Small businesses are the backbone of eBay’s thriving marketplace. In return, eBay is committed to supporting these businesses through dedicated resources and initiatives. eBay helps small businesses and entrepreneurs build online storefronts and reach global audiences. Our tools, training, and resources help pave the way for a more equitable economy, promoting economic success today and in the future.
In 2024, eBay’s Up & Running Grant program awarded 50 U.S. sellers with $10,000 each, plus training and mentorship to help strengthen and grow their businesses. The sellers also each receive a stipend worth $500 to equip themselves with business technology and tools from eBay Refurbished.
Drawn from a pool of 18,000 submissions, our 2024 grantees represent 28 U.S. states and 11 categories, including motors, home and garden, clothes, collectibles, and toys.
Meet the full Class of 2024 Up & Running grantees here.
If you put 100% towards your goals and dreams, you will get 100% back from your hard work. Thank you! I plan to use the funds to help grow the infrastructure of my business with shelving, racks, storage, and tech upgrades to further enhance quickness and efficiency.
Every year, we invite SBAN advocates to capitals around the globe for meetings with various lawmakers.
In May of 2024, select U.S. SBAN members joined eBay executives on Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers and discuss how current ecommerce public policy issues are affecting small businesses. In June, EU-based SBAN members joined eBay staff in Rome, Italy, and met with key legislators from the Italian Parliament to discuss small business regulations that would impact cross-border trade. Throughout the year, our U.S. SBAN members, with eBay’s support, also hosted multiple meetings within their local districts. During these meetings, SBAN members showed their legislators how they run their online business, while touching on legislative issues of importance to small businesses.
In 2024, eBay Open drew over 10,000 participants to the three-day virtual event, while over 1,000 sellers gathered in person at 35 kickoff parties across the United States. Attendees immersed themselves in a packed agenda featuring training sessions, a virtual expo hall, and networking events. eBay executives took to the stage to share insights on company strategy, product updates, and innovations. The event also included a special eBay Live for Charity segment, which raised over $4,000 in support of worthy causes.
I learned so much both from fellow eBay sellers and I loved learning from eBay employees as well. Both are very important.
These seller-led gatherings give eBay Entrepreneurs the chance to network and grow with other sellers in their local communities. In 2024, approximately 50 chapters throughout the U.S. held 260 meetings with more than 2,000 sellers in attendance to share tips and build relationships.
It is a very diverse group of people with wonderful experiences and tips to share to learn more about selling!
I liked that there was "actionable" information taught that I could implement in my store.
Whether they’re new to eBay or looking to evolve their business, eBay sellers turn to the Seller Center for the right tools, insights, and high-quality content.
Here, sellers can catch up on the latest platform updates and improvements featured in our Seller News, learn how to maximize eBay’s tools, stay informed about compliance with relevant regulations, and discover resources about the programs we offer — all in one convenient spot. Content is continually updated based on the real needs and requests of eBay sellers, ensuring they have everything they need to grow and thrive.
Nonprofits and charities use our platform every day to help fund their vital community services. Our efforts to create economic opportunity for all extend beyond our marketplace and into the communities in which we live and work. We are committed to supporting entrepreneurs in service of creating more vibrant local economies.
eBay for Charity is the most active giving platform in ecommerce today. By integrating charity into everyday transactions, we make it easy for our buyers and sellers to give back. We also collaborate with various brands and high-profile individuals to host unique charity auctions on our marketplace. These auctions help nonprofits raise funds for their mission-driven work and allow individuals to support the causes they care about most.
2024 proved to be a record-breaking year for fundraising. eBay for Charity raised more than $192 million for nonprofits worldwide through in-platform donations and large-scale charity auctions, bringing us to over $1.3 billion raised and 225,000 charities enrolled around the world since the start of eBay for Charity over 20 years ago.
Partnership and community support were hallmarks of the year. We linked arms with British Vogue, GLIDE, Elton John, and Homes for our Troops in 2024, collectively raising significant funds in support of causes like sustainability, economic advancement, AIDS research, and support for injured veterans. These initiatives not only offer unique items but also demonstrate the power of collective action to drive positive change.
