Global eBay sales via mobile on track to reach $5billion in 2011

eBay, the online marketplace and shopping site, has revised its global m-commerce forecast, predicting that it will generate almost $5bn in sales volume in 2011 – $1bn more than the $4bn prediction made earlier this year.

The news comes as global ecommerce and online payments leader eBay Inc. (Nasdaq:EBAY) reported that revenue for the third quarter ended September 30, 2011, increased 32% to $3.0 billion, compared to the same period of 2010.

As more consumers use their smartphones for everything from price comparison to shopping, sales through mobile now account for more than 10% of all purchases on eBay UK and, globally, an item is sold via eBay’s global mobile platforms every second.

Angus McCarey, Retail Director for eBay UK, said: “Mobile has fundamentally changed the way people shop, and mobile sales on eBay are growing in triple digits. As mobile continues to blur the online and offline commerce environment, our focus is on enabling all commerce by helping consumers shop anytime, anywhere and with any device, and by helping retailers keep up with technological advancements.

“Retailers need to think about how to meet the demands of the connected consumer, who will soon expect a truly integrated shopping experience that flows from their phone, to the shop and to their Facebook profile.”