eBay and Paypal Power “Couch Commerce” With New “Watch With eBay” App Feature

Posted by Richard Kastelein in Breaking News on November 23, 2011  |  0 Comments More from this author  |    |  Follow Richard Kastelein on: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube

eBay, the world’s largest online marketplace and a leader in mobile commerce, and PayPal, a leader in online and mobile payments, are helping people to holiday shop when they want, where they want, anticipating a significant shift in typical Thanksgiving weekend shopping behavior. eBay and PayPal predict that after dinner on Thanksgiving Day, people will head for the couch, and their smartphones and tablets, in what will be the first mobile shopping spike this holiday season. As the new trend of “Couch Commerce” emerges, the company is leveraging technology innovations to deliver a more inspired, convenient holiday shopping experience.

“Mobile shopping is mainstream now, and eBay expects this holiday to be the largest mobile shopping season ever,” said Steve Yankovich, vice president of eBay Mobile. “Shoppers are in the driver’s seat, with mobile technology putting the mall right in your pocket. We’re using our mobile and tablet innovations to empower people to shop - and find the best deals - anytime, anywhere, any way they want - from the comfort of their couch or on the go.”

A New Shopping Trend, “Couch Commerce”

Even as retailers bump up the Black Friday timeline, savvy shoppers will get a head start right after Thanksgiving dinner, using mobile devices and tablets to browse and buy on their own terms - right from their living rooms. On Thanksgiving Day, eBay will serve up great deals for stay-at-home shoppers, including a prime time post-dinner “Deal Blast” at 7:00PM ET. Throughout the season, eBay’s Daily Deals deliver huge discounts and free shipping – available for a limited time from eBay's best sellers.

From the Thanksgiving Table to the Television, Watch with eBay™

According to Nielsen¹, the average American watches approximately five hours of television - daily. As people tune-in to big football games and television specials over Thanksgiving weekend, eBay unveils new tablet technology that will change the way people experience and engage with their favorite shows, programs and sporting events on TV. New this month, a “Watch with eBay” tab is being added to the eBay iPad app that enables users to shop an incredible selection of items on the marketplace related to what they are watching. Users simply tap “Watch with eBay” and type in their zip code, cable provider, channel and the program they are currently watching; using show and event-specific key word searches, the app surfaces relevant merchandise from more than 200 million listings available on the eBay marketplace.

“Watch with eBay” will continue to evolve, as eBay incorporates technologies to make shopping alongside TV viewing even easier. With help from future partnerships, ranging from networks, stations, cable providers and studios, the app will identify products featured in each scene. Only eBay has the rich inventory and technology to power this television-commerce experience. View the “Watch with eBay” demo video and visit mobile.ebay.com for more information.

Skip the Lines, Shop in Peace

For shoppers braving Black Friday, eBay is serving up a sweet alternative to traditional retail mayhem with HAPPY HOLIDAY HOTSPOTS – favorite food trucks that deliver free food, free WiFi and free app downloads so people can shop in peace. Located in New York City’s Herald Square and San Francisco’s Union Square, on-the-go shoppers are invited to download the eBay mobile app to enjoy a free holiday treat and shop from millions of gifts - available new and now on eBay - right from a mobile device. With a click or a swipe, eBay mobile enables shoppers to skip the lines and buy what they want, when they want.

As leaders in mobile commerce, eBay and PayPal predict that this holiday will be the largest tablet and mobile shopping season ever. In 2011, eBay expects to see nearly $5 billion in mobile sales (Gross Merchandise Volume); PayPal expects more than $3.5 billion in mobile payment volume. eBay’s suite of mobile apps have been downloaded more than 58 million times – with three purchases per second made using eBay on mobile devices globally – enabling commerce whenever, wherever inspiration strikes this holiday season. For more, visit eBay.com/holiday.