Small and medium-sized businesses are using eBay to boost international exports more than ever before, according to statistics from the online marketplace.
Total exports from the UK eBay are on track to grow by 16% between October and December 2012, compared to the same period last year, with imports rising by 39%.
UK businesses are apparently using eBay to "embrace opportunities in emerging markets", with exports to Russia predicted to increase by 119% this Christmas, compared to figures in 2011, with clothing – in particular women's shoes and dresses – topping Russian Christmas lists.
Exports to China – an emerging market that one fifth of eBay businesses identified as ‘one to watch’ in 2012 – will increase by 36%.
The US is the most popular destination for UK exports, with more than 2.2 million items predicted to be shipped from the UK between October-December alone.
Chris Webster, director of EU cross border trade at eBay, said in a statement: "Cross border trade represents a massive economic opportunity for the UK, and eBay makes trade without borders a reality by giving businesses big and small a simple, low cost platform to reach over 100 million shoppers around the world 24/7. The results speak for themselves, as 80% of small businesses operating on eBay.co.uk sell internationally to at least five foreign countries.
“We are constantly finding new ways to make it easier for businesses to reach new shoppers and new markets. UK shoppers are also looking overseas to snap up last minute Christmas bargains, with an impressive 114% increase in import sales from China and 108% from Poland to whom we are turning to for everything from coats to watches and digital cameras."
Ebay has come in for criticism, however, after it changed its listing policy earlier this year. According to a report on Yahoo, eBay's new policies push sellers to handle orders within 24 hours and offer refunds on returns for up to 14 days, as well as demanding sellers post using a tracking function if they want to retain a 'top-rated seller' status.
If you don't comply with the new rules, sellers lose the 20% commission fee discount, and won't be spotlighted in consumer searches on the site.
Lynn Abbott sells classic Mustang parts dealership, and told Yahoo that as the products people buy from her are often made-to-order, one-day order handling is impossible, and offering refunds on returns would put her out of business.
Her own policy has always been production and delivery is 10-14 days from order but eBay's policies override her own.