. “We’ve created a more streamlined collecting experience that provides the crucial context collectors need to be able to assess opportunities, driven by eBay’s unparalleled trading card inventory and data.” 
To many collectors, pricing data is often the most important piece of information in making crucial buying, selling, and trading decisions – though, accurate pricing data is either hard to come by or is not presented in an easily digestible and transparent manner. Price Guide seeks to rectify this issue by using eBay’s extensive data stores to provide the most accurate and comprehensive data from the past year, presented in an easy-to-understand form factor. Users can access Price Guide beta by typing in a trading card query in search to access the entry point that will lead them into the new experience. Price Guide is designed for on-the-go use through eBay’s mobile app. 

Meanwhile, many enthusiasts have large collections that they want to track and manage, but the majority of tools available either provide insufficient information on market value calculations, have a narrow focus on specific sub-categories, or don’t emphasize portfolio management. Collection was designed to scale to other categories and puts Price Guide at the core of the experience – providing accurate and transparent data while allowing users to view, manage, track the value of, buy and list items, all on one platform. During beta launch, Collection will support baseball, basketball, football, golf, ice hockey, soccer, Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. Users can easily add items to their Collection via their purchase history or by uploading a CSV file in order to track the value of individual items, categories, or their full collection over time. They also have the ability to quickly list items in their collection for sale. Mobile users can enjoy full Collection functionality through the eBay app, while desktop users can access CSV uploads.
How to Access Collection:

Under the MyeBay menu tab, click “Collection beta” in the drop down
Collector will be prompted to upload collection manually or from past eBay purchases
Select one of the options below in the Collection Hub to view portfolio:
Portfolio view
Category view 
Item view

These easy-to-use, intuitive tools enable customers to discover and track the value of a card over time, informing when to buy and sell, with advanced filtering capabilities helping collectors trade smarter and more successfully. Backed by eBay historical data from the past year, including volume of transactions and the underlying transaction data, it’s the industry’s most powerful guide for determining market values. 
In addition to the rollout of Price Guide & Collection, eBay continues to actively listen to its growing community of collectors and is investing in new enhancements to provide a more holistic experience for trading card sellers and buyers:

Improving Auction Integrity

As of June 2021, in order to maintain eBay’s commitment to a fair marketplace and to help improve the integrity of trading card auctions, buyers will need to contact the seller via messaging on eBay and request a bid retraction. The seller, at their sole discretion, will be able to accept or decline the retraction request.

Industry Standard Returns

Effective today, July 29, 2021, eBay has implemented changes to the eBay Money Back Guarantee policy for trading cards and will limit the window for returns when an item doesn’t match the listing. For listings that do not offer returns, the buyer must request a return within 3 calendar days after delivery. If the seller does offer returns, the buyer must request a return within the seller’s return window as stated in the listing.

Sell with Ease

eBay’s image scan listing feature now supports Magic the Gathering, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards – allowing sellers to create single card listings up to 50% faster, with plans to expand to sports cards in the future.

Ship with Confidence

eBay Standard Envelope provides an affordable and trackable shipping service for raw trading cards up to $20 for less than $1.

Both new and seasoned collectors who want to get in on the action can head to ebay.com/tradinghub for the latest and greatest tools and find that next great addition for their collection. 
eBay Trading Cards By The Numbers

During Q1 2021, Trading Cards GMV in the U.S. was over $1 billion and active buyers in the category doubled.
In Q1 2021, more than 20 million new trading card listings were created in the category.
Nearly 18 million trading cards were sold in Q1 2021 with an average of 139 cards sold per minute.

Top GMV Growth Trading Card by Categories 

Tennis – 5,157%

Pokémon – 1,046%

Soccer – 1,588%

Marvel – 764%

Football – 367%

Source: Numbers based on eBay U.S. Jan-March 2021 sales data.

Today, eBay welcomes Samsung Electronics America to its expanding cohort of Certified Refurbished sellers and launches a selection of Galaxy mobile products direct from the brand at up to 50% off. Value and sustainability-minded shoppers can now access select Samsung Galaxy products at ebay.com/SamsungDirect, all of which are like new and backed by an industry-leading two-year Allstate warranty.  
“Since its launch last year, our Certified Refurbished program set a new standard for buying and selling professionally-restored inventory,” said Sarah Sternau, GM of Certified Refurbished at eBay. “Introducing Samsung offerings to the program brings shoppers exceptional value on popular tech, while demonstrating that eBay is the ultimate partner and sales channel for top brands with refurbished inventory.”
From home upgrades to new office equipment and gear for the upcoming school year, shoppers are prioritizing value and sustainability over buying new products. A recent survey affirmed the trend, revealing 64% of millennials and Gen Z would prefer to buy refurbished as a means of saving money. As the destination of choice for discerning consumers, eBay’s Certified Refurbished category meets this surging demand through collaborations with best-in-class brands like Samsung and consistently delivering rigorously tested, high-quality refurbished goods. 
Score Exclusive Savings
Whether they’re looking for phone upgrades or new wearables to stay connected, tech-savvy shoppers can head to ebay.com/SamsungDirect to browse select Galaxy products for a fraction of the price of new. Each smartphone has been inspected and restored to pristine, like-new condition by Samsung and comes in new packaging with original or new accessories. Plus, eBay offers select new Galaxy smartwatches and earbuds at low prices. Product highlights include:

