In addition to acquisitions, eBay uses alliances with small entrepreneurs and large companies to increase revenues and enhance the number of items available in the marketplace.
In 2004, eBay established a certified provider program consisting of exams, references, and an annual fee." Partners provide services and products that sellers might need and eBay itself does not wish to offer, such as inventory management software, outbound logistics, or a full consignment business. This helps eBay to attract sellers that might not otherwise use its services, or who wish to conduct a high number of transactions but lack expertise in certain areas. Having these services and products available helps sellers move more product than they would otherwise." Activia is one of the best-known certified companies, providing marketplace listing tools to sellers of multiple items. This alliance allows entrepreneurs to use the eBay name to grow their business while providing eBay fee revenue.