Live commerce in Europe is still too often viewed through an Asian lens - and that's exactly the problem. In this episode, Ingrid sits down with Lara Day, who has been building eBay Live in Germany for the past year, six months after the official launch. They explore why the European model needs its own logic and can't simply be a watered-down version of the Asian one.

They discuss why re-commerce, secondhand and fashion are the natural entry points for live commerce in Europe - not because of entertainment value, but because live commerce solves a trust problem that static product images never could. And why returns play a bigger role in this equation than most people assume.

The episode also features two sellers who are already active on eBay Live: Benjamin Gabriel, who sells refurbished electronics, and Meroda, who sells vintage fashion. Both describe how the personal connection to the buyer in a live stream changes purchase decisions - and reduces returns.

Plus: how much technology and production does a successful live stream actually require? The answer might surprise you.

Note to the eBay webinar:

Want to go deeper? On June 16, 11. a.m. we're hosting a free webinar What It Really Takes to Succeed in Live Commerce together where Mason Howell from eBay and Ingrid Lommer will walk you through exactly how eBay Live works, what you need to get started, and how brands and retailers can make the most of it. Here's the Registration Link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/5017786708012/WN_2aFhsYAMSIa8ZIgyy0TJ2g

Welcome back, Valerie: What a baby does to business. #LTM150

Episode 150 is a special one – and a very personal one. Valerie is back after four months of maternity leave, and to mark the anniversary, the two take a moment for an honest look behind the scenes.

They talk about what it was like to steer a business through a time like this - for Ingrid, who held the wheel on her own, and for Valerie, who learned that being pregnant and being a founder in Germany comes with almost no systemic support. The fact that it worked anyway comes down to a strong partner, a team of ten women working behind the scenes - and a business structure that can withstand phases like this. They speak openly about why they kept the pregnancy quiet for so long, what they learned about trust in business, and how motherhood changes the way you work.

An episode about partnership, reliability - and what really keeps a business standing when it matters most.

In this episode the focus is on data: Ingrid speaks with Friedrich Schwandt, co-founder of ECDB, about current developments in the global marketplace landscape. At the centre are new insights into market concentration, the growth of 3P models, and shifting dynamics among leading platforms.

They discuss why 84% of global e-commerce revenue now flows through marketplaces and how power structures within the top players are evolving – driven by the rapid growth of platforms like Temu, Shein or TikTok Shop.

At the same time, they take a closer look at regional champions and category specialists, analysing how to identify whether a marketplace model is being built strategically or merely “running on the side.” The conversation also covers new transparency around 1P and 3P shares, the role of data modelling and estimation, and why 3P has become the central growth driver in e-commerce.