Search
Close this search box.

eBay is now handling fulfilment for UK sellers in response to growing demand

The programme marks the first time that eBay sellers can outsource their fulfilment. Image courtesy of eBay UK

The programme marks the first time that eBay sellers can outsource their fulfilment. Image courtesy of eBay UK

eBay is offering fulfilment services to UK sellers for the first time, in response to growing demand from customers to buy online, and from sellers to scale their marketplace businesses.

Sellers will be able to offer same day despatch for next-day delivery through eBay’s partnership with  international logistics business Orange Connex, using dedicated fulfilment centres in Birmingham and Leicester where goods can be stored, packed and delivered. Delivery can be sent fully tracked and with late cut-off times for buyers. eBay says the service, which is managed through a central integrated platform, means that sellers are also protected from delivery-related mishaps. 

eBay says that since the start of the pandemic, the number of new small businesses joining its platform has grown by 237% – equivalent to one new business registering every two minutes. With that has come a rising level of demand for help with fulfilment.

Murray Lambell, general manager at eBay UK, says: “We know that managing space and storage for inventory can be one of the biggest pain points for our sellers, while an increasingly competitive retail environment means that consumers expect faster and more transparent delivery times. eBay fulfilment by Orange Connex sets out to address these, offering more capacity to grow and a simpler, more cost-efficient process so that sellers can offer more flexible delivery options. 

“At eBay, we’ve been making big investments in the UK to help our sellers grow, recently offering a financing scheme to give businesses much-needed access to finance. Launching eBay fulfilment by Orange Connex is how we’re going even further to help sellers adapt in a changing retail landscape, reducing burdensome costs and giving them more opportunity to focus on their business and what they do best.”

Sellers taking part in the eBay fulfilment by Orange Connex programme will be able to use the service to fulfil orders made via their shops on other platforms as well.

eBay is already offering end-to-end fulfilment in Germany and China, which it says has proved very successful. Sellers taking part in eBay’s global shipping programme will also be able to integrate with the fulfilment centres and to use eBay fulfilment. There are plans to roll this out more widely in the near future.  

Lindsay Hayman, founder of independent jewellery retailer, Ojewellery, helped to test the service in a pilot. She says: “Outsourcing storage, packing, and dispatch, reduces some of the more mundane elements of being an online retail business owner. And with everything going on with the ‘pingdemic’, using eBay’s fulfilment operation gives me the peace of mind that I can continue to bring in revenue for my family, even if we were forced to isolate.

“I’ve also been able to devote more time to marketing and creating videos for my eBay listings, as well as taking advantage of opportunities I just didn’t have time for a few months ago. I’ve already seen this have a big impact, with a 50% increase in sales in the past month – without having endless boxes encroach on my home anymore!”

Gerry Power, country head at Orange Connex Global UK, says: “Orange Connex are delighted to be working with eBay on the launch of the new UK fulfilment service, harnessing the value of our combined experience to help many of their small business customers scale and succeed. As online demand has surged this year, we’re excited to be helping these businesses keep up with higher volumes of orders. This end-to-end fulfilment process will offer sellers improved visibility and control throughout the supply chain, while the end shopper can enjoy a more enhanced delivery.”

Read More

Register for Newsletter

Group 4 Copy 3Created with Sketch.

Receive 3 newsletters per week

Group 3Created with Sketch.

Gain access to all Top500 research

Group 4Created with Sketch.

Personalise your experience on IR.net