Whether you play Magic: The Gathering or are building out a binder of Pokémon cards, eBay has something in the works for anybody who’s just “gotta catch ‘em all.” The e-commerce platform announced plans to acquire TCGplayer, a technology platform for the collectibles industry.
Based in San Jose, California, eBay has been a player in the e-commerce space since 1995. Today, its platform serves buyers and sellers across 190 markets worldwide. Over the span of last year, eBay enabled more than $87 billion of gross merchandise volume, according to the company. As it continues to manage multitudes of transactions every day, the company is building out its platform capabilities to enhance its overall customer experience.
It’s doing so with the help of Syracuse-based TCGplayer. The company started out in digital media with a focus on trading card games within the collectibles space. Having built upon its roots of working alongside local hobby stores, the company now operates an online marketplace for a large selection of cards. It also develops applications, data management tools and tech — such as robotics automation — to better serve buyers and sellers of collectibles.
“This new chapter allows us to continue operating independently within eBay, while also benefiting from their decades of industry experience and resources to deepen the connection between hobbyists and their communities,” Chedy Hampson, TCGplayer’s founder and CEO, said in a statement. “With eBay’s support, we will advance our purpose and expand our tools and services to improve the collecting experience online and in your favorite local hobby store.”
TCGplayer’s tech will allow eBay to include omnichannel capabilities, like order fulfillment and cart optimization, on its platform. The acquisition has a total value of up to approximately $295 million, according to a statement from eBay.
EBay’s goal with this move is to remain a desirable platform for trading card sellers.
“EBay continues to build on our 26 years of experience in trading cards, powering local hobby stores and Main Street retailers to deliver an online destination that collectors love,” Dawn Block, VP of collectibles at eBay, said in a statement. “EBay has always fueled our customers’ passion in this space and facilitated connections between buyers and sellers, and with TCGplayer, we can enhance the customer experience across categories, forge even more relationships and cater to enthusiasts around the world.”
TCGplayer currently has a team of 600 that serves millions of hobbyist buyers as well as tens of thousands of online sellers and physical store retailers through its platform, according to the company. It will continue operating independently following the acquisition.
Subject to customary closing conditions, the deal is projected to close in Q1 of 2023.
