When eBay first hit the UK’s shores back in 1999 , the online auction site was seen as a combination of jumble sale and local newspaper classifieds for the digital age. People suddenly had a much bigger marketplace to operate in, able to sell unwanted items across the country rather than locally. But the focus began shifting as ‘buy it now’ options were introduced and traders were allowed to operate on the site; now 80% of everything bought on the site is new, according to Gareth Jones, UK marketing director at eBay.
“What we’ve got to do is a job...