Member Article

eBay reveals Greater Manchester and Lancashire have highest concentration of online retail businesses

The UK is outpacing Europe, and the North of England is overtaking the rest of the country in online retailing, a new report by eBay’s Public Policy Lab has revealed.

eBay’s report shows that Greater Manchester has a greater concentration of small online businesses than anywhere else in the UK.

Manchester is followed in the UK digital density rankings by Lancashire and West Yorkshire, revealing a new ‘Northern Powerhouse’ of ecommerce.

The top UK regions with the highest concentration of small online retail businesses are:

1. Greater Manchester

2. Lancashire

3. West Yorkshire

The report, based on newly released eBay data, independently analysed by law firm, Sidley Austin LLP, also reveals that the UK is the most advanced market in Europe for global exports.

Director of Operations at eBay UK, Sarah Calcott, said: “Our research shows that technology is opening up tremendous opportunities for small businesses across the UK with digital clusters spread across the country, particularly in the North West and Yorkshire.

“At eBay we’re working hard to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit of small online businesses, providing them with the tools and the flexibility to export millions of British goods abroad, despite lacking the infrastructure of a traditional exporter.

“Our technology is now breaking down barriers to global markets by allowing small businesses access to products and services that were once the preserve of large firms, such as smart shipping, international payments and translation, and using our global market to access millions of potential customers.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophia Taha .