From this Sunday, February 27, eBay will launch an unprecedented live shopping experience in France called Live by eBay. Simple and fun, the concept takes the form of dynamic auctions during which users can acquire works of art or even vintage accessories.
30 to 50 items appraised at each Live by eBay event
Live by eBay will be held one Sunday per month from 6 p.m. For about two hours, between 30 and 50 pre-selected pieces, appraised and whose value has been estimated by an expert, will be auctioned in a very dynamic way: “ Each item is auctioned for an initial duration of 60 seconds. After each auction, a new countdown of 30 seconds is launched until the auction is won by one of the participants “Explains eBay.
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Each event has its own theme and is open to everyone on one condition: having an account on the e-commerce platform. The first Live by eBay will thus be dedicated to works of street-art, and the next session which will take place on March 3 will highlight vintage watches. It is possible to have an overview of the pieces on sale before the event by going directly to the site or by registering on the platform.
With specific themes that can also extend to retrogaming or sneakers, Live by eBay “ is aimed at collectors and enthusiasts beyond art as we understand it “Explains to Siècle Digital Sarah Tayeb, head of the sellers division at eBay in France. The latter will indeed be able to come across golden opportunities with prices that can start at only 10 euros. ” All product information is available on the platform directly and is not presented by someone on video to really let the bidding experience take center stage “, she continues.
Estimated at 2,000 euros by experts, this work by artist Takashi Murakami will be priced at 400 euros during the first Live by eBay. Photography: Live by eBay
Fun, dynamic auctions open to everyone in a live shopping experience
This experience, which will also be launched in Germany with a different schedule and inventory, was designed to “ break this somewhat intimidating barrier that can take place on other platforms or in other formats “says Sarah Tayeb. The choice of bids for this live shopping experience is not due to chance.
” By offering timed and online auctions, eBay promises to boost the adrenaline of buyers and to seduce 52% of French people who associate auctions with a moment of exaltation and excitement, but also to nourish the spirit of competition from 44% of us who admit to being very interested in the possibility of winning over other buyers says eBay.
Moreover, many collectors favor this type of format, explains Sarah Tayeb. The categories of products chosen for Live by eBay thus take all their meaning “.
Live shopping: a phenomenon that is attracting more and more people
Live shopping is a trend that literally took center stage in 2020, at the start of the pandemic. Since then, many platforms, like YouTube, Twitter and even Leroy Merlin, have embarked on this experiment. This is, moreover, a phenomenon that is destined to increase in scale in the future; according to a McKinsey study, it should account for 20% of online sales by 2026. Live shopping can be broken down into different ways. The ” dynamic auctions » chosen by eBay aim to « transform the experience by making it more fun, more playful, more interactive and participative “says Sarah Tayeb.
The trade in general, and particularly that of art, is going through a real period of transition to digital, and this phenomenon has also been accelerated by the pandemic. ” The dematerialization of sales in art has also been accelerated with the Covid effect, where there may have been resistance “, she continues. In this context, online auctions can represent a solution for artists hit by the pandemic, but also for other sectors affected by the crisis.
It remains to be seen whether consumers will be there and embrace the concept of Live by eBay. On the eBay side, the servers are already scheduled for the opening of the platform this Sunday at 6 p.m. which, as a reminder, will be dedicated to street-art works.