Live and kicking: eBay bets big on livestream shopping

Livestream shopping has officially arrived on eBay Australia, and it’s great timing, with Aussie shoppers hungry for rare finds and bargains ahead of the holiday season.

The new feature, called eBay Live, delivers real-time streams where buyers can chat with sellers, bid on items, score limited-time drops and snap up deals before they vanish. It’s like an old-school TV shopping channel but turbocharged for the TikTok generation.

As reported in Ragtrader, eBay Live rolls out with all the bells and whistles: instant purchasing, rapid-fire auctions, real-time chat and cheeky “popcorn bidding” that extends auction timers whenever new bids land.

“eBay Live is the next chapter in eBay’s innovation in Australia, bringing that energy into an interactive, real-time shopping experience,” eBay Live country manager Alaister Low told Ragtrader. “For sellers, it opens new ways to reach collectors, showcase inventory, and convert demand into sales.”

And demand is exactly what eBay is tapping into.

Aussies love a bargain and they hate missing out

New research from eBay shows nearly half of Australians (48 per cent) admit FOMO influences their shopping. One in two say they’ve missed out on a rare or limited-edition item they really wanted.

As Mediaweek reported, with 40 per cent of Aussies already keen to try live shopping, eBay Live has buyers primed and ready.

“Australians love a great deal and the thrill of the chase,” Low said in comments reported by SmartCompany. “But they also crave authentic experiences.”

This combo of bargain hunting, instant access and a good dose of adrenaline creates fertile ground for livestream commerce.

The launch kicked off with AFL legend Buddy Franklin dropping rare AFL trading cards and one-cent giveaways in a national livestream, giving Aussies a taste of how the format works. Meanwhile, Heartbreak High actress and Pokémon superfan Chloe Hayden is hosting a one-cent Pokémon auction designed to whip collectors into a frenzy.

This is the kind of entertainment-driven shopping that platforms like TikTok and Taobao have used to build billion-dollar live commerce industries overseas. Now eBay wants a slice of the Australian market, and they’re starting where the interest is hottest.

Why trading cards are leading the charge

Trading cards and collectables are booming globally, with the market tipped to grow from A$12 billion in 2025 to A$18 billion by 2030, So it’s no coincidence eBay Live launched here first.

“Sales of trading cards and collectables are skyrocketing at the moment,” Laine Pearce, director at The Hobby Australia, told Mediaweek. “This new platform allows us to capitalise on a new way to offer them to eBay’s millions of customers – that’s more interactive than ever.”

The format lets sellers show items from every angle, answer buyer questions instantly, and build trust on the spot.

“It’s fast-paced, personal, and helps build trust between buyers and sellers,” Pearce said.

For eBay, it’s the perfect entry point: passionate communities, limited-stock items and fierce demand. However, the real win is in what comes next, when the livestream format spreads into categories that fuel thousands of small Aussie businesses  such as fashion, homewares, toys and more.

What eBay Live means for small business sellers

Beyond the launch hype, eBay Live lands at a time when small business owners are looking for new ways to stand out, reach customers and increase revenue, especially online.

According to eBay’s latest Seller Survey, the platform is already playing a major role in keeping small businesses afloat and helping Aussies diversify income streams.

Here’s what the research uncovered:

• 97 per cent of private sellers and 68 per cent of business sellers use eBay to generate supplementary income.
• 36 per cent sell online specifically to help with cost-of-living pressures. A figure that climbs to 46% for single parents.
• 59 per cent of all sellers credit eBay with fuelling their entrepreneurial ambitions.
• Nearly half (47 per cent) sell to international buyers, rising to 59 per cent for business sellers.

That’s not pocket change: one in five sales made on eBay.com.au go to overseas buyers. For many microbusinesses, that kind of global reach simply wouldn’t be possible without a marketplace like eBay.

eBay is levelling the playing field for small sellers

Women in particular are using eBay as a pathway to financial independence. Sixty-nine per cent of surveyed female sellers say eBay helps them earn while balancing other life commitments. Half say it gives them the freedom to earn without needing a permanent job.

There’s a big regional story here too: Three in four regional sellers say eBay helps them resell and reuse products more easily — and reach customers far beyond their postcode.

Meanwhile, migrant entrepreneurs are using eBay as a launchpad. Research shows nearly a quarter of migrant sellers classify themselves as business sellers, compared to just 15% of Australian-born sellers. Migrant sellers are also more likely to sell new items and hit higher sales volumes.

Add to that the rise of AI tools like automated listings and pricing suggestions, and small sellers are suddenly equipped with tech that used to be reserved for big retailers.

According to the survey, 43 per cent of sellers say AI tools help them run their business more efficiently, and more than half of new sellers believe these innovations will help them scale faster.

Building on eBay’s trust

Trust is still eBay’s ace card.

The survey found 75 per cent of sellers rate eBay’s reputation as Good or Excellent. While 63 per cent trust eBay to do the right thing by sellers.

With scams on the rise across the wider retail world, and social media trust taking a hit, this trust factor is a key factor in the marketplace’s success..

eBay Live streams come with the platform’s secure checkout and Money Back Guarantee, offering peace of mind for buyers and a structured, reliable environment for sellers. As Ragtrader noted, the entire livestream shopping experience stays within eBay’s trusted ecosystem.

That trust matters. It’s the backbone of why Aussies buy and why small businesses stick around.

So what’s next for the marketplace?

eBay Live will expand into more categories next year, with Alaster Low saying that the aim is to “connect even more Australians with the things they love”.

But the bigger story is this: livestream commerce is a shift in how people shop. It blends entertainment, community and instant access. For small business owners, that’s a new way to stand out, show personality, build trust and reach more customers.

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