Ebay to offer 1-hour delivery to buyers in Britain

Ebay says it has acquired London start-up Shutl and intends to begin offering one-hour delivery of purchases to eBay buyers in Britain. The almost-instant service will be offered when both seller and buyer are in the same area, the BBC reported Wednesday. Similar services are offered by the online auction site in San Francisco and New York, with announced plans to add more than 20 other U.S. cities in 2014. Quick delivery is seen as an important marketing point for online retailers, eBay executives said. "Today, approximately 75 percent of what people buy is local, found within 15 miles from their home," eBaymarketplaces President Devin Wenig said in a statement announcing the Shutl acquisition. "Traditional retail isn't going away. But it is transforming, and that creates enormous opportunity within the $10 trillion total commerce market," Wenig said. The Shutl service will begin in London, and buyers opting for the quick delivery will have to pay extra, around $11 for some products. Shutl founder Tom Allason said he believes consumers will consider it money well spent. "Ecommerce is quick and convenient, two things that delivery is not," he said. "Together with eBay, we believe that we can transform this market and fulfill our mission."