- The eBay Plus shipping service, previously in test mode, will cost €19.90 ($22) per year in Germany, and (like Amazon Prime) provide free 2-day delivery for select goods. Free returns are promised for 30 days following a purchase.
- VP Carl Gish says the service could be expanded beyond Germany, but hasn't made any promises. Thousands of German sellers are said to have signed up for it.
- eBay's (EBAY +0.4%) lack of an internal warehouse/fulfillment infrastructure similar to Amazon's poses a challenge for its shipping efforts. Amazon, which has been outgrowing eBay in the U.S. and elsewhere, has been estimated by CIRP to have 44M U.S. Prime subs as of June, with a 95% renewal rate.