Online shopping emporium eBay is about to get just a tiny bit more like Amazon with the news that it’s introducing its very own branded supplies store, including boxes, tape, envelopes, and more.
Though eBay and Amazon started out as very different propositions in the online world, the two companies have met somewhere in the middle along the way — pretty much anyone can now sell whatever they like through either store. But although eBay can now be used to sell old and new items, for many people it’s perhaps still synonymous with “online auction” and “second-hand” which is likely one of the reasons eBay is looking to bring some of its own branding to the mix. It’s all about consistency and brand recognition, because as things stand select their own packaging from the myriad of options out there.
Above: eBay Boxes
But with Amazon, goods that arrive at your house encased in Amazon-branded packaging have normally been dispatched or fulfilled directly by Amazon in some way. With eBay, anyone will be able to buy the boxes in bulk and use them to ship anything from second-hand sneakers to Star Wars figurines.
While it could be argued that this will lead to some confusion among less experienced buyers, insofar as the goods contained within the boxes aren’t sold or sent by eBay itself, the company maintains that this has been a much-requested offering from sellers.
“We’re not only excited to introduce eBay branded shipping supplies to our customers, but to do so in a cost-effective, eco-friendly and convenient manner that satisfies the needs of our sellers,” said Manish Joneja, head of North America shipping business for eBay, in a blog post.
The eBay-branded supplies store will be operated by a licensed third-party company, and it will initially offer boxes in 10 different sizes; airjacket bubble mailers; polyjacket mailers; and tape.