FERG vs EBAY Comparison

Ferguson distributes plumbing and HVAC products to North American repair, maintenance and improvement, new construction, and civil infrastructure markets. It serves over 1 million customers and sources products from 36,000 suppliers. Ferguson engages customers through approximately 1,800 North American branches, over the phone, online, and in residential showrooms. According to Modern Distribution Management, Ferguson is the largest plumbing distributor and second-largest HVAC distributor (next to Watsco) in North America. The firm sold its UK business in 2021 and is now solely focused on the North American market.

EBay operates one of the largest e-commerce marketplaces in the world, with $75 billion in 2024 gross merchandise volume, rendering the firm a top 10 global e-commerce company. It generates sales from listing fees, advertising, revenue-sharing arrangements with service providers, and managed payments, with its platform connecting more than 130 million buyers and roughly 20 million sellers across almost 190 global markets at the end of 2024. EBay generates just north of 50% of its GMV in international markets, with a large presence in the UK, Germany, and Australia.