eBay — Video Ads

Context / Background

Video connects seller stories with buyer confidence.

• Product context

  Video across ads

  eBay is developing Video Ads across Promoted Listings and Promoted Stores, building on content many sellers already produce off-platform.

• Seller audiences

  Different seller needs

  Audiences span entrepreneurs and SMBs, multichannel sellers, large merchants and brand advertisers, each with different resources and goals.

• Buyer context

  Proof, not just promotion

  Buyers use video to check condition, color and functionality, so they can make more confident purchase decisions.

Context / The Challenge

Static ads struggle to stand out, build trust and convert buyers.

• Production effort

  Limited resources

  In an oversaturated marketplace, sellers with limited resources face extra production work and unclear video requirements.

• Seller value

  Uncertain return

  Low-margin sellers question whether video is worth the effort. They need evidence that it drives more sales than static ads.

• Buyer experience

  More is not always better

  Poorly placed or repeated video can clutter search and erode buyer trust. Attention alone is not enough.

Context / Opportunity

Help sellers stand out through video that helps buyers decide.

• Engage

  Show what matters

  Useful demonstrations and in-hand detail help buyers understand the product, build trust and purchase confidently without interrupting their journey.

• Stand out

  Start where the fit is strong

  Research suggests the strongest initial fit is in higher-ASP categories and among brands already investing in video. It is not for every seller yet.

• Stay relevant

  Reuse what sellers have

  Make it simple to reuse video across listings and ads, so sellers can bring useful product content to buyers without starting from scratch.

Context / Approach

Build seller-centered UX foundations. Upload first, then Create and Edit.

This approach came from research across seller types and seven one-hour sessions with US buyers testing video placements on mobile and desktop.

• Phase 1

  Upload

  Start with existing video. Make requirements clear and reduce friction by letting sellers reuse video across listings and ads.

• Phase 2

  Create and Edit

  Add lightweight creation and editing tools, with easy editing throughout so sellers can adapt video quickly.

• Research-informed principles

  Protect the buyer journey

  Relevant placements, short muted video and playback control. These are design principles, not launched features.

1. Skeptical

   Fee-sensitive, cautious

   • Fee-sensitive, with thin margins
   • Doesn’t see a return for low-ASP items
   • Worried about buyer clutter and poor video quality

   “For comics at ten bucks, video just doesn’t add value. It’s more work for me with no real payoff.”

2. Resource-Limited

   Constrained but curious

   • Believes in video but is held back by the effort
   • Wants lightweight tools and reuse across ads and listings
   • Would only experiment on high-ASP items

   “Video is work. I’d probably have my teenagers shoot it, but I need to know upfront what format and how long, so we don’t waste time.”

3. Experimenters

   Testing the waters

   • Sees video as a complement to live selling
   • Open to trying Promoted Listings Priority just to unlock video
   • Wants formats that feel native, not corporate

   “I’d consider PLP specifically to unlock video. Video is a bridge between live and static selling.”

4. Brand

   Table stakes

   • Video is central to brand strategy
   • Needs return-on-spend metrics and clear rules
   • Would move more Promoted Listings Priority budget once proven

   “Video shows what makes our products different. If I add it to Promoted Listings, I need clear rules on length, placement, cost, and proof it drives more than static.”

5. Bullish

   Ready now

   • Already producing professional content
   • Sees video as a game changer for buyer trust
   • Willing to pay more right away

   “A lot of people don’t know what my product looks like, so I think the videos would help me tremendously, actually.”