Greater Manchester leads Europe in eBay seller activity ranking 2026

Key Points

• Greater Manchester is the leader in terms of concentration of eBay small business activities not only in the UK but also in all of Europe, according to the eBay 2026 report titled ‘Small Business, Big Opportunity’.
• In terms of Digital Density Index which measures eBay small business activity per capita, Greater Manchester was above London, Paris and Berlin.
• Greater Manchester leads the northern ‘superhub’ along with West Yorkshire and Lancashire, being second and fourth in the UK respectively.
• Out of 40 UK ITL 3 regions with the greatest activity of eBay small businesses, 31 regions have GDP per capita lower than the national average.
• North West, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber and East Midlands are first four in the list of eBay small business activity while they have GDP per capita on fifth, ninth, eighth and tenth place respectively.
• London is on the first place in terms of GDP per capita but sixth in terms of eBay Digital Density Index in case of ITL 1 level.
• According to eBay, 95% of UK eBay small businesses made exports in 2024 selling in an average of 18 countries/territories reaching the total number of 215 countries/territories.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) October 20, 2026 — Greater Manchester has been named the leading European region for eBay small-business activity, after eBay’s 2026 Small Business, Big Opportunity Report found that it has the highest concentration of eBay sellers relative to its population in both the UK and Europe. The finding places the city region ahead of major European economies including London, Paris and Berlin.

As reported by Retail Times, eBay’s research found that Greater Manchester is “emerging as a leading European hub for online entrepreneurship”, with the city region recording the highest concentration of eBay small-business activity in the UK and across major European cities.

The result is based on eBay’s Digital Density Index, introduced in the report to rank UK regions by eBay small-business activity per capita and compare that activity with regional GDP per capita. eBay’s report states that Greater Manchester ranks first among UK ITL 2 regions for eBay Digital Density and is the leading eBay small-business region across all European markets.

How does Greater Manchester compare with London?

Greater Manchester’s position contrasts with London’s dominance in conventional economic measures. While London leads the UK for GDP per head, it ranks sixth nationally for eBay Digital Density at the broader ITL 1 regional level, according to eBay’s report.

The report describes Greater Manchester as the clearest example of a wider pattern in which digital commerce is generating business activity outside the UK’s traditional centres of prosperity. It says Greater Manchester is not only first in the UK for eBay Digital Density, but also the top eBay small-business region by activity across all European markets.

ChannelX reported that Greater Manchester had beaten London, Paris and Berlin in the European ranking. The report itself does not present the result as a direct city-to-city contest in every case; rather, it compares regional levels of eBay small-business activity per capita across European markets.

What is the northern “superhub”?

Greater Manchester sits at the centre of what eBay calls a “superhub” of online small-business activity, extending across the North West and Yorkshire. West Yorkshire ranks second in the UK for eBay Digital Density, while Lancashire ranks fourth.

The report says eBay’s Digital Density data shows a dense collection of ITL 3 areas around Greater Manchester and extending across the wider North West. This suggests that the strength of the region is not confined to Manchester itself, but is spread across neighbouring local areas.

The pattern also extends into the Midlands. Retail Times reported that the North West, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber and East Midlands occupy the top four places for the concentration of eBay small-business activity, despite ranking fifth, ninth, eighth and tenth respectively for GDP per head.

Why does the ranking matter for regional growth?

The findings point to a mismatch between where online entrepreneurship is concentrated and where regional economic output is highest. eBay’s report found that 31 of the 40 UK ITL 3 areas with the largest eBay small-business activity have GDP per capita below the national average.

This indicates that online marketplaces may be providing trading opportunities in places where traditional economic growth has been weaker. eBay’s executive summary says the results suggest digital commerce can help rebalance economic opportunity across the UK, rather than simply reinforcing existing concentrations of prosperity.

The report also highlights the international reach of UK eBay sellers. It states that 95% of UK eBay small businesses exported in 2024, compared with 11.5% of UK businesses overall. Those eBay sellers reached an average of 18 international markets, three times the six markets reached by traditional UK exporters, and collectively sold to 215 countries and territories.

