Press Release

Westmeath is Ireland's savviest shopping county

eBay report finds 'Shopping neutral' trend taking off in Ireland

A recent report has seen Westmeath crowned the home of the savvy shoppers in Ireland by eBay. eBay.ie is Ireland's largest online marketplace.

The study looks at Ireland's shopping habits and reveals Ireland is the latest country to embrace the global trend of 'shopping neutral' - offsetting the cost of spending by selling unwanted goods online. Smart shoppers can generate income by selling unwanted items on eBay.ie, and use the income to shop for new items.

Kildare is also an enviable 'shopping neutral' address, coming in second place. Canny Carlow takes third place in terms of offsetting shopping costs while Wicklow, Meath and Kerry take fourth, fifth and sixth place respectively in spending as much as they earn. Also bagging a bargain are northern stars Donegal and Monaghan. Sunny Southeast county Wexford comes in ninth place, and only barely making the top ten is the nation's capital Dublin, with more than 3% less savvy shoppers than Westmeath.

Unusually, Cavan along with the folks in county Laois were the only counties that weren't home to neutral shoppers and missing out on shopping without spending money.

Neutral shopper Mike Hannon, Castlepollard, Westmeath said 'I got into eBay.ie as I'd heard that it was the best place to go to when looking for inexpensive auto electrical parts, which is a hobby of mine. I use eBay.ie to shop neutral by buying new models with the proceeds that I receive from selling on older parts'.

To help get in on the shopping for free action, eBay has compiled useful shopping neutral tips for Irish online fans.

Tips for Shopping Neutral

1. Think about resale value - it's not always a case of spend more to get more. Think about what you could sell it for BEFORE you buy it. Do your research on what is a realistic price.
2. Everybody's got something to sell - you can sell a real mixture of stuff on eBay.ie - from hosepipes to hats. eBay estimates that Irish homes are sitting on approximately €500 worth of saleable items so get selling!
3. Balancing your budget - Make sure any money from selling is in your account before you go buying.
4. Offer good customer service - you're already a savvy shopper so remember what you want as a buyer when you're selling. Communicate well, and be honest, if you're going on holiday and can't post your item, let the buyer know.
5. Make the most of your listings so you sell more to buy more - clear photos, detailed descriptions and complete transparency on any faults are the key to a successful sale. Put yourself in your buyer's shoes and make sure there are no surprises in store.
6. Timing is key - think about what time a listing ends. The busiest time is between 7 and 8pm at the weekend so you're more likely to see last minute bids if the listing finishes around then.
7. Is there a need for speed? - over half of all items for sale on eBay are on sale for a fixed price. If you think your buyer will want your item quicker, or it is for a specific time, why not use 'Buy it Now' to sell your item.

www.eBay.ie

ENDS

For further information, county specific case study interviews please contact Thinkhouse on behalf of eBay on 01 6619420

Emily Cramp: emilycramp@thinkhousepr.com

James O'Neill: jamesoneill@thinkhousepr.com