Subscribe    RSS Feeds    Twitter            Contact Us   
728_header.jpg (23748 bytes)
 Home   EB Blog   AB Blog   Letters   Podcasts   ABTV   Forums   EPIS   PR Service   Classifieds   EKG   Ratings 
Web Site     
  Rate Services
  Amazon Fee Calculator
  eBay Fee Calculator
  Etsy Fee Calculator
  Auction Calendar
  Collectors' Links
  eBay Promo History
  Bookshelf
  Fraud Resources
  Drop-Off Store Laws
  Payment Holds
  ABTV
  Ecommerce Resources
  Photo Tips
  Marketing Inserts
  Yellow Pages
  Advertising
buyersmarket2aaa2.JPG (7729 bytes)
Ina Steiner EcommerceBytes Blog
News and insight focusing on ecommerce.
by Ina Steiner, Editor of EcommerceBytes.com
Thu Sept 13 2012 13:51:04

What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?

 By: Ina Steiner
Sponsored Link
eBay announced it will be rolling out a new logo in mid-October, saying it reflects who eBay is today - a global online marketplace that offers a cleaner, more contemporary and consistent experience.

eBay Marketplaces President Devin Wenig wrote in the announcement, "The eBay logo is known the world over, so changing it was not a decision made lightly. The time felt right. We're incredibly proud of how eBay started and quickly grew into the world's largest online marketplace. Auction-style listings, used goods, vintage items and quirky, one-of-a-kind finds are still a big part of what makes buying and selling on eBay special. We hope that's always true. But we've evolved a lot in the past few years, and eBay is much more than auction-style listings today."

eBay launched 17 years ago and rebranded from AuctionWeb to eBay in 1997. According to the book, "The Perfect Store," investor Benchmark's Bob Kagle hooked eBay up with CKS Interactive, who created the logo.

The letters in the current logo overlap - CSK said it was "suggestive of the ties binding the eBay community togheter"; the letters are not on a straight line, giving it an offbeat feel, "reflecting that eBay was not Nieman-Marcus or Tiffany's."

Not surprisingly then, the letters in eBay's new logo do not overlap and are on a straight line, reflecting eBay's move away from community and away from auctions and "quirky" - eBay's CEO John Donahoe has complained about eBay "looking too much like a flea market."

One reader wrote in saying he had a few questions about the new logo, wondering how long it took to design it and how much it cost.

In Wenig's letter, he signs off with the words, "Welcome to eBay today. And stay tuned. There's more to come." Any guesses as to what's to come? Let us know what you think of the new logo, and what buyers will think of it.
Comments (80) | Leave Comment | Permalink
Readers Comments

Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: WOODJUNGLE! ON EBAY
       
Thu Sep 13 14:14:53 2012
How many marketing wizards did it take to come up with that masterpiece?

How long did it take them?

How much did it cost?

And how much is that going to translate into higher fees for sellers?

:)  
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
by: JoJo This user has validated their user name.
       
Thu Sep 13 14:24:07 2012
LOL.  Seriously?  It was the quirky that made eBay interesting once upon a time.  All hail to cheap generic items from China we can buy down at the local Walmart for less.  Way to go eBay.  Clueless as usual.
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: eBankrupted
       
Thu Sep 13 14:30:15 2012
I'm thinking 'cause and effect':

https://www.google.com/search?q=list+of+san+jose+medic
al+marijuana+dispensaries
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: Nan
       Web Site
Thu Sep 13 14:35:20 2012
Yeah.  Because all you need to do to make your car run better is to give it a new paint job.

Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: Philip Cohen
       Web Site
Thu Sep 13 14:36:10 2012
Brilliant! This will help Donahoe get his beached "Concordia" off the rocks ...

Talk about Nero fiddling while Rome burns ...

eBay / PayPal / Donahoe: Dead Men Walking
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
by: dans parts This user has validated their user name.
       
Thu Sep 13 14:41:57 2012
''I'm excited to give you a glimpse of the next chapter in eBay's history. To start, we are introducing a new eBay logo.''

That's the phrase that has me the most worried.  Particularly the words ''to start''...

