Meet the 'new eBay'
The online auctioneer launches a redesigned site reminiscent of Pinterest and its eBay Now app for same-day delivery of goods from physical stores in San Francisco.
One feature, dubbed Feed, curates a user's favorite items on a personalized page and displays the images in a setup very similar to Pinterest's layout. eBay also improved its search function and included bigger photos and key product information on each item's page.
"We're delivering a cleaner, contemporary look and feel; a more intuitive, convenient way to browse, decide and buy -- both globally and locally; and a new personal way to curate your own shopping experience and discover items perfect for you," eBay President Devin Wenig said in an online letter.
The new features will be rolled out in the coming weeks in the U.S., followed by a global launch in the coming months, Wenig said.
In addition, eBay launched a new app, eBay Now, for same-day delivery service. It's currently available only in San Francisco, but more cities will follow, a spokesman said. Shoppers can order items from a variety of retailers -- Finish Line, GNC, Home Depot, Macy's, Office Depot, RadioShack, Target, Toys R Us, and Walgreens -- and get them delivered to their door, usually within an hour.
The company has beentesting the service for the past couple months.
Wal-mart recently unveiled a similar service, saying it's being tested in Northern Virginia, Philadelphia and Minneapolis. The service, called Wal-Mart To Go, is a trial run for the holidays that lets customers order specific items and gifts, which can then be sent to their homes or offices that same day.
Oh, and with all the other changes, eBay's new logo is live today too. The push for same-day service and a redesigned site come as eBay faces heightened rivalry from companies like Amazon. Both companies, as well as other rivals, have been expanding in mobility and seeking out faster delivery systems. Despite competitive threats, eBay has been posting strong growth. eBay said last month that its mobile apps have been downloaded 100 million times since being launched in late 2008.
Here's the text of Wenig's letter:
Today we begin to introduce a series of significant new features and enhancements for our customers. We're delivering a cleaner, contemporary look and feel; a more intuitive, convenient way to browse, decide and buy -- both globally and locally; and a new personal way to curate your own shopping experience and discover items perfect for you. These new experiences will be rolled live in the coming weeks in the US and around the world in the coming months. Additionally, our new logo goes live today. Together, these changes and more reflect the new eBay and our evolution as a marketplace that connects the world to the things they need and love -- anytime, anywhere.
Technology is revolutionizing the way people shop, and eBay is shaping the future of commerce. In the next few years, the $10 trillion global retail market will be transformed. And consumers will enjoy unprecedented access and convenience. eBay will be at the center of this revolution for consumers. Blending the best of offline and online shopping, we will deliver products and experiences that surprise and delight, defining a new way to shop.
The future of commerce is personal, driven by data. Search results and recommendations are no longer enough. Consumers want insight. And they want personal, curated selection that is relevant to them, controlled by them. Consumers want experiences that are not intrusive but inspiring, experiences that don't dictate but guide and assist, in ways that feel authentic and natural. We want to make moments of inspiration instantly shoppable. This is what eBay is poised to deliver.
The future of commerce is global. In a connected commerce world, consumers shouldn't care whether the product they want is at a neighborhood store, or in a shopkeeper's window halfway around the world. Large and small merchants and consumers together will create nearly infinite selection and choice. If it is a product they want, consumers should be able to get it, anytime, anywhere. And the buying and selling experience should be easy, convenient and simple.
The future of commerce is mobile. It's increasingly multichannel via any connected screen. Consumers want to move seamlessly across devices, through any shopping environment. A laptop, a phone, a tablet or TV ... a store window, kiosk, or fitting room ... a shopkeeper or sales associate who knows who you are and what you want. This is how consumers will connect to the things they need and love. Not online or offline. Just shopping, anytime, anywhere.
This is the future of commerce. Welcome to the new eBay.
Devin Wenig
President, eBay