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eBay is set to launch a CBD trial, sources tell CBD-Intel. The internet marketplace that built its name as an auction site is said to be anticipating a November start for its UK trial of CBD products from around ten initial brands.
The company did not reply to queries asking for confirmation of the arrangement or a set date for its launch but it is understood that preparations are well under way – with some unexpected delays being all that kept the company from launching the trial last month.
It would be the second online marketplace to launch a UK trial for 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.
Important new revenue stream
The move would open 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 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.
– Freddie Dawson CBD-Intel staff
