More than 36,000 new businesses started trading on eBay last year, the biggest rise since 2015, the online giant has announced.
The company said it believed digital retail would play a key role in the success of small businesses this year through growth in online sales.
Rob Hattrell, vice-president of eBay in the UK, said:
Britain's small business scene is booming, fuelled by a desire for greater flexibility, independence and empowerment.