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Tag: eBay

  • New eBay Seller Requirement Goes Into Effect Soon

    New eBay Seller Requirement Goes Into Effect Soon

    When eBay announced its Spring Seller Update, it said sellers who list branded items in new or refurbished condition would soon be required to include the item’s brand, manufacturer part number (MPN), and a global trade item number (GTIN) in a number of categories.

    The deadline to have this information included in listings is June 29, which is approaching.

    Categories in which sellers must comply include: Baby, Books, Business & Industrial (Test, Lab, and Office Equipment), Camera & Photos, Cell Phones & Accessories, Clothing, Shoes & Accessories (Shoes Only), Computers/Tablets & Networking, Consumer Electronics, DVDs & Movies, eBay Motors, Health & Beauty, Home & Garden (Tools and Appliances only), Music, Musical Instruments & Gear, Pet Supplies, Sporting Goods, Toys & Hobbies, and Video Games & Consoles.

    In other words, the policy covers a lot of the goods sold on eBay.

    Beginning on the 29th, product identifiers will be required on new listings. eBay will prevent listing completion if the information is not included. The policy will be added on a category-by-category basis over the coming weeks. The company says to add the information to your listings to make sure you’re ready.

    If this seems like a hassle to you as a seller, consider how including this information can help users find the items they’re looking for. In fact, eBay provides some tips for maximizing item views with identifiers:

    – Be sure to include your item’s unique product identifiers any time you list branded items in new condition—particularly in the categories listed here.

    – Use eBay’s bulk listing and editing tool to update your existing listings with the required product identifiers now to take advantage of increased search visibility.

    – To save time—and to make sure your listing is as accurate as possible—match your item with a product from the eBay catalog every time you list. When you do, the unique product identifiers for your item are included automatically in your listing.

    – Review eBay’s best practices for maximizing your position in Best Match search results. And remember, creating great collections can also help attract more buyers to your listings.

    The company provides a helpful FAQ section about product identifiers here, which will hopefully answer any questions you may have about implementing this.

    Image via YouTube

  • eBay Promoted Listings: Only Pay For Clicks That Result In Sales

    eBay Promoted Listings: Only Pay For Clicks That Result In Sales

    eBay announced the launch of new Promoted Listing ads, which enable advertisers to pay only for clicks that result in an item being purchased.

    The company says you can use the ads to boost item visibility, start a campaign at any time, and pay only when your item sells. It promises quick and easy setup, advertiser control, detailed reporting, and clear billing. You can choose the listings you want to promote, set your ad rates, and launch your campaign quickly and easily. You can start, stop, or change a campaign at any time, making it ideal for seasonal items, new listings, and best sellers, as eBay notes. They provide “tons” of stats to show how campaigns are performing and for optimization purposes.

    “With promoted listings, you can increase the likelihood of a sale by putting your best merchandise in front of buyers who are actively searching and shopping,” the company says. “Your ads may appear in prominent locations on eBay based on several factors, including your chosen ad rate and how relevant the item is to a buyer’s search.”

    Fees appear on your invoice. You choose how much you’re willing to pay to promote your items (from 1% to 20% of the sale price), and you’ll only pay your chosen rate when the buyer clicks and purchases the item.

    Jordan Sweetnam writes on the eBay for Business blog:

    What’s unique about this service is, as a seller, you only pay for advertising your listings when an item is clicked and purchased. Most other advertising services will charge you for a click, whether or not a sale takes place. This is a more efficient way to advertise and one more example of our focus on seller success.

    With promoted listings, you’ll be able to put your best-selling merchandise and seasonal must-haves in front of your customers as they are actively searching for specific items. This will give you the opportunity to boost the visibility of items and may increase the likelihood of sales.

    The ads are currently only available by invitation. You can join a waiting list from Promoted Listings here. The service is only available for items bought and sold on eBay itself, and is available on the limited basis in the US, UK, Germany, and Australia. eBay plans to expand the program later this year.

    Hat tip to Ginny Marvin

    Image via eBay

  • You’re About To Learn A Hard Lesson If You Do This With Your eBay Listings

    You’re About To Learn A Hard Lesson If You Do This With Your eBay Listings

    If you are using duplicate listing tactics to increase your chances of getting sales on eBay, you really want to stop doing that now, because it’s about to have a potentially devastating effect on your account and ability to make sales.

    eBay announced a new search penalty for sellers who violate its duplicate listings policy. Those who do so will see reduced search visibility on the site, which is obviously going to be terrible for sales.

    In other words, if you thought you could get a jump on the competition by putting multiple listings into the system, you’re sorely mistaken, and will suffer the consequences. At least that’s what eBay is threatening.

