eBay showed off various programs to Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar during his recent visit to the company’s Dublin office. It used the opportunity to highlight its impact on Ireland’s economy.
eBay employs over 150 work-from-home staff in its eBay@Home program, launched in Ireland in 2017; the number is set to increase to 200 by the end of 2019.
eBay also provides dedicated, personalized training programs to small, local retail businesses through its Retail Expansion program, launched in Ireland earlier this year.
Fifty-six business joined the pilot program in March, and 51 businesses from Tralee and Dundalk have since joined the program.
The Prime Minister’s visit came as Ireland faces economic risks due to Brexit (UK’s withdrawal from the EU, of which Ireland remains a member). According to a Copenhagen Economics report prepared for the Irish government, two-thirds of Irish exporters make use of the UK landbridge to access continental markets.
Press release follows:
The Prime Minister of Ireland, Leo Varadkar, recently visited eBay’s office in Dublin to learn more about the company’s business in Ireland, meet local Irish eBay sellers and hear about eBay’s work in the community. Derek Allgood, eBay’s Vice President, Global Customer Experience, welcomed the Prime Minister and highlighted the success of eBay’s Retail Expansion Program, growth of the eBay@Home initiative, and the company’s charity and community partners. The company also created an eBay Ireland Expo for the visit, comprising different focus areas for the business including its support for local communities, local businesses and the Irish economy, which is in line with Government policy of aiming to make Ireland a better country for all of its people.
eBay’s Retail Expansion Program launched in Ireland earlier this year and supports small, local Irish businesses and helps them to reach new audiences both in Ireland and around the world. Fifty-six business joined the pilot program in March and generated an additional €1.6 million in sales. The program has been so successful that an additional 51 businesses from Tralee and Dundalk have come onboard and will be supported by eBay with dedicated, personalized training programs.
eBay@Home launched in Ireland in 2017 and is a remote working program that invites the incredible pool of talent that exists in towns and communities across Ireland to join the eBay team. More than 150 eBay employees currently work from home and this number is set to increase to 200 by the end of 2019, following a recent recruitment drive.
During his visit to the eBay Ireland Expo, Prime Minister Varadkar met some of eBay’s charity and community partners including Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Junior Achievement and Temple Street Children’s Hospital; many of the causes supported by eBay are selected by its employees. Two of eBay’s central tenants are empowering people and creating opportunity and Derek Allgood explained to the Prime Minister how this ambition referred not only to eBay buyers, but to sellers, employees and communities all over Ireland.
eBay released some statistics along with its press release showing there were one million active eBay buyers in Ireland hosting 3.6 million live listings last year.
SOURCE: eBay Main Street Blog Post
