This content requires the Adobe Flash Player.
Get Flash
BUSINESS RATE CUT WILL BOOST ONLINE FIRMS
Responding to the Chancellor’s announcement in the budget that the Government will cut business rates for half a million businesses, Clare Gilmartin, managing director of eBay in the UK, said:
“The decision to cut business rates for one year is an important boost for the digital economy. eBay’s Online Business Index tracks the views of online firms, and they consistently tell us that a cut in business rates is the number one policy change that would help them, backed by almost half of online firms. A fifth see it as the major barrier to their success.
“Cutting edge firms like these are essential to restoring the British economy to growth, and we are pleased that the Chancellor is listening to their concerns.”
eBay’s Online Business Index is a regular barometer of the performance and attitudes of online firms, based on a survey of 500-700 mainly small to medium-sized businesses trading on the internet. According to the Index, 48% of online firms want a reduction in business rates – higher than any other policy. And 19% see it as the major barrier to the growth of their business.
Founded in 1999, eBay.co.uk is the UK’s number 1 e-commerce site, providing a platform for over 18million unique visitors per month (Nielsen / Netratings, March 2010) to buy and sell new, unique and used items in a fun and easy way.
Far from an online auction house, eBay currently has 17 million live listings on the UK site, with fixed price goods accounting for the majority (56%) of items sold globally.
Sellers of all sizes, including 120,000 registered businesses and 20 high-street retailers use eBay.co.uk to reach the UK’s largest online shopping audience.
eBay supports buyers and sellers by promoting the best value deals through Daily Deals, and the eBay Outlet sells products from well known brands at up to 70% off the recommended retail price. Follow www.twitter.com/eBay_life4less for alerts to great deals on eBay and beyond.
eBay campaigns on the issues affecting buyers and sellers in a number of ways, including the eBay Online Business Index and consumer choice campaigns as featured on http://consumerchoice.eu/uk/
eBay.co.uk is owned by eBay Inc, which has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Shopping.com, and others