May Look Ahead

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Sellers,

As we head into summer, we’re keeping a close watch on new trends influencing everything from clothes and hobbies to collections and decor. For younger shoppers, TikTok is playing a huge role in style inspiration, and people of all ages are feeling nostalgic when it comes to box office remakes. There are a range of factors driving shopping behavior, and you might be as surprised as I was to learn that werewolves are having a moment.

Keep reading for more about categories where we’re seeing significant interest and what consumers are coveting right now.

Reliving the 90s

Suddenly Gen Z is snapping up anything late 90’s, and searches for Y2K are up 640% on eBay following a popular TikTok trend. As a result, their looks are dominated by metallic jackets, preppy prints, scrunchies, Prada sunglasses, velour tracksuits and vintage Von Dutch trucker hats.  

The flipside is grunge – heavily influenced by 90s films like Singles and bands like Pearl Jam – translating to searches for flannel shirts, band tees, destroyed denim, and Doc Martens. We’re seeing big boosts on eBay for brands like Converse and Chuck Taylor All-Stars, with searches for the Converse x A-Cold-Wall Aeon Active CX up 292% month over month.

eBay is the perfect place to find many of these unique items – and the rise in vintage is giving these clothes, accessories and memorabilia a new lease on life. 

Box office buzz 

There’s no arguing that Hollywood remakes boost searches and sales – and this May has a steady stream of releases. Top Gun Maverick is finally landing, and the anticipation for this sequel is becoming a cultural event for fans of the original flick. We’re anticipating continued interest in Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses, bomber jackets and jump suits.

Similarly, the first season of Marvel’s Moon Knight had fans flocking to eBay, and Werewolf By Night #32 sold for $65K, making it the 2nd most expensive comic book of this grade (9.8 Near Mint) ever purchased on our platform! Additionally, werewolf comics and action figures are up 142% and 126%, respectively. And last week brought even more Marvel news with the release of Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and there’s been an influx of character-related collectibles across the entire franchise.  

And speaking of cool collectibles, eBay made news last week by announcing that we’re teaming up with Funko. Just like eBay, Funko brings together pop culture and passion, and we know first hand the enthusiasm our shoppers have for these collectibles. Now, eBay will be the preferred place for their toys and collectibles - and we’ll also be partnering with Funko to create some exclusive releases. Stay tuned for more on this!  

Only on eBay  

Fans of rare and vintage gadgets may be aware that a Commodore 65 Prototype recently sold for nearly $50K on eBay. While the Commodore 64 is one of the best selling computer models of all time, the Commodore 65 was never officially released to the public and only a handful of these iconic machines remain operational, according to Gizmodo. 

On the subject of vintage tech, across the board film cameras are enjoying a resurgence – with sales of Fuji GW690III up 99% and the LeicaM-A Rangefinder up 43%. This recent NYT article took a closer look at this phenomenon and included commentary from eBay.

You’ve probably noticed a theme this month – that everything old is new again, and eBay’s amazing breadth of inventory gives us a right to win here.

Wrapping up

As I shared in my business results recap last week, there’s a lot to come and so many reasons to be optimistic. I’m hearing a lot of stories about upcoming summer plans, where it looks like we’re gearing up for an incredible level of travel and getting outdoors. People are still prioritizing leisure trips and hitting the road in the coming months, so be sure to list anything roadtrip, family vacation and airplane ‘friendly’ you can think of. That goes for campaign gear, travel bags, games, travel-friendly electronics and everything in between. 

I’ve heard from many of you that information about what’s trending is helpful as you think about your individual businesses, so I’ll keep sharing these updates. eBay always has been and continues to be a marketplace powered by incredible sellers, and I’m grateful to be on this journey with all of you.

Thank you for selling on eBay.

Jordan Sweetnam

SVP + General Manager. Americas Market