Earlier this month, 21 members of eBay’s Small Business Ambassador Network (SBAN) traveled to Washington, DC to meet with policymakers on Capitol Hill as part of eBay’s annual US Small Business Advocacy Day.  This event, organized by the eBay Government Relations Team, provides an opportunity for eBay small business sellers to share their unique stories and advocate for public policy issues that support the eBay community nationwide.  This year, sellers were joined by Jamie Iannone, our CEO; Dawn Block, VP & GM U.S.; and Cathy Foster, VP, Global Government Relations & Public Policy.

The SBAN program serves as an important connection between eBay sellers and policymakers to ensure Congress understands the positive and negative impacts of proposed laws and regulations on small businesses.

At eBay, we help our sellers launch and grow their businesses – and amplifying their voices with policymakers in Washington, DC, is a critical part of this mission.

-Jamie Iannone, eBay President & CEO

This year, we held over 50 meetings with Congressional offices to highlight eBay’s commitment to creating economic opportunities for all Americans and to discuss the unintended consequences of legislative proposals that would hurt small online businesses. The eBay small business ambassadors detailed how eBay empowers millions of small businesses and entrepreneurs and supports their growth and success through innovation.

See how eBay is educating policymakers about our small business empowerment here.

The GR team also engaged policymakers on how eBay is investing in trust and safety to combat fraud and the selling of counterfeit goods.  We discussed how eBay is an industry leader in developing innovative programs and tools to protect intellectual property and prevent prohibited items from being listed. We also highlighted how over 99% of prohibited items violations were blocked before ever appearing on eBay in 2023, as announced in eBay’s newest Transparency Report.

This year’s Advocacy Day concluded with our first ever “Authentically eBay” reception on Capitol Hill where eBay’s highly trained authenticators showcased our innovative tools and technologies that allow Americans to shop with confidence.  This team recently authenticated their 10 millionth item and attendees learned that Authenticity Guarantee is one of our dozens of programs designed to increase consumer trust in our platform. The event was attended by over 300 guests, including Members of Congress and top Congressional aides.

Our sellers have such unique and inspiring stories, and it was great for policymakers to hear their personal experiences regarding eBay’s commitment to trust, safety, and small business growth.

-Cathy Foster, VP, Global Government Relations & Public Policy

Learn more about eBay’s commitment to both the safety of our users and the integrity of the items on our marketplace here.

Bringing the eBay Small Business Ambassador Network to Washington, D.C. to engage with lawmakers and their staff has a direct impact on how legislation is drafted with small businesses in mind. eBay is fortunate to have a great, dedicated group of sellers who are willing to advocate on important issues facing small businesses and we are grateful for their time and support!

Want to learn more about the eBay Small Business Ambassador Network? Learn more here.