What can a livestream teach a policymaker? A whole lot. Watching a seller host an eBay Live broadcast gives a firsthand look at the future of ecommerce and how entrepreneurs build their businesses and their global communities. And it shows them what policies might stand in their way.
That's why eBay invited German policymakers to experience eBay Live alongside the sellers who use it. Rather than telling them about the realities of running an online business, sellers showed them.
This event, held during the second stop of a recent seller advocacy trip to Brussels and Berlin, marked the first time eBay Live had been shown live to lawmakers. Those in attendance got an in-person look at the platform, how sellers use it to grow their businesses and communities, and what public policy challenges might stand in their way. But this was more than just a showcase. It was eBay's seller advocacy in action.
Seller advocacy at eBay means ensuring real seller experiences inform public policy. The global Government Relations team brings sellers directly into conversations with policymakers whose decisions shape how they do business. Whether those conversations happen in Brussels, Berlin, the US Capitol, or events like the Congressional Baseball Game, the goal is the same.
As Cathy Foster, Vice President of Government Relations at eBay puts it, “the most effective advocacy starts with the voices of the people who are impacted by public policy every day." When lawmakers hear from eBay entrepreneurs building their businesses, they gain a clearer understanding of what affects them.
“Unlike some of our competitor platforms, eBay does not compete with its customers,” said Nikolaus Lindner, head of EMEA Government Relations for eBay. “From a public policy perspective, what’s good for eBay is good for our sellers.”
That philosophy was on display before the eBay Live event, when seven sellers representing France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Finland, and Ireland joined eBay in Brussels to meet with European policymakers.
During a meeting with representatives from the cabinet of EU Commissioner Michael McGrath, officials were visibly surprised when sellers from Germany, Italy, and Ireland all shared the same message: It is often easier to sell into the United States or the UK than within the European Union. As they described the complexity of regulations like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which requires producers and some sellers to pay for collection and recycling of certain products and packaging, policymakers took notes.
For Chief Legal Officer Samantha Wellington, bringing policymakers into such environments is crucial to eBay's advocacy. "Hosting eBay Live in Berlin was a vivid example," she said. "When policymakers hear directly from sellers, they see how policy decisions affect real entrepreneurs."
Those conversations continued at the event in Berlin, where they saw eBay Live firsthand. Samantha hosted a livestream alongside Gil Holten, founder of the LEGO-focused Berlin Bricks. A former Al Jazeera cameraman turned full-time eBay entrepreneur, Gil moved nimbly through the broadcast and greeted loyal customers by name while he and Samatha auctioned off custom-built figures of German political leaders, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
In Berlin, trading card seller Mathias Keller discovered that the Member of the German Parliament across the table shared his passion. Their conversation immediately became more personal as the parliamentarian talked about the shoeboxes of trading cards stored in his basement that he now wanted to dust off.
At a breakfast event in the German Parliament, another seller, Nina Funk, surprised the room when she explained that she has to declare to customs whether a second-hand bag contains Russian steel because it could be subject to sanctions. Her point illustrated how regulations can directly affect entrepreneurs selling across borders; it also provided a real-world perspective no email could replicate.
These moments may seem small, but they make clear eBay's approach to advocacy. “Nothing compares to a seller telling their story directly to their policymaker in person,” said Jeff Michaud, head of advocacy and policy communications for Government Relations.
The company doesn't simply collect seller feedback; it facilitates opportunities for sellers to share their experiences with those who can make meaningful policy changes. That connection is another part of eBay’s commitment to community-building. By using its presence to get policymakers and sellers in the same room, eBay creates conversations that might not otherwise happen.
“Policymakers listen to their constituents,” said Michaud. “We can lobby all day long but nothing is as powerful as a policymaker hearing directly from a member of the community the policymaker represents. It’s pretty amazing to watch in person.”