In a follow-up to its move to offer one-hour delivery to New York consumers, eBay Now expands its efforts in increasing shopping efficiency by making their service available in San Jose, also making it easily accessible via its mobile web version, which launches today.
eBay Now was formally launched in October 2012 for iPhone users and was limited to the San Francisco area before it was brought to New York. Since eBay’s official headquarters are located in San Jose, the Thursday launch is a special affair that truly hits home. “San Jose is eBay’s home base and we want to make sure our employees get the chance to experience this innovative product,” says David Ramadge, Head of Local Business Development at eBay. “It is also a different type of city compared to San Francisco and New York in many ways, from its density to its population. Our primary goal at the moment is to learn as much as we can, and launching eBay Now in different types of cities is a great way to do that.”
eBay Now proposes to eliminate waiting time from your online shopping experience by giving you access to products from stores within your area and having them brought right to you in an hour, while you enjoy the comforts of your own home. Need a cell phone charger, a flash drive, a bathroom faucet (and maybe tools to install it with)? Not to worry—you won’t need to drive down to the nearest Radio Shack, Best Buy, and Home Depot, which are only some of the many reputable merchants eBay Now has partnered with.
“We’re trying to create an amazing shopping experience for consumers that connect their online and mobile shopping behavior with the offline nature of most retail purchases,” says Ramadge, when asked what kind of effect eBay Now is hoping for by partnering with local merchants. “Another priority for us is helping our merchants connect in a new and fresh way with consumers.”
The mobile Web version’s launch is definitely good news for eBay aficionados without iPhones – now anybody with a smartphone can access and enjoy eBay’s one-hour delivery service. The iOS app is also scheduled for an update today as well, one that mimics eBay’s Web shopping flow better and allows customers to peruse through items without having to log in until they’re ready to order.
eBay Now delivery is only $5 while the service is in beta, with a minimum purchase requirement of $25. You can use their service Monday through Saturday anytime between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. San Jose residents can starting accessing eBay Now beginning Thursday, 9 a.m. PST. You can access the service through your smartphone via now.ebay.com.
