Dive Brief:
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EBay has launched an online outlet store named the Summer Brand Outlet. The retail marketplace promises daily discounts of up to 70% off major brands with free shipping, according to a press release from eBay.
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The Summer Brand Outlet will run through the summer and kicks off with "Hot Deals for Hot Days" through July 22, a promotion the company previously announced. Brands like Samsung, Bose, Tiffany & Co., and Michael Kors are offering discounted items in the outlet.
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"Our new outlet gives eBay customers amazing discounts on quality products from trusted brands they know and love," said Jay Hanson, vice president and COO of eBay Americas, said in the company's announcement. EBay states on their 2019 Fact Sheet that 79% of items sold on its platform are new.
Dive Insight:
EBay has ramped up its efforts to stay relevant alongside e-commerce kingpin Amazon, even as the latter celebrates its 25th anniversary. EBay announced its "Crash Sale" event, which coincides with the two-day Amazon Prime event this month, a day after Amazon's Prime Day announcement. Ebay's event promises more deals if Amazon's site crashes during its birthday party, which happened last year during the high-traffic period.
Once primarily a secondhand marketplace, eBay recently announced increased personalization options for shoppers, not only to tailor homepage and sales content but also to make it easier to find items through a new image search function powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. That enhanced element of discovery may reel in shoppers who have defaulted to Amazon as their "everything store" instead of starting some of their online searches on eBay.
The mid-year push could have a big payoff come holiday time. EBay has already increased its performance estimate for the year after a strong first quarter.
