eBay Online Training:
One of Germany's most-used eLearning portals
with more than ¼ million registered users
eBay Deutschland GmbH
since September 2004
How do we get approximately 500,000 Internet users to employ training designed for a particular product? The answer: with a strong brand, a clever communications strategy – and, of course, a sound training concept.
Task:
Develop online courses for eBay members:
Target group: Members and prospective users
Situation:
eBay is the worldwide online market place. Solely on the German eBay platform, millions of registered users - beginners to professionals - use eBay to buy and sell every conceivable kind of product. The Internet site's on-going auctions are especially popular with users.
eBay itself sells nothing. To generate income, it charges for the use of its platform for the buying and selling of products.
eBay profits are the direct result of the volume of buying and selling that takes place on the site. Obviously, the enterprise seeks ways to lower user reluctance to buy and sell online. Using effective animation and motivational techniques, eBay wishes to entice as many people as possible to become proficient users of its site - and, following that, to have those people use their newfound proficiency to buy and sell via eBay more often.
Successful use of eBay requires a basic understanding of how the site works in the marketplace. When buyers and sellers become comfortable with the site's modus operandi, the more enjoyment they will have and the more often they will use the site for their buying and selling.
Therefore, eBay constantly strives to improve user competence and motivation and, in doing so, to enhance the buying and selling skills of its members. eBay University, alone, regularly offers participants a broad spectrum of seminars and a wealth of informative material.
In the search for a training form that appeals to the greatest number of people, the idea arose to use an entertaining, but nevertheless highly informative, training program. Thus, eBay Online Training.
The training addresses the needs of every registered user - first-time buyer to professional seller. This demands appropriate materials, developed and integrated into a well-coordinated training program.
Zielsetzung:
In diesem Kontext sollten Online-Trainings zu verschiedenen eBay-relevanten Themen entwickelt werden. Dabei waren die Lerneinheiten so zu konzipieren,
dass sie ...
1. informativ sind, also Nutzer mit sehr unterschiedlichen Kenntnisständen und Ansprüchen zielgruppengerecht und effektiv trainieren.
2. Spaß machen, unterhaltsam und kurzweilig sind und so motivieren, regelmäßig mitzumachen – beim Training wie beim Handel.
Solution:
Construction of an interactive online training portal
Working closely with eBay, Bassier, Bergmann & Kindler developed an interesting and diversified online training program for various levels of eBay user competency. Modular training units and theme related courses offer know-how to the appropriate target group, such as beginners, advanced users, as well as professional buyers and sellers. The lessons are loaded with content, but still entertaining and easy-to-understand.
Currently, 37 training modules range from beginner themes like "Buying and selling for the first time" all the way to highly specialized themes like "How retailers use eBay as an auxiliary sales channel."
Each of the training modules contains a learning objective conveyed to the learner through a stylized eBay Family. These individual comic-like animated characters – developed exclusively for eBay – represent the diverse real world levels of eBay users. Their questions, concerns, and expectations realistically reflect the questions, concerns and expectations of actual eBay users, thereby enhancing identification with the character and, of course, comprehension of the lesson.
Each learning unit follows a clear didactic path: Introduction - core content - summary overview - and, finally, links to related information. Interactions, simulations and quiz questions augment the goals of each lesson.
Registered users can record and track their learning progress in a "My Training" area on the site. This serves as a graphically motivational reminder of where they are – and where they may wish to go – with their eBay training.
Registered users receive official eBay recognition for the successful completion of their courses. Additionally, helpful checklists accompany the instruction, and each training module is downloadable as a PDF file for printing and further perusal.
Technically, the learning portal is a specially developed LMS (Learning Module System) that interfaces effortlessly with the eBay web site technology. Numerous additional functions enable the user to personalize and monitor his or her training progress. Didactic simulations of basic eBay processes - such as buying or registering - have been realized within the framework of the implementation in a smart way.
Conclusion:
With more than 500,000 users in just 15 months, the eBay training portal is a proven success.
The eBay Online-Training portal is one of the most-used eLearning offerings in Germany. More than 500,000 users have used the training in the past 15 months. More than 1.2 million requests for individual courses is further proof of success.
eBay users avail themselves of the training portal because it delivers what it promises - learning! Informative and helpful, it is the perfect adjunct to their eBay buying and selling activities. Moreover, they return to the training repeatedly because it is entertaining and user-friendly. The motivation to continue grows with each successfully completed course.
With its online training portal and the user expertise it subsequently develops, eBay has successfully increased the scope of its online selling. In doing so, they are also fostering user loyalty.
|
