EBay pledges $100M to help small businesses move online

On Thursday, eBay announced the launch of “Up & Running,” an accelerator program aimed at helping retailers without an e-commerce presence transition to selling online. The e-commerce platform is pledging $100 million to support North American small businesses.

As part of the program, eBay is offering new businesses a free basic eBay store for three months and waiving selling fees for up to 500 sold items, according to the company’s statement. Additionally, eBay will provide marketing and merchandising tools, discounted shipping supplies and customization features so businesses can build their brands.

The Up & Running program will also provide educational webinars, individual support and access to sellers who can mentor e-commerce novices, the company noted in its statement. Over the next few weeks, the platform will highlight small businesses on its site.

Retail Dive