An improved, faster shopping experience is being promised by eBay, as it aims to up the ante in the online ordering, delivery to home market.

Its announcement comes as many other retailers have been trying to steal a march on the online shopping giant, by refining their delivery services.

For example, the company which owns high street chains Oasis and Warehouse recently unveiled a special delivery service which promises that a customer ordering items from an address in a big UK city can have them delivered within 90 minutes.

eBay is hoping to compete with its eBay Now service – although it is currently only offering it in the USA.

The service also features an app which buyers can use to order an item from a local shop, and have it delivered in as little as an hour.

In an article it wrote exclusively for the Guardian, eBay said: "As retailers compete to offer better and faster services, they set the bar even higher and raise consumer expectations on the way.

"Delivery is increasingly becoming a way for retailers to stand out from their competitors."