eBay Targets Gen Z With Edgy "Never Get F*ked Over" Ad

Liz Morton
Liz Morton


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eBay is looking to shed its outdated image with Gen Z with an "edgy" new ad campaign promoting authentication, according to Ad Age (paywall).

EBay targets Gen Z with first brand campaign in three years
EBay is out with its first brand campaign in three years as it seeks to position itself to younger Gen Z customers as a trusted e-commerce brand amid a sea of counterfeits.

New work positions company as a trusted e-commerce brand amid a sea of counterfeits.

Founded nearly three decades ago, eBay is older than many of the Gen Z customers it is trying to court. That’s why the San Jose, California-based company, which got its start in 1995, is reintroducing itself to younger consumers as a trusted source for luxury goods.

“Everyone Deserves Real,” eBay’s first brand campaign in three years, debuts today on streaming platforms and online video.

A 30-second spot highlights the reality behind many of the campaigns and products seen on digital media. “In a world full of fakes, how do you avoid buying fake items?” a voiceover asks, with the message “Never get f*ked over again.” The video switches to clips showcasing eBay’s team of authenticators who ensure that high-end items like watches, sneakers and jewels are actually from the brands they claim. The spot closes with text that reads, “ebay. Authenticity Guarantee.”

Spoiler alert - the * is supposed to be an A, as in "never get faked over again"...not that other word they were obviously alluding to. 😉

It looks like eBay has also created a "hub" on the site to be the Everyone Deserves Real landing page.

Everyone Deserves Real products for sale | eBay
Get the best deals on Everyone Deserves Real when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices.

Sellers in the eBay community (not typically the target demographic for this ad) were unimpressed, calling the campaign juvenile.

Finally! ebay launches first marketing campaign in three years! Today’s AdAge ---
“ebay targets Gen Z with first brand campaign in three years” That’s the Headline from AdAge Dec 19, 2022 (unfortunately, behind a PayWall, and I don’t have a subscription) According to the article, ebay is “reintroducing itself to younger consumers as a trusted source for luxury goods.” The cam…

"In a world full of fakes, how do you avoid buying fake items?” a voiceover asks, with the message “Never get f*ked over again."

Wow! Pretty blatant. Rather juvenile.🤔 JMO

If I was ever in the market for a fake or counterfeit item, eBay would be my first place to visit.

It's also a bit disappointing that this brand campaign is once again only focusing on the select vertical categories that offer authentication, leaving a majority of sellers on the platform behind.

Will eBay Holiday Marketing Go Beyond Select Verticals?
eBay sellers wonder will holiday ads go beyond verticals - sneakers, luxury, trading cards, refurb & car parts?

Non-vertical sellers have been growing increasingly tired of CEO Jamie Iannone's exclusionary vertical strategy and this ad campaign is not likely to give those sellers the impression they are a valued and important part of the eBay brand.

Sellers Grow Weary of eBay’s Vertical Strategy Focus
Sellers are losing patience with vertical focus, calling it exclusionary. Is CEO Jamie Iannone paying attention?

As to the claims that Authenticity Guaranteed will help Gen Z luxury shoppers avoid being "faked" over...I bet my friends over at The Counterfeit Report have some thoughts to share.

I've also reported on many issues with the authentication programs from both buyers and sellers.

eBay Sellers Frustrated With GIA Jewelry Authentication
3 months into eBay’s jewelry authentication program, sellers are frustrated & concerned with GIA rejections.
eBay Uses GLS For West Coast Sneaker Shipping, Buyers Are Not Impressed
eBay uses GLS General Logistics Systems for authenticated sneaker shipping & buyers are not happy with the experience.
eBay Drops Price For Trading Card Authentication, Shipping Problems Reported
eBay drops minimum price for trading card authentication, experiences growing pains with the new program.
eBay Authenticity Guarantee Leaves Sellers Holding The Bag
As eBay pushes authentication for luxury handbags, sellers find fine print doesn’t provide protection they thought.
Problems With eBay Authenticity Guaranteed
eBay’s authentication program experiences pricing manipulation, delays, & mistakes causing frustration for buyers & sellers.

What do you think of this new ad campaign? What has been your experience with eBay's authentication programs? Let us know in the comments below!

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Liz Morton is a 17 year ecommerce pro turned indie investigative journalist providing ad-free deep dives on eBay, Amazon, Etsy & more, championing sellers & advocating for corporate accountability.


Recent Comments
Avatar PlaceholderJaeLynnYesterday
I've had this happen a few times, and it confused me. One seller alleged that they had to use Amazon's services to make sure I got my item in time. I recently bought something simple, and the seller made a mistake. They'd sent me 3 different messages, one of them too early, telling me they hoped my item arrived in perfect condition. The next day, the item was marked as shipped, and I got an official Ebay shipping email. The seller was using direct messages to give me item updates. If I wanted Amazon, I'd have used them myself! lol
Avatar PlaceholderlessthanthreerecordsYesterday
Happening to me too. On my active listings page (with the full list) it looks fine, but when I click on them, many have the random characters. I reported it, and that's when one glitch led to another! As I was typing the message after clicking the "?", letters were repeatedly not coming up (usually one or two at the end of a word). I was finally able to get the message entered, but how tedious!
Avatar Placeholderbritishsoeedw-02 days ago
I'm having the same problem, Vat has ben added to my listings and sales have literally stopped.