eBay buys popular Belgian classifieds websites

E-commerce giant eBay has announced that it has acquired Belgian online classifieds websites 2dehands.be and 2ememain.be (Dutch and French for ‘second-hand’, respectively), writes The Next Web’s Robin Wauters. As a result of the acquisition, the sites will be folded into the eBay Classifieds Group, which comprises local classifieds sites in more than 25 countries and 1,000 cities across the globe. Both 2dehands.be and 2ememain.be will remain free, and eBay says it intends to invest in bolstering the service. “eBay Classifieds Group will invest in the further development of the local Belgian businesses, enhancing the platforms to be faster and more intuitive for users. Furthermore, given eBay’s expertise in creating leading mobile platforms and the enormous potential for mobile growth for 2dehands.be and 2ememain.be, the development of innovative mobile technologies is a priority for the business,” reads a statement from eBay. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but eBay says both classifieds sites will continue to be run by local teams who “understand the nuances of the local culture”. 2dehands.be / 2ememain.be has been operational since 2000. Its main rival, Kapaza, was acquired by Norway’s biggest media group, Schibsted, for €20.25m in 2008.