Competition works in wonderful ways. It makes businesses rethink of their marketing strategy while providing the best to the end user.
Although late in the day, eBay finally decided to launch soon its branded boxes, envelopes, tapes, and many items more to kick up the eBay brand awareness. It is now talking with a third-party fulfillment partner to operate an eBay Shipping Supplies store with a license to use the eBay trademark.
Why Only Now?
What prompted eBay to take on this initiative? eBay wanted to satisfy the eBay sellers' clamor for eBay-branded shipping supplies at the best cost and convenience. eBay saw the online supplies store as a viable option where its sellers can avail of competitive prices, easy online ordering, and expedient delivery.
With the launch, eBay aims to provide its sellers quality boxes that are 100 percent recyclable. Airjacket bubble mailers, polyjacket mailers, premium quality tape, and other supplementary materials that make shipping convenient and secure to carry through are also being considered.
"We're not only excited to introduce eBay branded shipping supplies to our customers, but to do so in a cost-effective, eco-friendly and convenient manner that satisfies the needs of our sellers," eBay North America Shipping Business head Manish Joneja asserts.
Is eBay's Desperation Showing?
While eBay and Amazon started out in the online space on different premises, the two companies are finding themselves at a competitive crossroads. With Amazon, goods arrive at a buyer's house packed up in Amazon-branded encasing. eBay purchases are shipped in boxes or wrappers in the sellers' packages of choice.
Brand awareness is at the heart of any marketing initiative. Many observers theorize that eBay launched a new shipping supplies store in an attempt to be more visible and be at par with Amazon, its nearest competitor. In eBay's 20-year existence, branded shipping boxes for its sellers was never a priority, until now.
There is more reason for eBay to be wary. Amazon's strategy to pair with the movie makers of "Minions" and Despicable Me last year brought additional business to the company. During the promotional period, customer orders were shipped in yellow boxes featuring minion cartoon characters.
The move translated into the production of minion products like dolls, figurines, and other toys, many gracing consumer goods like clothes, shoes, curtains, kitchen pieces and food items. And Amazon sells them all.
The eBay launch may not immediately bring sudden growth to the company, but it could be a reminder of the eBay brand and how big eBay still is.
