Want to launch a deal on eBay to get an item in front of shoppers' eyeballs? eBay is making the process of submitting deals easier through a new seller portal - if you are one of the select few invited to the program, that is.
According to a message eBay sent to an EcommerceBytes reader on Thursday, it's introducing a new and improved Deals experience for sellers.
"Starting October 4, 2021, our new seller portal, powered by best-in-class automation will make it easier than ever to submit Deals, track them, and review their status."
Presumably the notification referred to eBay's Deals site at eBay.com/deals, which is featured at the very top of its website next to the sign-in button. eBay launched Daily Deals in 2011. According to a
post on Skuvault from last year:
"The Daily Deals on eBay.com are sourced from trusted sellers who offer deep discounts on limited quantity products. Ebay has their own algorithm to determine who can become a Daily Deal seller. The process is complex and time-consuming for a new eBay seller, and only the most dedicated are awarded Daily Deal accounts."
The types of items featured on eBay Deals is what you'd expect - commodity items in categories such as electronics, clothing, jewelry, and home goods. We interviewed a participant
in 2013 who explained how it worked, but we haven't seen much information from eBay about its Deals site since
2017 when the company reported only a tiny subset of sellers was allowed to sell there - 900 sellers participated in eBay Deals that year.
We looked for current information for sellers who might be interested in submitting deals for consideration, but despite the stray letter to the EcommerceBytes reader who got this week's notification email, there wasn't much to find.
The notice the reader received featured the subject line, "Submitting Deals is now so much easier," and here's what was inside:
You're invited to the seller portal, our new Deals experience for sellers
Dear (REDACTED),
We're continuously investing in the seller experience to help you drive sales velocity and grow your business on eBay. Based on your feedback, we're introducing a new and improved Deals experience.
Starting October 4, 2021, our new seller portal, powered by best-in-class automation will make it easier than ever to submit Deals, track them, and review their status.
On September 30, you'll be able to access the seller portal. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the seller portal, review training materials, and get ready to begin submitting your unsubsidized deals when the first submission window goes live on October 4.
Visit the seller portal beginning September 30 at sellerportal.ebay.com.
As always, thank you for selling on eBay.
eBay Selling team
Interestingly the seller who received the invitation was unfamiliar with eBay Deals and was wary of logging in with their seller account, telling EcommerceBytes: "I have been forced into Managed Payments at last, and so far everything is going fine without any hitches, but I am wary of it. I certainly do not want to be forced into another program I know nothing about, especially one I almost certainly won't want to use, and I'm concerned that if I log in to check it out, they will have a live response and may force me into that, too."
eBay's email to the seller referenced "unsubsidized" deals, making it clear it was up to sellers to discount their products without any financial assistance from eBay.
It would be interesting to know more about sellers' experiences with eBay Deals, but clearly it's not a good fit for every item or every seller. Let us know if you also received an invitation and whether you plan to participate in deals, especially during the holiday shopping season.
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