eBay Live Shopping Growth: Why eBay Is Investing More in Livestream Commerce

eBay is putting more focus on live shopping after seeing strong growth from its eBay Live platform. 

The company believes livestream shopping can help sellers reach more buyers while making the shopping experience more interactive.

eBay Live Sees Strong Growth

During its second-quarter 2026 earnings call, eBay said the gross merchandise volume (GMV) generated through eBay Live increased by about eight times compared with the same period last year.

The growth was seen across seven markets, along with increases in viewers, watch time, and the number of items sold. 

eBay also plans to bring its live shopping service to more international markets in the coming months.

However, eBay did not reveal the actual GMV figure. 

This makes it difficult to understand the overall size of the business, even though the year-over-year growth is significant.

Sellers Are Seeing More Sales

eBay says its sellers are also benefiting from the growing interest in live shopping. 

More than 90% of sellers who regularly stream on eBay Live have reported an increase in GMV.

The company also says sellers using Live generate around three times more sales than those who do not use the feature.

For buyers, livestreams can make discovering products more engaging. 

In the collectibles category, first-time shoppers who purchase through Live are spending around 70% more than similar shoppers who use traditional shopping experiences.

eBay Makes Live Shopping Easier

eBay first introduced Live in the United States in 2022 as an invite-only service. 

It later expanded into additional markets, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, and Canada.

The platform has recently become more accessible to sellers. 

Eligible sellers can now sign up themselves and use Live across more than 300 categories, including fashion, electronics, collectibles, and other products.

eBay has also improved the way sellers create live events, prepare products, and manage items during streams. 

Buyers can find live events more easily through the company’s homepage and mobile app.

Competition Is Growing

eBay is entering a market that is becoming increasingly competitive. 

Platforms such as Whatnot and TikTok Shop have already built strong audiences around livestream commerce.

Other marketplaces are also experimenting with live shopping as consumer interest continues to grow. 

This suggests that livestreams could become a more important part of online shopping rather than remaining a niche feature.

For eBay, the opportunity is not only about selling products during a livestream. 

Live events can also help sellers build relationships with buyers and give shoppers a more engaging way to discover products.

Conclusion

eBay’s latest results show why the company is continuing to invest in eBay Live. 

Strong growth in GMV, higher seller activity, and increased buyer spending suggest that live shopping has room to grow.

As more marketplaces compete for shoppers’ attention, eBay’s challenge will be turning this early momentum into a long-term shopping habit. 

If it can continue improving discovery and making livestreams useful for both buyers and sellers, eBay Live could become an important part of the company’s future.