eBay prepares to take on Amazon with the launch of UK trial of CBD sales, reports CBD-Intel
eBay has launched a CBD trial. The internet marketplace that built its name as an auction site launched its UK trial of CBD products in November, from around ten initial brands.
It is the second online marketplace to launch a UK trial of the sale of CBD products, after Amazon made a similar move last year. eBay trails Amazon by a significant margin in terms of overall global visits but is, in fact, much closer to the former bookseller in the UK, according to figures assembled by Webretailer, with about 73% of Amazon’s monthly visits.
Both sites also maintain a massive lead over any other online marketplace platforms in the UK – with the next ten most popular not totalling even half of eBay’s monthly traffic between them.
The move opens another important revenue stream for the brands involved in the trial. Those involved in Amazon appear to have quickly seen significant growth in sales through the site, despite Amazon’s low-key approach to advertising the fact that a limited range of CBD products were now available on the company’s UK site.
It will be interesting to see whether eBay will also take a low-key approach, given its second place status overall and late move into setting up a CBD sales trial in the UK. It will also be interesting to see whether the former auction site’s listings become beset by the same issues as those on Amazon – with legitimate products from approved sellers having to battle through a sea of hemp oil products dressed up to resemble ones that contain significant amounts of CBD.
There are also issues of legitimate CBD products from brands outside those in the approved trial appearing on a number of different Amazon country sites. Whether accidental or not, these violate Amazon’s selling guidelines, though enforcement appears to be lax.
Currently listings on eBay’s UK site appear a lot cleaner, with seemingly few or no unauthorised CBD products or hemp oil products masquerading as having cannabinoid-rich content. If eBay can continue to maintain that, it may perhaps have an advantage over its online rival in attracting CBD-interested consumers.
CBD-Intel provides impartial, independent and premium market and regulatory analysis, legal tracking, and quantitative data for the cannabidiol (CBD) sector.
We provide our clients with the tools to navigate this fast-moving sector, tailor their business strategy, optimise resources and make informed decisions. In addition, we offer customised research and consultancy support.
