SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Today, U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and eBay Inc. CEO John
Donahoe announced a partnership to promote U.S. trade and investment
expansion. The joint effort will focus on increasing awareness of the
economic benefits of trade, specifically the important role that small
and medium-sized enterprises (SME) can play in growing America's export
economy. The partnership was introduced via a memorandum of agreement
(MOA) signed between the Department of Commerce's International Trade
Administration and eBay Inc.
Secretary Pritzker made the following statement: "In a
globally-connected economy, American companies have to consider the
entire marketplace as they look to grow their businesses and create
jobs. The fact is, 95 percent of worldwide consumers live outside U.S.
borders. Whether they are large or small, American businesses cannot
afford to limit their options when it comes to selling their goods and
services. The Obama Administration is committed to ensuring that SME
exporters are aware of export opportunities and federal resources that
are available to help them establish a foothold abroad, increase their
exports, and support additional good-paying American jobs. We look
forward to working with eBay Inc. to help America's small and
medium-sized businesses thrive at home and around the world."
This partnership advances the Obama Administration's National
Export Initiative, an ambitious plan to sell more American goods and
services into foreign markets. Working together, this agreement between
eBay and the Department of Commerce will build out U.S. government
export programs to provide more inclusive tools for technology-enabled
traders and educate these businesses on export-focused products and
services already available to them.
Donahoe, who was appointed by President Obama to the President's
Export Council (PEC) in December 2013, said of the partnership: "At
eBay we are committed to creating opportunities for businesses of all
sizes to participate in the global marketplace, which is why we're so
pleased to partner with the Department of Commerce on this effort. In
today's digitally-connected world, every business can export and help
grow our American economy."
The MOA announcement comes after the U.S.
Department of Commerce announced earlier this month that U.S.
exports in 2013 set a new record for the fourth straight year. U.S.
exports reached $2.3 trillion in 2013, up nearly $700 billion since
2009. SMEs have played a critical role in driving record export
growth. Yesterday, the Department announced that U.S. exports supported
more than 11.3 million jobs in 2013, up 1.6 million jobs since 2009.
In 2013, eBay Inc. enabled more than $45 billion in cross border trade
commerce and payments. An eBay
study analyzing trade flow data from eBay's marketplace found that
97 percent of U.S. commercial sellers on eBay export. Of these small
businesses, 81 percent export to five or more foreign countries. A recent
PayPal/Nielson report estimates cross-border demand for online
retail of American products was worth $23 Billion in 2013 and is
expected to grow to $83 Billion by 2018, creating a tremendous
opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs across the world to
tap into this demand.
About eBay Inc.
eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is a global commerce and payments leader,
providing a robust platform where merchants of all sizes can compete and
win. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay Inc. connects millions of
buyers and sellers and enabled $212 billion of commerce volume in 2013.
We do so through eBay, one of the world's largest online marketplaces,
which allows users to buy and sell in nearly every country on earth;
through PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to securely,
easily and quickly send and receive digital payments; and through eBay
Enterprise, which enables omnichannel commerce, multichannel retailing
and digital marketing for global enterprises in the U.S. and
internationally. We also reach millions through specialized marketplaces
such as StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace, and eBay
classifieds sites, which together have a presence in more than 1,000
cities around the world. For more information about the company and its
global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.
eBay Inc.
Investor Relations Contact:
Tracey Ford
ford@ebay.com
Tom
Hudson
thhudson@ebay.com
or
Media
Relations Contact:
Amanda Miller
press@ebay.com
or
Investor
Information Request:
408-376-7493
or
Company News:
http://www.ebayinc.com/news
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Investor
Relations website:
http://investors.ebayinc.comt
Source: eBay Inc.
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