eBay is doubling down on live commerce, a strategy that appears to be yielding significant dividends. The company reported a dramatic surge in its eBay Live gross merchandise volume (GMV), which jumped roughly eightfold year-over-year across seven markets, alongside increases in viewers, watch time, and items sold. This momentum comes as eBay faces stiff competition from platforms like Whatnot and TikTok Shop, which are also aggressively courting the live shopping audience. Main Developments During its second-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, eBay executives highlighted the strong performance of eBay Live. CEO Jamie Iannone told investors that the results reinforce confidence in Live's ability to deepen engagement, broaden discovery, and increase velocity across the broader marketplace. However, the company did not disclose the exact GMV figure, leaving some ambiguity about the scale of the growth. Seller adoption appears to be a key driver. eBay reports that over 90% of sellers who stream regularly have seen their GMV grow, and those who use Live sell approximately three times more than those who do not. Buyer behavior also shows promise, with first-time shoppers in the collectibles category spending about 70% more than their non-Live counterparts. Read also: Suno pivots to watermarking amid label lawsuits: what it means Product improvements are also in the spotlight. eBay has introduced discovery features across its homepage and mobile app to make live events easier to find. For sellers, the platform simplified event creation, inventory preparation, and live item management, while improving bidding responsiveness to create smoother, faster livestreams. The company is now expanding eBay Live to additional international markets in the coming weeks and months, signaling a broader strategic commitment to live commerce. Background eBay launched Live as an invite-only feature in the U.S. in 2022, testing the waters before expanding internationally. A beta launch in the U.K. followed in 2024, with subsequent rollouts in Germany, Australia, France, Italy, and Canada. Just last month, eBay moved past its invite-only model, opening self-service onboarding to eligible sellers across more than 300 categories, from electronics to fashion and collectibles. The expansion reflects a broader industry shift. Live shopping in the U.S. is evolving from a niche experiment into a mainstream retail channel. Competitors are also scaling up: Whatnot has achieved a valuation exceeding $11 billion, and TikTok Shop is reportedly testing a paid membership offering free shipping and exclusive discounts. Even resale giant StockX recently introduced live shopping capabilities. Why It Matters eBay's bet on live shopping is a strategic response to changing consumer behavior and competitive pressure. The platform's ability to drive higher seller and buyer engagement through live events could differentiate it in a crowded e-commerce landscape. For sellers, the data suggests that live streaming can significantly boost sales, making it a valuable tool for growth. For buyers, live shopping offers a more interactive and entertaining purchasing experience, potentially increasing retention and spending. The lack of disclosed GMV figures, however, makes it difficult to gauge the true scale of success. Still, the company's confidence and the reported metrics indicate that live commerce is becoming a meaningful part of eBay's ecosystem, not just a side experiment. What's Next eBay plans to expand eBay Live to more international markets in the near term, though specific countries and timelines were not announced. The company will likely continue refining its live shopping features, focusing on discovery and seller tools to maintain momentum. As competition intensifies, eBay may also explore new monetization strategies or partnerships to stay competitive. Investors and industry watchers will be looking for more detailed GMV data in future earnings calls to better assess the impact of live shopping on eBay's overall performance.