EBAY CELEBRATES BUSINESS RESILIENCE AND GROWTH IN ECOMMERCE WITH ANNUAL ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Three small businesses – from the Greater Toronto Area, Niagara Region and Vancouver – awarded during Canadian Small Business Month

TORONTO, Oct. 26, 2022 /CNW/ - As small businesses continue to get back on their feet post-pandemic, eBay Canada is celebrating the community by announcing winners of the 2022 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. In its 18^th year, the program has evolved to reflect what it means to thrive as a Canadian small business with access to 138 million buyers across 190 markets via eBay's global marketplace.

"eBay is about connecting people – sellers and buyers from around the world – and this award shines a spotlight on individuals that, despite a challenging macro environment, continue to drive sales and reach new customers at home and abroad," said Robert Bigler, General Manager, eBay Canada. "It's exciting to see how this year's winners are using eBay to cater to enthusiast and specialist communities, as well as meet growing demands around value and sustainability."

The 2022 eBay Canada Entrepreneur of the Year Awards winners:

• Entrepreneur of the Year – Sibtain Janmohamed of A-Lectron Inc., Richmond Hill, ON. What began as a small operation buying and selling used electronics would eventually grow when Sibtain and the A-Lectron team saw an opportunity in repairs. Today, the business sells a range of refurbished devices – cameras, smartphones, headphones, video game accessories, and more – and maintains a 100% positive feedback rating from customers looking to stretch their dollars and, increasingly, help divert e-waste from landfill.
  
  
• Micro-multinational of the Year – Christian Kentie of The Frugal Dutchman, Ridgeway, ON. After adding an eBay store to the collectibles and memorabilia business that he opened in 2016, Christian's business went global by reaching Pokémon, Star Wars and pop culture fans from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Japan, Peru and beyond. While 99% of Canadian small businesses on eBay export to, on average, 18 countries, Christian is also giving back to enthusiasts in his hometown by supporting clubs at local schools.
  
  
• Emerging Ecommerce Entrepreneur of the Year – Dorina Pascal of Swiss Watch Parts Distributors, Vancouver, B.C. Shortly after becoming the owner of a professional watchmaker and servicing brick-and-mortar business established in 1952, Dorina was forced to temporarily close at the start of the pandemic. She brought the business online for the first time using eBay and continued serving loyal customers while reaching new ones and furthering the circular economy through watch repair.

Read winners' full bios here.

As the worst of the pandemic subsides, eBay Canada continues to offer small business retailers access to "Up & Running" – an accelerator program launched in April 2020, designed to quickly transition brick-and-mortar businesses online to eBay. Since its launch, hundreds of thousands of sellers across North America have benefitted from the program to get online quickly and effectively, setting them up for digital success.

About eBay Canada's Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
This year's award winners, selected from a record number of online submissions, will receive cash prizes ranging from $5,000 CAD to $10,000 CAD to reinvest into their businesses. In addition to cash prizes, each winner will receive a one-year eBay Store subscription upgrade, a professional photography session, and a trip to Toronto to be featured on stage at the fourth annual CanadianSME Small Business Summit. At the summit, winners will share their ecommerce journey during a panel discussion on October 26, 2022. 

Categories include:

• Entrepreneur of the Year: This award recognizes an eBay seller who best represents the spirit of eBay's seller community.
• Micro-multinational Entrepreneur of the Year: This award recognizes an eBay seller who has achieved great success in marketing and selling beyond Canada's borders.
• Emerging Ecommerce Entrepreneur of the Year: This award recognizes an eBay seller who has achieved great success in building a resilient and thriving business by integrating ecommerce as a new sales channel.

More information on the eBay Canada Entrepreneur of the Year Awards can be found here: eBay.ca/eoy.

More information on eBay's Up and Running program can be found here: eBay.ca/upandrunning.

About eBay

eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects people and builds communities to create economic opportunity for all. Our technology empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world, providing everyone the opportunity to grow and thrive. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2021, eBay enabled over $87 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

SOURCE eBay Canada

Kelly Scragg, Communications Manager, eBay Canada, [email protected], 780-218-2176; Jennifer Dunsmore, Senior Account Specialist, Pomp & Circumstance PR, [email protected], 519-820-6242