Online marketplace, eBay, has today announced a new perk for customers wanting to use their services more with the addition of a new tier that offers free unlimited deliveries on ‘Plus’ items for a low, yearly fee.
eBay Plus will be launching in mid-June with eBay customers able to shop from 15 million new ‘Plus’ items from Australian retailers and get a number of perks for a low, yearly fee. The eBay Plus service will kick off with a free 30-day trial followed by an introductory special of $29 for the first year, which will go to $49 for each year after. There’s a number of perks, including free delivery and free returns on Plus items, double flybuys points, exclusive offers and deals and premium customer service.
Tim MacKinnon, Managing Director of eBay Australia & New Zealand, said the introduction of eBay Plus is a game-changer for Aussie shoppers and will address the pain-point of delivery costs, saying ‘We know our customers love the value and convenience of online shopping but our research shows the cost of delivery can stack up over time’.
The introduction of eBay Plus is in response to new research which shows that more than a third (36%) of Australia’s online shoppers – there’s 13.6 million of us shopping online apparently – spend over $71 on delivery each year, with around 8% spending in excess of $200 per year. eBay says that in total, that’s an estimated $730 million they’re spending annually.
eBay Plus items will be listed with the eBay Plus logo, and eBay will also be adding an eBay Plus search filter on their desktop site.
Unfortunately eBay Plus free delivery won’t include second-hand or good being sold overseas, but with more retailers now maintaining an eBay storefront, this is now a very good option for consumers to look at.
There is the looming spectre of the launch of Amazon Prime expected later this year which will offer a number of perks including free shipping, as well as access to their video and music service for an annual fee. Amazon however hasn’t managed to get Australian’s excited about their online marketplace, whereas eBay has been slowly building trust and offering some pretty great deals through retailers over the last few years.
With a free 30-day trial and just $29 for the first year it’s going to be hard to pass up for anyone who likes to spend a little on eBay. You can sign up for more information over on their website.
This on the surface looks like it will save me money. I guess its going to depend what items are going to be classes as “plus Items’ to qualify.