Our charity sellers are essential to our fundraising ecosystem, turning sales into impactful contributions for nonprofits worldwide. The eBay for Charity team had the privilege of sitting down with Reflections of Trinity’s Laurie Wong, charity seller and director of the Atlanta-area food pantry, to discuss how eBay for Charity has allowed her to reshape her nonprofit's fundraising efforts to better serve her local community.
eBay for Charity is more vibrant than ever, with charities selling their amazing pre-loved inventory online. eBay is also the go-to place for celebrities to support communities they care for, making use of our online auction tools and streamlined donation flows. Whether you’re a seller or a buyer, eBay for Charity makes supporting your favorite non-profit seamless.
We believe when entrepreneurs succeed, they build more resilient and vibrant communities. eBay Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations tackling barriers that prevent people from starting and growing businesses around the world. To create economic opportunity for all, eBay Foundation granted nearly $18 million through 2024 to organizations that support historically excluded entrepreneurs, and to employee-selected organizations through eBay’s employee matching gifts program.
The Foundation’s approach is grounded in trust-based philanthropy: we listen to and learn from our grantees, adapting to their lived needs and realities. We also amplify their voices and expertise as leaders in their fields.
In October, eBay Foundation once again hosted a gathering of our strategic grantees at eBay’s San Francisco office. The event facilitated meaningful discussions on advancing entrepreneurship and fostered connections across grantee organizations. These community-building events are just one of the many ways eBay Foundation shows up for our nonprofit partners beyond financial grants.
Through the Global Give Program, eBay Foundation partners with and supports nonprofit organizations worldwide to remove barriers to entrepreneurship. Committed to creating economic opportunity for all, Global Give awarded nearly $3 million to 31 grantees in the communities where our employees live and work.
In 2024, eBay championed Black-owned businesses at the U.K. Black Business Show, an event that brings together Black entrepreneurs to network, learn, and advance their work. eBay aimed to foster growth and success by providing valuable resources to help grow businesses and celebrating the achievements of Black entrepreneurs on our platform. Building on this momentum, eBay will be a headline sponsor for the 2025 U.K. Black Business Week, further reinforcing our dedication to championing Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurship.
Our partnership with The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) continues to empower refugees to thrive and achieve financial independence through entrepreneurship. Together, we've supported over 100 refugees in launching and expanding their eBay businesses and connected them with mentorship opportunities. Anil Qasemi, a program alum who fled Afghanistan, launched his successful business, Hatopia, through TERN. In 2024, his achievements earned him an eBay for Business Award, which included a £10,000 prize to boost his future growth.
Through eBay for Change, our support program for U.K.-based social entrepreneurs, we’ve worked with over 300 social enterprises to connect tens of millions of British shoppers with small businesses reinvesting their profits back into their local communities or abroad.
After connecting with the eBay for Change team, I learned that the program is a great fit for new and established businesses alike, so I signed up right away. Looking back, the thing I enjoyed the most was the 1-1 meetings with my eBay for Change adviser. The 1-1s provided me with a safe space to really step through how to showcase our social impact story through all the customer touch-points that eBay offers.
Whether our sellers start businesses to support their families, create new income streams, or turn their passions into professions, eBay is here to help.
Our eBay Small Business Activity Across Italy Report showcases how eBay fuels small businesses and promotes economic resilience throughout Italy. We found that on a per capita basis, small business selling activity on eBay was more concentrated in Italy’s most economically disadvantaged and remote areas. Further, eBay small business communities in these regions do not just match the success of those based in more advantaged regions, they exceed them – demonstrating how eBay is leveling the playing field for small businesses worldwide.
The economic opportunities provided by eBay are enormous! eBay connects me with shoppers from all over the world and allows my small business to remain competitive, overcoming the limits of my local market and still represents our main means of sales in Italy and Europe.
Moreover, our European Union Small Business Export Report highlights eBay’s leading role in opening new markets worldwide for small businesses. Through eBay, entrepreneurial small businesses in every EU member state can connect with over 130 million consumers across 190 markets every day, and they can achieve export success that far surpasses traditional businesses. The report underscores the crucial role of a well-functioning, accessible European Single Market, which remains vital for the continued international growth and prosperity of small businesses.
Selling on eBay has helped expand our physical business. It’s like having a virtual shop in every country around the world.
