eBay Runs 20% Off “Holiday Headstart” Sale in Focus Categories

eBay is running a Holiday Headstart sale for select items in its Focus Categories that kicked off on October 16 and runs through Sunday, October 22nd.

eBay teased the sale in a slide on its homepage carousel: “20% off your holiday head start: Shop amazing deals on tech, fashion, and more from top brands. Ends 10/22. Max $500 off. 2x use.”

eBay’s Holiday Headstart sale landing page lets shoppers search by the following categories: Tech; Home & garden; Fashion; Sporting goods; Toys & collectibles.

Shoppers should read the terms carefully, as the coupon can only be used for eligible items in specific events that are listed in the terms of the sale, which outlines the rules as follows:

“No minimum purchase required. The Coupon discount is capped at a maximum value of $500. Discount applies to the purchase price (excluding shipping, handling, and taxes) of eligible items purchased on eBay.com.”

eBay is also teasing the sale in a blue peekaboo widget in the header of its website that reads: “Dive into holiday deals. Get the coupon.”

The eBay homepage carousel also promoted a sale by a single jewelry seller: “Deals that dazzle: Save 5% on gold jewelry from NuraGold. Ends 10/22. Max $100 off.” However, when clicking on the “Get the coupon” link, it did not display a coupon code.

Interestingly, refreshing the eBay homepage (or visiting in incognito mode) brought up homepage carousels featuring different slides (there appear to be four slides in each carousel).

In addition to the 20% off coupon and sales for various sellers, eBay is also promoting refurbished goods: “Up to 60% off home entertainment”; “Up to 30% off audio equipment”; and “Up to 60% off winter prep: Shop snowblowers, generators, and more with a warranty,” for example.

One homepage carousel slide promoted the eBay Motors Parts & Accessories “Guaranteed Fit” feature: “Boost your UTV or ATV’s handling: Grab shocks, coilovers, a-arms, and more. (eBay guaranteed fit).”

Unlike Etsy’s recent sales where it funded the discounts sitewide, eBay sellers discount their prices. Shoppers discussed the deals they found on the SlickDeals website.

Ina Steiner

Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.