eBay added a key capability to its International Shipping (EIS) program: combined shipping, which enables buyers to purchase multiple items from one seller and pay reduced shipping costs.
eBay announced the availability of combined shipping for EIS on Wednesday, saying sellers had been asking for eBay to add the functionality. It had emailed some or all sellers last week offering them early access – today’s announcement makes it official.
On the same day as the announcement, eBay Chief Financial Officer Steve Priest discussed the program during an interview by analyst Ross Sandler at the Barclays Global TMT Conference. Priest said 400 million listings are in the eBay International Shipping program, allowing them to be seen in 190 countries. It takes the friction out of transactions and allows sellers to ship to Chicago, with eBay taking care of the international leg of the journey.
In Wednesday’s announcement to sellers, eBay explained the new combined-shipping functionality of EIS:
“If you are currently enrolled in eBay International Shipping, there’s nothing you need to do. Your eligible listings will be updated automatically, and combined shipment orders will display like they do for any other domestic order. Simply combine and ship to the domestic eBay International Shipping hub, and you’re done.
“And, if you are not currently enrolled, don’t forget the benefits of selling around the globe to millions of buyers with eBay International Shipping.”
The eBay Seller Announcement board post has more details and links.
Combined shipping on Sales was being performed by Sellers for Buyers at Ebay’s inception, and they are now just figuring it out it might be a worthwhile feature? This feature should have been present when Ebay first rolled this new “Innovation” out. Ebay, what a company.