eBay and Etsy Q3 2026: eBay US Volume Up 27%, Etsy Take Rate Hits 26.2%
Amazon and Walmart get most of the attention, but eBay and Etsy are still sizable US channels, and both reported third-quarter results on October 28, 2026. eBay's US sales volume jumped 27%, helped by its Depop acquisition, while Etsy returned to buyer growth for the first time in two years. Here is what the numbers show for sellers looking beyond the two biggest marketplaces.
eBay: strong US growth, boosted by Depop
According to eBay's Q3 2026 earnings release (Oct 28, 2026):
- GMV (gross merchandise volume) was $23.2 billion, up 15% as reported and 16% on an FX-neutral basis.
- US GMV rose 27% to $12.5 billion; international GMV grew 4% to $10.6 billion.
- Revenue was $3.2 billion, up 14%.
- Active buyers reached 147 million, up 10%, but only 1% excluding the Depop and Tise acquisitions.
- eBay Live is generating GMV "at a multibillion-dollar annualized run rate," with growth "well into the triple digits," and the AI-powered Magical Listing tool expanded to all new and reactivated listers in the US and five other markets.
- Q4 guidance: GMV of $23.7–24.1 billion, up 12–14% FX-neutral.
Value Added Resource (Oct 28, 2026) points out that Depop, acquired July 30, 2026, added nearly three percentage points to currency-adjusted GMV growth, and that GMV growth excluding acquisitions slowed from 14% in Q2 to 13% in Q3. It also reports that eBay is cutting about 9% of its workforce, with $130–150 million of restructuring costs expected, and that some sellers have complained about the forced rollout of Magical Listing.
Etsy: modest growth, higher take rate
According to Etsy's Q3 2026 shareholder letter (Oct 28, 2026):
- GMS (gross merchandise sales) for the Etsy marketplace was $2.6 billion, up 8.8% (9.1% currency-neutral).
- Revenue rose 10.9% to $692 million.
- Take rate rose 50 basis points to 26.2%, "primarily driven by further enhancements to Etsy Ads."
- Active buyers were about 88 million, up 1%, the first year-over-year growth in two years.
- Q4 outlook: GMS of $3.46–3.52 billion, up 5–7%.
| Q3 2026 | eBay | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| Sales volume | GMV $23.2B (+15%) | GMS $2.6B (+8.8%) |
| Revenue | $3.2B (+14%) | $692M (+10.9%) |
| Active buyers | 147M (+10%; +1% ex-acquisitions) | ~88M (+1%) |
| Revenue ÷ volume | about 13.8% (calculated) | 26.2% take rate (reported) |
| Q4 volume outlook | +12–14% FX-neutral | +5–7% |
Sources: eBay release and Etsy letter (Oct 28, 2026). Calculation: eBay revenue $3,206M ÷ GMV $23,166M; eBay does not report a take rate in the release.
What it means for sellers (our analysis)
eBay's US marketplace is growing again. Even excluding acquisitions, 13% GMV growth is solid. Value Added Resource reports that eBay's focus categories grew 24% and that global consumer-to-consumer GMV grew more than 20%, so recommerce and enthusiast categories are where the momentum is. Brands with refurbished, open-box or collectible-adjacent products should take a fresh look at the US marketplace.
Etsy is more expensive than it looks. A 26.2% take rate means sellers, on average, pay over a quarter of sales to Etsy in fees and ads. Price accordingly, and track ad spend closely.
Live selling is spreading. eBay Live joins TikTok Shop in showing that live video drives sales. If you already sell live on TikTok, eBay Live may be worth testing.
Diversification still matters. Compare these growth rates with Amazon's Q3 results: Amazon's third-party seller services grew 9%. A second or third channel spreads risk, but only if you can manage inventory and listings across them.
Seller checklist
- Check whether your products fit eBay's recommerce and enthusiast categories.
- Calculate your all-in fee rate on each marketplace, including ads.
- Test eBay Live or Etsy Ads on a small set of products before scaling.
- Review AI-generated listing details for accuracy before publishing.
- Use a single inventory system to avoid overselling across channels.
How Atronia Innovations can help
We help brands decide which US marketplaces to add, then set up listings, ads and fulfillment across channels. Talk to our team about your channel mix.
