ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
We build pathways to opportunity globally.
Small Business Programs
Roughly 70% of our GMV in our three largest markets by demand comes from small businesses
Small businesses are the backbone of eBay’s thriving marketplace. In return, eBay supports 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 inclusive economy, promoting economic success today and in the future.
Our small business accelerator program empowers sellers with specialized training and mentorship.
Each year, 50 sellers are chosen to each receive $10,000 in cash, direct training, business accelerator courses, and mentorship from eBay. Up & Running grantees also are given a stipend worth $500 to equip themselves with essential office technology from eBay Refurbished.
Our 2025 grantees were announced live at eBay Open, including an onstage presentation recognizing grantees Tanya Mahrous and Toby Tobias. After leaving their corporate careers, Tanya and Toby built Second Life Thrift Store, a nonprofit supporting animal rescue. Their story illustrates the transformative role eBay can play in helping sellers not only grow their businesses but also scale their missions.
We also recently named our first 25 U.K. grantees since the program’s expansion. Meet our 2025 U.K. grantees.
Through SBAN, eBay entrepreneurs can meet with elected officials to share their stories with elected officials, engage with the media, and testify in hearings. SBAN also creates opportunities for small business sellers to connect directly with eBay staff and fellow sellers, fostering collaboration and shared advocacy.
This advocacy took on meaningful shape in 2025. For example, EU-based SBAN members joined eBay executives in Brussels to meet with key legislators from the European Parliament and European Commission, focusing on regulations affecting cross-border commerce.
All sellers are welcome to join for training & seller-led sessions, category breakouts, keynotes, seller panels, networking, and more.
In 2025, eBay OPEN25 marked eBay’s 30th anniversary by gathering sellers in person at The Venetian in Las Vegas and via a global live stream, centered on the theme “Fueling Your Future.” The three-day event welcomed 1,336 sellers onsite and 8,377 online, and featured a robust agenda that included three keynote sessions, nine workshops, seller panels, feedback forums, Seller Labs, and live Q&A experiences.
These events provide practical knowledge and helpful resources that turn side hustles into steady careers. And they resonate with our community: OPEN25 delivered strong satisfaction scores across both in-person and virtual audiences.
Connect with your community at seller-led meetings in your area to grow your business & create lasting relationships.
In 2025, approximately 70 chapters throughout the U.S. held 378 Seller Circle meetings with more than 3,750 sellers in attendance to share tips and build relationships. This represents a 45% increase in the total number of meetings, and an 87% increase in the number of attendees, compared to the previous year.
By offering support and sharing experiences, these communities make it easier for others to achieve success and transform their shops into successful enterprises.
Where sellers find the tips and tools they need to sell and succeed on eBay.
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.
By providing access to guidance and resources, Seller Center helps users scale their businesses and build their confidence. Whether they’re just starting out or have been selling for years, the program has something for everyone.
On the Seller Center site, sellers can catch up on the latest platform updates and improvements in our monthly Seller News updates, learn how to get more from eBay’s tools, stay informed about compliance with relevant regulations, and discover resources about the programs we offer. Seller Center content is continually updated based on the real needs and requests of eBay sellers.
Unlocking AI’s potential to transform small businesses through tailored training and tools.
In 2025, eBay launched AI Activate, a program developed in collaboration with OpenAI to equip up to 10,000 U.K. small businesses with advanced AI tools and training. The initiative provides free access to ChatGPT Enterprise and custom GPT productivity tools for up to 12 months, along with tailored virtual and in-person training designed to help sellers automate administrative tasks, improve listings, generate marketing campaigns, analyze sales data, and grow their businesses.
eBay is the first online marketplace to offer OpenAI’s enterprise tools and related training at no cost to small business sellers. The training, developed from seller research and interviews, focuses on high-impact uses such as financial analysis, marketing campaigns, research, and listing optimization. Sessions are offered virtually, with in-person training planned for 2026.
We help entrepreneurs reach customers and build communities across the globe.
Our eBay Digital Density in Europe Report highlights how eBay helps address regional imbalances by enabling small business growth in areas often seen as secondary, economically challenged, rural, or less prepared for the digital transition.
The findings show that eBay is helping level the playing field, with strong small business communities emerging across a diverse range of regions — regardless of geography, GDP per capita, population size, population density, or other economic indicators. This digitally-enabled growth often serves as an inclusive counterbalance to broader economic trends.
Community Impact
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
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.
2025 was a record-breaking year for fundraising. eBay for Charity raised more than $198 million for nonprofits worldwide through in-platform donations and major charity auctions, bringing the total raised to more than $1.7 billion and supporting 225,000 enrolled charities globally since the program began more than 20 years ago.
Partnership and community support were big themes of the year. We linked arms with nonprofit organizations, brands, and influential figures across industries and causes to broaden our collective impact.
A major moment came in July when the V Foundation for Cancer Research hosted its “biggest comedy charity auction” on eBay in July. The event featured experiences and items from stars including Adam Sandler and raised $183,493 in memory of Norm Macdonald.
We’re also very proud to share that In November, the 9th annual Homes for Our Troops auction brought together items from Seth Meyers, Jennifer Aniston, Nate Bargatze, and more on eBay, raising $397,657 towards ending veteran homelessness.
eBay Foundation
We believe when entrepreneurs succeed, they build more resilient and vibrant communities. eBay Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations addressing barriers that prevent people from starting and growing businesses around the world. In 2025, eBay Foundation granted nearly $17 million to nonprofit organizations focused on advancing inclusive entrepreneurship, and to employee-selected organizations throughout 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 based on their lived experiences and realities. We aim to show up as trusted partners by providing flexible support, fostering meaningful connection, and amplifying our partners’ voices 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 built 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.
Global Give
Global Give is an annual employee-guided grant program that complements the Foundation’s work with strategic grantees. Global Give invites employees to nominate, vote, and volunteer with mission‑aligned nonprofits. Each year, the Foundation awards flexible, trust‑based funding to 30+ organizations worldwide, giving priority to communities where our employees live and work. In 2025, eBay Foundation awarded nearly $3 million to 30 grantees, and also contributed through employee volunteer work.
One Good Thing
One Good Thing is the Foundation’s annual spring campaign in recognition of Global Volunteer Month. Every eBayer is invited to take one meaningful action, volunteering or donating, to inspire others. The program also includes one-time reward events and prize drawings to encourage participation. In 2025, One Good Thing 2025 raised nearly $800K in combined donations from employees and the eBay Foundation, which helped support 254 nonprofits worldwide.
eBay U.K. is trying fresh new approaches to community engagement and social impact.
In 2025, eBay continued to support Black-owned businesses in partnership with the U.K. Black Business Show, an event that brings together Black entrepreneurs to network, learn, and grow their businesses. Building on this momentum, eBay will be a headline sponsor for the 2026 U.K. Black Business Week.
Through our partnership with The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN), we empower refugees to achieve financial independence through entrepreneurship. Together, we've supported more than 100 refugees in launching and expanding their eBay businesses and connected them with mentorship opportunities.
Additionally, our eBay for Change program for U.K.-based social entrepreneurs has partnered with more than 300 social enterprises, linking tens of millions of British shoppers with small businesses that reinvest their profits back into their local communities and abroad.