Dive Brief:
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eBay Monday said it has folded up its three-year-old eBay Now same-day delivery service.
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The move comes as no surprise; the marketplace had pulled its eBay Now mobile app in December and minimized its importance to its core business back then.
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The company said it’s also pulling three mobile apps: eBay Motors, eBay Fashion, and eBay Valet, saying those services are doing well within its flagship app.
Dive Insight:
These moves are unsurprising and, more than that, probably essential as eBay faces a reckoning of sorts now that it has split from its lucrative payments unit, PayPal.
The move away from same-day delivery is hardly controversial for the marketplace, which really doesn’t feature goods that people need in a big hurry. Same-day delivery, even with the hot activity it’s seeing in retail these days, remains an unproven amenity. And, considering its core sales of second-hand and vintage clothing and goods, same-day delivery is not exactly crucial for eBay.
What is crucial is how the company can renew its strength as a marketplace, especially in an era when Amazon and even Sears operate with similar models. Look for eBay to continue to pare down so that it can re-focus and get creative.