FAST vs EBAY Comparison

Fastenal began as an industrial retailer, expanding its product portfolio from nuts and bolts to cutting tools, safety equipment, and janitorial supplies. It transitioned into a distributor by building out a dense network of branches close to its business customers. Once a customer becomes large enough, Fastenal installs vending machines and its own personnel on-site. Today, these on-site locations exceed Fastenal's branch count and remain the firm's main focus for expansion. Fastenal acts as a one-stop outsourcing partner for its industrial customers, offering value-added services along with a wide breadth of maintenance, repair, and operations supplies.

Founded in 1995, eBay operates one of the world's largest online marketplaces, connecting buyers and sellers across more than 190 markets. In 2025, the firm generated $11.1 billion in revenue on nearly $80 billion of gross merchandise volume, serving 135 million active buyers and 18 million active sellers (users who closed at least one transaction in the past year). The firm monetizes its marketplace primarily through transaction fees and advertising, with 52% of revenue derived from the US and the remainder from international markets. In a bid to expand its reach among Generation Z and in the recommerce sector, eBay announced the $1.2 billion acquisition of fashion resale app Depop from Etsy in early 2026.