
eBay is testing a new pay-per-click advertising program. Invited sellers can run ads that appear at the top of search results; they pay whenever a shopper clicks on the ad.
eBay is beta testing the new Highline Search Ads (HSA) for two months, starting July 2, 2018 and running through August 31, 2018. eBay will provide full credit to sellers for all HSA fees incurred during the test period.
eBay has an existing ad program called Promoted Listing Ads (PLA), which charges sellers only when an ad results in a purchase - in that case, the seller pays a percentage of the selling price of the item advertised.
Readers alerted us to the program, and a site called
ScavengerLife.com was among the first to take note of the new HSA ads. Its readers discussed the differences between the new eBay ads and its existing Promoted Listing Ads - "These (HSA ads) will appear at the very TOP of the search results page...Promoted Listings don't get that kind of placement," one user noted.
Another key difference: HSA ads let sellers advertise multiple products at the same time.
Only new and refurbished fixed-price listings are eligible, and eBay states, "Motors listings are not eligible. Pre-owned, Auction, and Auction Buy-It-Now listings are not eligible at this time."
"Each ad consists of the headline you choose, three featured products, and a "Shop now on eBay" link. Our technology dynamically determines the three most relevant products to show in the ad based on each shopper's search."
eBay uses a screenshot of a search for "pool toys" to show how the ads appear: a banner above the search results shows images of three different pool floats (from a single seller) and their price, and the text: "Top picks for best-selling pool toys & floats. Shop now on eBay."
eBay explains what happens when a shopper clicks on the ad: "Each ad's "Shop Now" link directs buyers to a search results page containing all your relevant products. The three featured products link to their listing page where a buyer can add the item to cart or view its details."
Once eBay launches the program out of beta (the HSA landing page says "coming soon"), only Enterprise, Anchor, and Premium Store subscribers will be able to advertise using Highline Search Ads.
Until then, it's an invitation-only program. eBay explained, "Invited sellers were notified by email, a telemarketing call, or were contacted by an eBay representative."
How much does Highline Search Ads cost? eBay states: "Ads are charged only when a shopper clicks on your ad based on a cost-per-click (CPC) bid that you set for each campaign. The more competitive your bid, the more likely your ad will be displayed when a shopper makes a relevant search."
Sellers set the duration, cost-per-click, and budget of their campaigns. The minimum budget for each campaign is $100
You can learn more on the
eBay website (you must be logged in to view the page).