What has eBay said about the findings?

Eve Williams, general manager of eBay UK, said the research showed that business potential and talent already exist in places that have traditionally struggled with GDP. As reported by Retail Times, she said: “The opportunity is to help more of these businesses scale by giving SMEs the tools and confidence to adopt technology, reach customers overseas, invest, grow and create jobs locally.”

Williams added that if SME growth could be lifted by just one percentage point a year, it could add £320bn to the economy by 2030.

eBay’s report frames small and medium-sized enterprises as central to the UK economy, saying they account for more than 99% of businesses and 60% of private-sector employment. It also says SMEs continue to lag larger firms on productivity, contributing to wider regional and national productivity challenges.

What is eBay asking the Government to do?

Ahead of the Budget, eBay is calling on ministers and regional mayors to make small online businesses a central part of local growth plans. Retail Times reported that eBay said the opportunity is not only to attract new investment, but also to help businesses already rooted in communities across the North and Midlands expand, reach more customers and build sustainable incomes and local employment.

The report sets out several policy recommendations. These include reducing compliance burdens on micro-businesses, creating a one-stop start-up hub, improving digital and AI adoption, removing customs and VAT friction for small exporters, and strengthening support for the circular economy.

On digital technology, eBay says evidence suggests firm-level productivity gains of 7% to 18% from digital and AI adoption. However, it says UK SMEs continue to lag G7 peers in adopting these tools because of capital constraints, skills gaps and uncertainty over returns on investment.

eBay’s AI Activate programme, which provides up to 10,000 free ChatGPT Enterprise licences and dedicated training, is cited in the report as a practical model for accelerating AI adoption among small businesses. eBay says the next phase of the programme is in development.

What does the report say about recommerce?

The report also identifies recommerce the resale of used goods as a growing part of eBay’s UK business. It says recommerce accounted for 39% of eBay’s UK Gross Merchandise Volume, which eBay presents as evidence of the increasing economic importance of more sustainable consumption.

eBay recommends a higher tax-free Trading Allowance, fairer VAT and customs treatment for used goods, and a stronger Right to Repair framework to support the circular economy.

Background of the development

The latest ranking builds on earlier eBay research into the geography of UK online retail. In 2015, eBay reported that Greater Manchester had a greater concentration of small online businesses than anywhere else in the UK, with Lancashire and West Yorkshire following in its “digital density” rankings.

That earlier study calculated digital density using the volume of small online retail businesses in a region and their sales as a proportion of the local population. It found that inner London, including Shoreditch and Tech City, ranked 26th.

eBay’s 2018 research also identified Manchester, Birmingham and West Yorkshire as areas with the greatest volume of eBay UK millionaires per capita. The 2026 report therefore presents Greater Manchester’s European lead as a continuation of a longer-term pattern of online entrepreneurship in the North West, rather than an entirely new development.

The latest findings also come amid wider recognition of Manchester’s economic profile. Invest Manchester reported in October 2026 that Manchester was named one of five European Cities to Watch in the 2026 Oxford Economics Global Cities Index, while Greater Manchester rose to third among the UK’s most attractive locations for foreign direct investment.

Prediction: What could this mean for Greater Manchester sellers?

For Greater Manchester’s small-business owners, eBay sellers and aspiring online entrepreneurs, the ranking is likely to reinforce the city region’s reputation as a practical base for digital trading. If local and national policymakers respond to eBay’s recommendations, sellers in the region could benefit from stronger support for digital tools, exports, training and reduced administrative burdens.

The report’s emphasis on international trade suggests that Greater Manchester sellers may have further opportunities to reach overseas customers, particularly if customs and VAT friction for small exporters is reduced. eBay says its UK sellers already export at a far higher rate than UK businesses overall, and the proposed UK/EU low-value trade corridor is intended to make cross-border selling easier for smaller firms.

For the wider regional economy, continued growth in eBay-based selling could support local employment, skills development and income opportunities outside London and the South East. However, the scale of that impact will depend on whether small businesses can adopt digital and AI tools, access finance and overcome trade barriers identified in the report.