Explore more Certified Refurbished inventory now at eBay.com/CertifiedRefurbished, and see the latest news from @eBay on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

eBay’s robust, virtual internship program brings together students from 70 different universities and colleges this summer, fostering the future of ecommerce amongst our business, technology and marketing teams. Our Intern Spotlight Series features interviews with this latest class of eBay interns as they explore their future career paths. For Helen Kim, interning at eBay has been a unique opportunity to explore her twin passions: business and technology. This summer, the Cornell University student is working on the Certified Refurbished team, performing trend analyses based on buyer and seller feedback. “If I were to use one word to describe my internship thus far, I would say it has definitely been transformative,” said Helen. “My time at eBay has genuinely clarified my career goal to be a decision maker on a data-driven team.” Helen recently spoke with us about navigating her career path and how she is leveraging opportunities for professional development while at eBay. How have your mentors been supporting you throughout your internship experience? Mentorship has been an integral part of my intern experience. For example, my team gave me the lead on interpreting raw data for our seller health dashboards, which has taught me a lot about project management and data analysis. They are always eager to answer my questions or share their industry knowledge, such as teaching me best practices for communicating with sellers and how to use eBay-specific dashboards. They are also committed to furthering my professional development. Recently, I was on a call with my mentor Quy, and we ended up discussing my career goals. I asked about how I could promote my career growth, and he gave me advice about when and how to pursue opportunities to go to graduate and business school. This is just one of the many ways that my mentors regularly check in with me. It’s clear that they want me to learn as much as possible during this internship, building not only my technical skills but also my network of industry contacts. My manager Zainub and the University Recruiting and Programs team have been helpful resources as well, connecting me with people on different teams at eBay. I’ve gotten to network with other interns and employees and attend speaker series featuring members of our executive leadership team. Both have been invaluable in helping me expand my professional network and expose me to the cross-functional, highly cooperative nature of our company. What is one thing that you have found to be unique to your team? The pace and the nature of my work have been really unique because I am working in a really small team within eBay’s Certified Refurbished program. My team has the energy of a scrappy tech startup but the resources and responsibility of the larger eBay company — meaning I get to experience the best of both worlds. I am given incredible ownership over my projects, which I have found to be empowering, but there is also an immense level of support available when I need it. Although my position and projects are extremely niche, the payoff has been so rewarding because I can see the results directly in action on our global platform. How has working on a “scrappy” small team influenced your career plans for after college? I’ve learned that I really like working on a small team while having the resources of a larger entity like eBay at my disposal. The Certified Refurbished team has so many extra layers of insulation that support us, and it’s nice to have a smaller, nuclear team with whom I can reliably connect and build lasting bonds. This internship has also clarified my career goals by helping me realize how passionate I am about the business side of tech and the relationships that drive it. Business in tech is an expanding field, and there is always something to be done. I never want to stop learning or feel unfulfilled in my work, either personally or professionally. What do inclusivity and empowerment mean to you? These are truly words to live by. Being a part of a company that is motivated by doing good is extremely important to me. I feel that every project I’ve undertaken at eBay, from raw data analysis to creating new seller dashboards, has been in the best interest of improving our community of buyers, sellers and entrepreneurs fairly and equitably. My team members also empower me personally by sacrificing their own time to teach me new hard and soft skills one-on-one and in team meetings. Their selflessness and trust in me has shown how firmly they believe in investing in everyone, from sellers and buyers to employees and interns. Having this mindset to be for everyone strengthens my team’s ability to improve the seller experience by folding empathy and diversity into our strategic approach. What will you take away from your summer internship experience? The unexpected connections I have made this summer, especially with my fellow interns, are ones that I will be taking with me. The other Cornell interns and I regularly connect through a Cornell-specific Slack channel to chat about our projects and other life updates. Our micro-communities of interns, organized by the University Recruiting and Programs team, have also been an awesome way to connect with interns across a broad range of fields and learn about their areas of expertise. Building a network of outgoing and welcoming peers who share my interest for tech and corporate social responsibility makes me feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to grow my career at eBay.