Fostering Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) digitalisation and bolstering international trade activity are cornerstones of a more cohesive Europe for SMEs. In this context, we recently published a report confirming that the eBay global marketplace is helping achieve these important goals across the EU.
For nearly three decades, eBay has been at the forefront of opening new markets worldwide to small businesses, regardless of location, and empowering exports at unprecedented rates. Our research reveals that 97 percent of eBay small businesses in the EU are exporters, far exceeding the 4.8 percent of traditional EU businesses selling across borders. Additionally, these EU eBay small businesses reach more than four times the average number of markets of traditional EU businesses (18 vs.4). When looking at each individual Member State, the eBay small business communities collectively export to well over 100 countries and territories.
These international sales diversify markets and customers far beyond the norm for small businesses. This increases the resilience of enterprises because they are less dependent on their local economy and less vulnerable to regional downturns. A comparison of the top export markets for eBay small business and traditional businesses further demonstrates the power of our platform in unlocking new selling opportunities. In the majority of EU Member States, the top 10 export markets for eBay small businesses included at least four that were not in the top 10 for traditional businesses.
The report also features several testimonials from sellers across the EU such as Paul Jonas, owner of Revive, who states, “When I got started, I didn’t give much consideration to reaching customers outside of Germany. That changed when I saw how easily eBay connected me to the global marketplace. Now, I sell all over the world, giving used furniture a new life and working towards a more sustainable, circular economy. This has not only helped my business grow but also supports our mission to reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of products.”
Finally, eBay small business success in Europe is not centralised in the highest growth tech or business hubs, but instead is spread much more broadly. Country-by-country, top eBay selling communities can be found in a wide mix of regions whether viewed through the lens of GDP per capita, population, or population density. This selling activity is often a counterweight to in-country geographic imbalance proving that digitalisation of small business can support inclusive opportunities and sustainable economic growth.
Our findings point to the importance of maintaining a well-functioning, accessible European Single Market as it continues to be a fundamental contributor allowing SMEs to continue to grow internationally and thereby prosper.
We invite you to read the full report here.