Mini Stories: How eBay Sellers are Supporting Their Communities Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

Within the past month, we have seen the widespread impact of COVID-19 on families, local businesses and communities — but we also have heard stories from our eBay community lending a helping hand where they can during these extraordinary and challenging times. 

Around the world, eBay sellers are galvanizing to support their fellow neighbors and community by offering deals at checkout, making charitable donations to virus relief efforts and sharing tips to stay safe, informed and connected.

We wanted to showcase these individual acts of kindness and our sellers’ perseverance through a weekly Mini Stories column. Read on below to see how one of our sellers is paying it forward during this unprecedented time. 

Spreading the Love Through Mother’s Day Discounts in the United Kingdom

For those worried about cash flow during the global pandemic, U.K. seller Jade Oliver is offering checkout deals to anyone shopping from her store. The U.K. recently celebrated Mother’s Day in March, and she discounted all items relating to the holiday to help create pockets of joy for those who are tight on savings but still want to treat their mothers.

“In the run up to Mother’s Day, people were being advised not to visit their mothers,” Jade said. “It was also beginning to get difficult for people to visit the shops, as they were now working from home and being advised to avoid crowded places.” 

Based in Bristol, U.K., Jade sells furniture, faux flowers and home accessories on her eBay online store, Heavenly Homes & Gardens. To also help add a personal touch for gifts sent directly to mothers, Jade offered to wrap the gifts for free for her customers and handwrite notes on their behalf, taking their messages down over the phone. 

Before the pandemic, Jade had bought reams of wrapping paper to sell in her store and opted instead to use the paper to wrap the Mother’s Day gifts and tie them up with ribbons she typically saves for her bouquets.

For Jade, she wanted to help her customers show their mothers they were thinking of them, even while from far away.  

“It was only a little gesture of help, but my customers said they were really grateful, and I hope it helped a few mums feel a little less isolated,” she said. 

She added that while these are difficult and challenging times for businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the one silver lining she has seen is watching how her neighbors and local community are coming together to help one another. 

“I have seen countless offers of support to our local community from my neighbors either via notes through the letterbox or Facebook groups,” Jade said. “I have also seen neighbors delivering homemade soup to the elderly and doing anything they can to help out.”

Since 1995, our purpose has been clear: to empower people and create economic opportunity. We’re committed to helping our sellers during this difficult time. 

For more eBay news and updates related to the coronavirus outbreak, please visit our seller community center. For information on government support for small businesses in the U.S. and abroad, visit eBay’s Government Relations site at eBayMainStreet.com/covid19.