eBay UK Launches ‘Black in Bloom’ Hub Featuring Black-Owned Brands on the Marketplace

eBay UK has launched a new hub on its platform called Black in Bloom to connect shoppers with Black-owned eCommerce entrepreneurs.

Graduates of the Black Girl Fest X eBay Sellers Academy will sell fashion, beauty, and household goods on this new hub.

Black and Bloom is the expansion of eBay UK and Black Girl Fest (BGF) previously announced year-long collaboration to expand opportunities for Black women eCommerce sellers.

While the partnership’s goal is to empower Black women entrepreneurs, there is also an economic opportunity for eBay as it looks to expand its buyer base to include more younger shoppers.

A recent eBay report found that one in five Gen Z shoppers prefer to buy from underrepresented business owners.

“We are seeing from a buyer point-of-view, they are coming to the platform wanting to shop with their values front and center,” said Chris Gale, head of social impact at eBay to Vogue Business.

Gale added that there is a clear need to make it easier for socially conscious shoppers to buy from Black-owned businesses.

The same report also found that one in 10 eBay buyers don’t know where to find Black-owned businesses on eBay. eBay UK’s Black in Bloom hub certainly should make that much easier.

BGF x eBay Seller Academy Starting Point for Black in Bloom Hub

As part of the multifaceted partnership, the two companies launched the BGF x eBay Seller Academy which provides Black women with one-to-one training for 12 to 14 weeks helping them turn their ideas into reality.

Upon graduation, entrepreneurs will be able to feature their brand and products on the newly launched Black in Bloom hub.

In addition, academy graduates also receive seller benefits to help them scale their business successfully on eBay.

These benefits include zero selling fees for six months, a free shop front for six months, dedicated support from an eBay expert, and a chance to win grants to further expand their online business.

“We believe we have a role to play in helping to overcome some of these challenges by helping founders to start and scale their business,” said Murray Lambell, eBay UK’s general manager to Vogue Business.

eBay UK hopes to empower about 200 Black women-led eCommerce businesses through this collaboration with BFG. The Black in Bloom Hub is now live on eBay UK.

Richard Meldner

Richard is co-founder of eSeller365. He has over 17 years of experience on eBay which includes tens of thousands of sales to buyers in over 100 countries and even has experience with eBay’s VeRO program enforcing intellectual property rights for a former employer. And for about two years Richard sold products on Amazon using Amazon FBA in the US.

To “relax” from the daily business grind, for a few weekends a year, he also works for IMSA as a professional race official.