EBay, Newell Rubbermaid invest in Shipwire

By Alistair Barr

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - EBay Inc <EBAY.O> invested in logistics provider Shipwire, according to a statement Wednesday, the latest example of the e-commerce company's push to add more services for merchants moving online.

Newell Rubbermaid Inc <NWL.N> invested alongside EBay. The two companies join existing Shipwire backer Meakem Becker Venture Capital. The size of the investment was not disclosed.

EBay Vice President and Head of Corporate Strategy Jean-Francois Van Kerckhove will go on Shipwire's board of directors, along with Amine Khechfe, founder of DYMO Endicia, a shipping technology company owned by Newell Rubbermaid.

Shipwire stores and ships products for merchants and sells order-management software. Such services are in demand as more retailers expand online sales and look for ways to offer customers easy shipping options.

EBay has been on an acquisition spree in the past year. Many of the businesses it has bought provide services that help merchants operate online.

"Shipwire built a logistics technology platform, that gives any seller access to storage and shipping tools in domestic and international markets, previously only available to the largest merchants," Van Kerckhove said in the statement.

E-commerce rival Amazon.com Inc unveiled a new shipping service on Wednesday.

Endless.com, a unit of Amazon that sells shoes online, said international shipping in more than 50 countries will be free on orders over $100. All other orders will be shipped for a flat $10.

(Reporting by Alistair Barr; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)