Sellers Prefer Google over Amazon as Potential eBay Acquirer

by: toolguy

"Board should take eBay private: 20%"

20% have NO idea what they're talking about

If eBay goes private they don't have to report if they're profitable or not, they also don't have to say if their market share is growing or shrinking.

A total lack of information if eBay goes private!

I'm 100% against that. . .

by: The End

Private.
Aye.

by: The End

"If eBay goes private they don't have to report if they're profitable or not, they also don't have to say if their market share is growing or shrinking."
If Ebay goes PRIVATE none of that other garbage matters.
Ebay is a TOOL for The People to use to help maintain their modest lifestyle.
We Don't Need NO STINKIN' STOCK MARKET.

by: toolguy

@The End

If eBay were private and you use them would you not want to know if they are growing or shrinking in customer base?

Would sell on eBay if they were losing 10% of their customers year after year?

Would you sell on eBay if they were financially unsound?

If they were private they would be under no obligation to revile anything about anything to anyone!

If I could pick a buyer for eBay it would be Fedex. . . .

by: RKTOYS

Sorry, toolguy is right.  A private eBay would tell us even less.  And there's nothing saying they couldn't keep the same cabal of cretins in charge.  Best case, bad as it is, would be for Google to take over.  At least then we'd get exposure via their search engine.

by: Moonwishes

My first thought about Google taking over was "What do they know about online selling?" Then I realized Google knows everything. More than any corporation, Google has been seeing everything for years that happens in all the venues. Not saying this would be to have them take over, but at least it is a company that knows what is happening in the world of online selling. But do those still on eBay WANT a company that knows just about everything about them, also being in charge of their sales?

by: The End

No.
Ebay does NOT belong on the stock market.
It's composition is diametrically opposed to the very characteristics that comprise a listable stock.
There.
You forced me.
REMOVE EBAY FROM WALL STREET.
AND : We all know Wall Street STRIPS the raises from people getting paychecks from the listed companies.
NO WALL STREET = Fat Paychecks for US.

by: The End

"A private eBay would tell us even less."
Excuse me :
You're on Ebay to SELL STUFF.
Not for Ebay to "tell you" anything.
You've lost sight of YOUR mission.

by: Rexford

"If eBay goes private they don't have to report if they're profitable or not, they also don't have to say if their market share is growing or shrinking."

So.  Do you think that you are currently getting the real picture of eBay's financial dealings?  Think again.   I remember when eBay was private.   My sales were over the moon.  eBay's going public killed many businesses.

And what The End said.  Unless you are truly the Warren Buffet of used tools, and I don't think that is the case.

 

by: plcombs

There are a lot of advantages to going private, not the least of which is staying out of the desperate Q to Q activities public companies find themselves in by focussing on short term earnings.  

Privately held successful companies have the luxury of playing a "Long Game" when it comes to growth strategies without concerns of Stock Market reactions. Amazon has been able to do it because Bezos owns so much of the stock, otherwise, investors would have dumped him years ago due to a lack of earnings.

Regardless, now that Elliot is getting a minimum of two seats on the board, it is I think a step in the right direction.  

by: lindysthings

Going back private seems to be working for Dell computers. Private companies are still interested in making a profit, they just don't have to answer to shareholders.

Seems like a viable idea to me.  Ebay was great before it went public.  

by: RKTOYS

@TheEnd
That's tunnel vision if I ever saw it.  Sometimes it's helpful to know if it's the market or eBay, an off year or a trend.  People forget that a free market requires informed participants even more than freedom from responsibility.  If you can't see that, you deserve Devin Wenig as head of a private eBay.

by: RKTOYS

@Rexford
I think hear you're missing is that the damage has already been done.  Dell and Amazon have their founders at the helm.  That's why they work.  eBay going private with hired help in charge is like practicing safe sex after contracting HIV.  Too late.

by: Chicago48

I'm on board with private.  Dell did it.  They were public then private and now they're public again.  Taking it private was a way to get their company in order and to avoid SEC scrutiny.  All the other sites, exc. AMZ, are private.  And they seem to operate just fine.

by: TomH

I too, would like to see them go private again, but, with an entirely new management group. Fire everyone that had anything to do with top level decisions for the last eight or nine years.

by: The End

RKTOYS.
If you are a comparatively GIANT corporation,
GET YOUR OWN website.
And mind it.
Ebay is for US.

by: The End

A FREE MARKET wears NO WALL STREET CHAINS ! ! !

by: Disgusted

Get rid of the current board in addition to DW first.  The board allowed all this downfall and stupidity to continue.  They have to go.

by: Disgusted

Right now ebay makes every decision based on stock prices alone.  Get rid of that and all current management. Basically start over.  

by: epuise

eBay needs to give Devin Wenig his wheelbarrow of cash & his Golden Parachute & show him the door, and give Hal Lawton his office.