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eBay launches program to help SMEs export their products

By on June 11, 2020

eBay screen
(Screen capture of https://export.ebay.com)

Will invest $150,000 to support Puerto Rico businesses

SAN JUAN — E-commerce giant eBay will invest $150,000 in Puerto Rico in a development program for local micro, small and medium-sized businesses to use its platform to sell products in different markets around the world.

With its new acceleration program, “Mi Negocio 24/7 en eBay,” the company seeks to support these companies to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their sales.

The selected companies will be able to open an eBay store at no cost and have access to exclusive benefits to start exporting its products to different parts of the world.

“For the past 25 years, eBay has helped develop hundreds of thousands of small businesses around the world and now, due to this unprecedented situation, we created ‘Mi Negocio 24/7 en eBay’
so that companies in Puerto Rico can set up their online store quickly and with the necessary assistance, reaching up to 174 million buyers in 190 markets,” explained Xavier Aguirre, senior business development manager for eBay in Latin America.

Aguirre pointed out that Puerto Rico is eBay’s No. 1 Latin American market in terms of sellers and the third in sales, only preceded by Mexico and Brazil.

“For eBay, Puerto Rico is a very important market in the region due to its potential and the active sellers that currently export from the island. Our mission is to connect buyers and sellers from around the world to create business opportunities, and that is exactly what we must do now, more than ever,” he said.

The program’s objective is to allow new vendors who are unable to keep their physical businesses open to move their stores into the virtual world.

The goal, Aguirre said, is to impact about 100 businesses within two months.

How to participate?

To start the process, the business must fill out the form found here.

The information provided will help eBay assess the potential of the business. If chosen to participate in “Mi Negocio 24/7 en eBay,” the business owner will receive a call for a more detailed interview.

Those who pass the interview will receive a link to start the six steps included in the program, through which they will be taught how to open their virtual store and promote their business.

What’s included in the program?

  • Business development program: businesses that have more than 100 products to export will be able to apply for the program through this form and upon receiving confirmation, they will receive support from eBay throughout the rest of the process.
  • eBay Premium or Super Stores at no cost: eBay will provide the best suited store classification level—such as Premium or Super—for the requesting business.  These stores will have no cost during the first three months and will be able to publish between one thousand and ten thousand advertisements.
  • Personal manager for business development: businesses will have access to a personal manager who will work hand in hand with sellers to support them in exporting via eBay in the most efficient way.
  • Training program: eBay will provide a special training program for sellers to learn all the platform’s characteristics and the details within each of the sales steps, from creating your account and uploading your inventory, to communicating with buyers. 
  • Additional ads at no cost: New and existing eBay sellers who own a store will be able to advertise 50,000 additional items for free until the end of July 2020.

Interested businesses must complete the registration form found here by July 31.