I'm worried because I'm one of the poor shlubs that are not able to leave eBay...oh, excuse me...ebay.  New logo must mean a new way we need to write it.

Good God, what next?
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
by: mylifeisgood This user has validated their user name.
       
Thu Sep 13 14:52:40 2012
BBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRING
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: Ric
       
Thu Sep 13 15:11:13 2012
eBay claims their new logo is less "quirky" and that they are trying to shed their "quirky" image.

At the same time, they are running a new series of network television ads featuring what can only be called "quirky" individuals.

Once again, eBay fails the consistency test, and confirms they are incapable of presenting a consistent customer facing image.
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: Philip Cohen
       Web Site
Thu Sep 13 15:11:46 2012
Why did they not, at the same time, take the opportunity to change the name to "eBafia"?

eBay / PayPal / Donahoe: Dead Men Walking
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
by: pace306 This user has validated their user name.
       
Thu Sep 13 15:13:35 2012
You cant polish a turd or put earings on a pig and expect its gonna be different.

The sheer audacity of the opening lines of the email - of how its WE the sellers that have made THEM money by giving away everything - low prices, free shipping, more then generous returns .... and in return .. we all get is a new logo.

Does anyone care? Sellers - no, Buyers - no, Wall Street - no, TWICE magazine (industry rating magazine) - no.

So if this is the best JD can come up with ... I'd be ashamed if I were him.
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: juliawww
       Web Site
Thu Sep 13 15:44:23 2012
LOL..someone made the comment that the eBay logo's been put on a diet. Maybe someone Photoshopped it like those models? I was just wondering what they were going to do with the uppercase ''B'', which exists in an alternate universe..interestingly, the ''b'' in the logo was not uppercase, even though they spell it that way. But then, I'm a former copy editor..not sure anyone else cares. ;)
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: WOODJUNGLE! ON EBAY
       
Thu Sep 13 16:01:10 2012
So, Ebay has now trademarked that font? That's too bad. I used to love using that font.  I guess I will find  another one to use.  I had no idea Microsoft Word was the program of choice for designing logos.
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
by: Ebay's Slow Death This user has validated their user name.
       
Thu Sep 13 16:06:28 2012
Seriously?

That logo looks like something a child with a box of Crayons and no imagination would come up with! It is simplistic and boring!

Good grief! Can't Ebay do anything right?  I keep thinking they have all those thousands of employees that need to do busy work to keep their jobs. They need to look like they are accomplishing something, so they come up with stuff like this.

Heaven forbid that Ebay might be ''quirky'' and interesting. Management just keeps trying to make Ebay more generic and Vanilla.

I agree that the statement, ''I'm excited to give you a glimpse of the next chapter in eBay's history'' strikes fear into my heart also.

What's rolling down the hill to clobber us small Sellers next?

I know my time on Ebay is limited, no matter how good of a job I do. One day I will go to work to list items, and the door will be locked, and I won't be able to get into the site. And, it won't be anything I did, just that Ebay doesn't want me there anymore.

Awful, ugly, boring, new logo!

Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: WOODJUNGLE! ON EBAY
       
Thu Sep 13 16:15:50 2012
Ebay's logo was all they had left.  I actually really liked Ebay's logo.  It proves they continue on the path of 'we're going to break it since it was working fine before.'
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: eBankrupted
       
Thu Sep 13 16:42:00 2012
This, for starters, is just their change of the logo until they announce the old logo and company name are retired, and the new name change is....

ebayzon™
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
by: HarmonyGroveAntiques This user has validated their user name.
       Web Site
Thu Sep 13 16:45:06 2012
Less Quirky? Yeah boy is it ever that!

Less Fun? Definitely!
Less profitable. Our fees have never been so high!

Less interesting. Yep, all those too.

It seems to mirror the slimmed down (read that shrinking) marketplace.

Yes, it is definitely a shadow of its former self.
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
by: sparklements This user has validated their user name.
       
Thu Sep 13 17:00:52 2012
I'll bet I know where they found the "talent" to design this...from their slave-factory offspring site eLance, where desperate designers bid against each other (and compete with the third world) with "I can do that $5000 job for only $80!"

