Collector nation: eBay’s central role supporting Australia’s estimated 7.6 million enthusiasts 

As eBay celebrates 25 years in Australia, the country’s managing director, Sarah Sternau, is leaning into the popular online marketplace’s central role in supporting a vibrant and growing community of passionate buyers and sellers.

Having spent more than two decades in e-commerce, eBay Australia managing director Sarah Sternau loves how eBay empowers consumers of all stripes.  

Whether it is an avid collector of vintage video games, someone seeking out an unopened Tamagotchi for nostalgic reasons, or a business owner making a living from buying and selling trading cards, eBay gives access to people and products that would otherwise be much harder to find.  

“eBay is a great home for anyone from a person who sells as a hobby to someone who has created a business and scaled it or brought their business to the platform because of the opportunities it offers,” Sternau says.  

An enthusiast herself, it was old-school photography gear that first brought Sternau to the platform when she bought a Polaroid Land Camera from the 1940s in 2002.  

Sternau was studying photography at university at the time – a passion she continued to pursue well after. She was looking for cameras and had scouted every thrift store within driving distance with mixed success.  

“I was on the lookout for a unique camera to use for creative projects,” she says.  

“At the time, it was just a means to find something that could fuel my passion. Little did I know that my first eBay purchase would also be the first taste of what marketplace can provide for consumers and enthusiasts alike.”

eBay helped her find affordable items from around the world with no travel required, which led to the purchase of several Land cameras, a Lubitel, a Holga, and a “plastic fantastic” lens for her  Canon SLR. “I didn’t realise at the time it was also foreshadowing a future career in e-commerce rather than photography,” Sternau says.  

It’s this principle of passion meeting e-commerce that has pushed eBay Australia into new territory – with Sternau at the helm.  

The wonderful, worldly or wacky

eBay has long been a marketplace catering to all kinds of preferences and needs. Notable items auctioned since its global birth in 1995 include Justin Timberlake’s half-eaten French toast, The Hollywood Sign, and The Meaning of Life.  

Now, as this iconic platform turns 25 in Australia, new research commissioned by eBay Australia and conducted by Deloitte Access Economics shows eBay is cementing its future as the go-to marketplace for Australian collectors – a vibrant, growing community of an estimated 7.6 million enthusiasts. The eBay State of Collectables 2025 report surveyed 1,998 Australian adults and asked them to self-identify as collectors. 

Australia, it turns out, is a nation of collectors. An estimated one in three adults collect something, forming a market of around 380 million collectables , estimated to be worth about $16.8 billion.  

Sternau was especially pleased with the finding that millions have made friends or joined networks through their passion.  

For others, it has become a lucrative side hustle or even a core source of income.  

“Some people participate in it because collectables can be an alternative asset class,” says Sternau. “ If you find the right item , it can continue to increase in value – that really speaks to some people.”  

Building on research from a similar report published in 2023, eBay State of Collectables 2025 used the latest population and demographic estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to scale up the survey results into nationwide trends.  

In addition to the finding that eBay is the most popular online marketplace to buy collectables, the report found the most common collectables are coins, toys, pre-loved fashion and antiques.  

It also found an estimated 1.9 million Australians have made friends through collecting, one million have attended in-person collector events, and two million are part of some sort of community-based around collectables. Many people seek items that stimulate nostalgia, Sternau says. The report found 55 and under often look for old video game consoles, while over 55s seek vinyl and record players.  

Digging into the popular toys category, the report indicated some of the most nostalgic items are LEGO sets and Tamagotchis (presumably yet to be turned on or somehow still alive).  

Nostalgia aside, those taking a more hard-nosed approach can tap into strong price growth for some rare items, such as rare toys no longer in production.  

“Collectables can be an alternative asset class. If you find the right item it can continue to increase in value – that really speaks to some people.”

Sarah Sternau

For example, according to eBay data in 2022, buyers paid an average of $75 for the B-Rabbit 8 Mile 1052 Funko Pop figure on eBay Australia depicting Eminem’s character in the 2002 film 8 Mile. In 2024, the price had doubled to $150.  

Sellers sometimes hit the jackpot with toys. eBay’s data reveals in 2021, a Hot Wheels Red Line 1973 Enamel Blue Rodger Dodger sold for $13,100, while selected trading cards have been known to sell for more than $60,000 on eBay Australia. In the past three years, the median profit of surveyed Australian collectors was $13,000.  

Supporting businesses big and small

Capitalising on its role in this ecosystem, eBay is making deeper inroads into a range of categories dominated by enthusiasts. These include automotive parts and accessories for car enthusiasts, speakers and audio equipment for audiophiles, and categories such as trading cards. 

eBay is also supporting small businesses that are doing good, either for their community or for sustainability. For example, the eBay Circular Fashion Fund grants $50,000 to innovative businesses using circular practices to revolutionise the fashion industry.  

This year, the fund awarded $100,000 to Melbourne-based retail tech start-up Shopfront, which aims to make fashion resale seamless, scalable and sustainable.  

“New tools supported by artificial intelligence help sellers list more quickly, and improve the professionalism of their listings.” 

Sarah Sternau

A strong focus on security sits behind the company’s success, with protections now including an authentication service for sneakers and handbags to allow buyers to shop confidently. eBay also offers its Money Back Guarantee to ensure buyers are happy with their products, and additional costs like taxes or shipping are shown upfront.  

The company is also bringing new tools, some supported by artificial intelligence, to help sellers list more quickly and improve the professionalism of their listings.  

“AI is something that everyone is starting to get used to having embedded in their everyday experiences, and having AI behind the tools that you list with just helps you keep pace.” 

Find your thing on ebay.com.au