Poland, which has Europe’s sixth largest and increasingly digitally-connected population, is a growing tech base of skilled firms and workers, vibrant small and medium-sized businesses that are proving receptive to online opportunities, and products that are proving valuable to consumers the world over. As digitization in Poland has grown, so has ecommerce, with cross-border sales expanding and small businesses serving as an important contributor.
We recently published new research demonstrating how eBay is central to this phenomenon with entrepreneurial Polish small businesses operating as “micro-multinational enterprises” supplying a diversified range of products to global buyers. This research reveals that every eBay small business in Poland is an exporter, completely dwarfing the exporting activity of traditional businesses in Poland and the EU at-large with only 5.1% and 4.8% exporting respectively. Additionally, the average number of international markets reached by eBay’s Polish small businesses (26) is more than five times greater than that of traditional businesses in Poland (5) and the EU (4). Collectively, these eBay small businesses exported to a remarkable 207 markets, a global reach exceeding most of the largest multinational corporations.
Facilitating sales into non-traditional Polish export markets supports both greater economic growth as well as resilience in the event of regional economic downturns. eBay export data shows how Polish small businesses are using the platform to grow sales beyond the top markets for the country’s traditional exporters. Comparing Poland’s Top 10 export markets for traditional businesses and the Top 10 export markets for Poland’s eBay small businesses reveals that half of the top eBay export markets supplement the overall Top 10 markets.
Our findings demonstrate that eBay is leveling the playing field for export success and helping Poland’s increasingly digitally proficient small businesses to succeed on a global stage.
We invite you to read the full report here.