Either that, or it was done by one of their administrative assistants using PowerPoint...
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
by: JoJo This user has validated their user name.
       
Thu Sep 13 17:13:49 2012
Definitely lacks... well... that certain something.  Dull, dull, dull.  

But at least they continue to provide entertainment value.  That's the only think ebay is good for these days.

To those of you still stuck there, you have my sympathies.
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: permacrisis
       
Thu Sep 13 17:36:24 2012
''today, we're proud to introduce a new look for the eBay brand.Our refreshed logo... (is)  eBay today: a global online marketplace that offers a cleaner, more contemporary...''

Good, tell you what. You keep the new logo, I'll steal the old one and build your old platform underneath it, and we'll see which site kicks the other's ass in 5 years. Deal?

''Bury the past, rob us blind And leave nothing behind.'' -RATM
Perminate Link for What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?   What Do You Think of eBay's New, 'Less Quirky' Logo?
This user has validated their user name. by: Anonymous Annie
       
Thu Sep 13 17:37:09 2012
Re-naming and re-branding eBay will likely have very little positive effects. It's window-dressing only and doesn't reflect any meaningful or significant changes within the company.

Take for example:

-- Comcast > Xfinity
-- Blackwater > Xe Services
-- Xe Services > Academi

... little more than an effort to distance themselves from negative connotations or a controversial past. (However, the ''GAP'' vs ''Gap'' vs ''GAP'' logo controversy defies explanation and remains a mystery to me.)

It also reminds me of how dead-malls try to spruce-up the outside and change their logo, or the name of the mall... in a vain attempt to bring in more customers. Perhaps it works on the first weekend of the re-dedication, but when people learn that NOTHING has changed except the name... and that the mall STILL doesn't have any anchor-stores... and that the food-court is just a Chick-fil-A, a Panda-Express, and a row of vending machines... the mall will still fail.

With that in mind, I think it's very revealing that eBay execs would want to do this in the first place. It's not as though we needed any MORE proof... but the logo change is yet another indicator that eBay wants to eliminate (or hide) the small ''antique/flea-market/garage-sale'' beginnings because they see us as being undesirable.

ALSO... a logo-change suggests to me that eBay execs KNOW that the company is in trouble. It's a sign of desperation.

But you know, this type of thing should be WAY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM of their list of priorities. Re-branding a corporate identity isn't cheap. They're obviously throwing a lot of money at this. I expect that any positive impact will be minimal (at best).

Are we to assume that they've RUN OUT OF IDEAS? Perhaps the logo-change idea was INDEED at the bottom of the list... and perhaps they've tried everything else! Is this their last Hail-Mary attempt to turn things around?

A logo-change could possible make sense... as the cherry-on-top... the finishing-touch when a company has made major positive changes and completed a turnaround... or pulled themselves from the depths, etc.

Whatever their motivation might be... and regardless of the dozens of theories we come up with... this logo change will serve one POSITIVE PURPOSE with me.

In my case, it will be a constant reminder that the eBay I once loved... that I was once so loyal to... has died. It's dead. D-E-A-D, dead! ~ It's like a tombstone. A final chapter. It's closure.

Hmmm... as an afterthought: Perhaps *that's* what eBay wants from me. They want me to let go. Could it be as simple as that?
Click to view more comments
1 2 3 4  [Next Page]


Login is required to post comments.
To sign in to leave a comment using your AB Verify User Name, fill in the form below. If you have not yet signed up for AB Verify, or if you'd like more information, go to the Registration Page.

Login for AB Verify
Be sure and use your email address and password to log in.
 
Email:
Password:
 
 Forgot Your Password?
 Even though you are signed in with the AuctionBytes Blog, you will have to sign in to the EcommerceBytes blog. But you can sign in with your existing AB Verify info.
 EB Blog Recent Posts 
 AB Blog Recent Posts 
 EB Blog Recent Comments 


Subscribe in a reader



Archives
 
About Us      Privacy Policy & Terms      Link to Us      Partners      Our Writers      Write for Us      Press        Site Index

Copyright 1999-. Steiner Associates LLC. All rights reserved.
 




Powered by Perl Web Blog
© 2005/2013 Ranson's Scripts