The company is currently running a promotion and offering free delivery to help out last-minute Mother’s Day shoppers. The initiative is a great way for the company to reach consumers in a timely way.

“EBay Now was created to provide convenience for consumers and new opportunities for retailers,” said Dave Ramadge, director of eBay Now at eBay Inc. “This Mother’s Day, we are doing just that by teaming up with Benefit Cosmetics to offer specially curated Benefit beauty gift sets available for purchase exclusively through the eBay Now iPhone app or through any smartphone browser by visiting http://now.ebay.com.  

“We are also offering free delivery through May 12 for shoppers in NYC, San Francisco and San Jose that waited until the last minute to buy something for their mom,” he said.

Last-minute shopping
EBay Now and Benefit Cosmetics have partnered for the Mother’s Day effort.

The initiative features the eBay Now Beauty Box, a pop-up experience for guests to get pampered with Benefit Cosmetics make-uppers and learn how to shop through eBay Now for last-minute Mother’s Day gifts that can be delivered for free anywhere in San Francisco or San Jose in about an hour.

Additionally, there is an eBay Now Beauty Truck in New York that also lets consumers shop through eBay Now for last-minute gifts that can be delivered for free anywhere in New York City in about an hour.

Mother’s Day gifts include Mother-In-Awww, One Hot Mama, Mom’s A-Go-Go, No-Drama Mama and Mother’s Little Helpers beauty sets.

“EBay Now and Benefit are unveiling the collaboration through pop-up experiences in NYC and San Francisco. Today and tomorrow, May 9 to May 10, shoppers are able to visit either the eBay Now Beauty Box in San Francisco or the eBay Now Beauty Truck in NYC and receive free samples of Benefit Cosmetic products, complimentary beauty touchups and more information about eBay Now’s same-day delivery service,” Mr. Ramadge said.

“The events are being announced via the eBay Now Twitter handles @eBayNowSF and @eBayNowNY,” he said. “We are also connecting with consumers through Vine via the handle ‘eBay Now.’”

Past efforts
Last year, EBay launched an invitation-only pilot in San Francisco for a mobile application that enabled users to get same-day delivery for orders from local stores such as Target, Best Buy and Macy’s (see story).

Most recently, EBay expanded its eBay Now mobile application to the San Jose area, letting consumers shop from their mobile devices and get products delivered in as little as an hour (see story).

“At our core, eBay is about connecting buyers and sellers,” Mr. Ramadge  said. “EBay Now is one example of how we’re bringing this idea to the physical world.

“EBay Now lets shoppers in San Francisco, New York City and San Jose order a product from a local retailer and experience the convenience of same-day delivery, from phone to door in as little as an hour,” he said. 

“For shoppers who can neither wait for shipping nor have time to go to the store that day, eBay Now offers an easy way to shop and get items delivered right to them.  And it’s only $5 for delivery, which is waived on your first order.”