    The company is at least giving sellers the opportunity to mend their ways, as it won’t be going in effect until June, at which point listing visibility in Best Match will be reduced for those “who pollute the eBay Marketplace” with duplicates.

    And to be clear, we’re not talking about just those listings that were in violation. We’re talking about all of the seller’s listings. The company said in an announcement:

    If a seller violates the duplicate listings policy, then all the listings from that seller—including those across linked accounts—will have reduced visibility. This visibility reduction will last until the duplicate listings are removed.

    Remember, each listing should provide distinct and unique value to buyers. Listings are considered duplicates if they’re for items that have no significant difference between them, or if they appear to be for the same item in search results…

    eBay uses this as an example of what it’s talking about:

    eBay’s goal is to make it easy for buyers to find and compare items, and this kind of stuff makes that significantly harder. It’s actually surprising they haven’t cracked down harder on this until now.

    You simply can’t have more than one fixed price listing of an identical item at the same time. Period. You can, however, have more than one auction-style listing for identical items. Separate listings can be created for the same item on different eBay sites as long as the international shipping options don’t result in the listings cluttering the search results in any individual site.

    You can also use separate listings for items that are similar but not identical, as long as the differences are clearly reflected in the title, subtitle, price, photos, condition, item specifics, or parts compatibility areas of the listing. You can have one fixed price listing with variations or one fixed price listing offering multiples of an item.

    You can have separate listings for items that are identical except for condition, like if one is new, one is used, and one is refurbished.

    If you’re unsure about where your listings stand, you better take a few minutes to read through eBay’s guidelines here. You do have a month to get things in order.

    Images via Wikimedia Commons, eBay

  • eBay Enterprise Hits New Sales Milestone

    eBay Enterprise Hits New Sales Milestone

    eBay announced that eBay Enterprise clients have hit the $1 billion sales milestone. This is across over 6,500 stores, 42 brands, and three continents.

    eBay merged Magento with eBay Enterprise just over a year ago. They’re showcasing their solutions at the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City this week.

    eBay Enterprise counts Ace Hardware, Shoe Carnival, Destination XL, and Designer SHoe Warehouse among clients who have successfully deployed its store fulfillment solutions.

    The company says, “Store fulfillment is also a growing trend outside of the U.S. For example, international retailers Tiger of Sweden and Peak Performance among others have increased the number of stores enabled with Ship-from Store by 47 percent and order volume increased by 108 percent over 2013 volumes.”

    eBay Enterprise offers a cloud-based “ship-from store” feature that includes full inventory visibility, and allows retailers to offer physical store inventory alongside warehouse inventory.

    “Store fulfillment solutions like Ship-from Store and In-Store Pickup give online consumers access to inventory across stores, distribution centers, and even suppliers to deliver goods at the best possible speed and cost while preserving the best possible margin for brands and retailers – boosting sales, enhancing the consumer experience and improving customer retention rates,” said eBay Enterprise President Craig Hayman. “Adopting omnichannel strategies like this will be critical for retailers in 2015.”

    eBay says clients saw significant benefits from its Store Fulfillment solutions throughout the holiday season with year-over-year order volume via ship-from store and in-store pickup up 34% and sales up 54% from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday in the U.S.

    Image via eBay

  • eBay Reminds Sellers Of New Shipping Rates

    eBay Reminds Sellers Of New Shipping Rates

    eBay is reminding sellers of new shipping rates that will soon go into effect for FedEx and UPS. This will obviously affect eBay sellers as well as sellers on sites across the Internet.

    The new UPS rates go into effect today, while the FedEx changes will go into effect in a week on January 5.

    UPS announced its changes back in June, saying that in the United States, dimensional weight will be utilized to calculate the billable weight of a shipment on all UPS Ground services and UPS Standard to Canada packages. This was already applied to UPS air services (domestic and international), UPS Standard to Mexico ground services, and UPS Ground packages and UPS Standard to Canada for packages measuring 3 cubic feet in size or larger. More details here.

    “UPS has been researching the potential expansion of dimensional-weight pricing for a number of years because it enables us to more appropriately align rates with costs which are influenced by both the size and weight of packages,” said Alan Gershenhorn, UPS executive vice president and chief commercial officer.

    For FedEx, Express rates will increase as will FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx SmartPost, and FedEx Freight rates. FedEx Retail and One Rate pricing will also change. More details on these changes here.

    eBay notes that its shipping calculator, eBay labels, and PayPal labels will all be updated to reflect the changes, and that sellers should make sure the shipping costs in their listings also reflect the new rates.

    “In order for eBay customers to obtain accurate estimates on shipping rates, it’s important that sellers include not only correct shipping weights but also correct package dimensions when listing items or purchasing a label,” the company says.

    eBay recently announced the addition to printable labels from its mobile apps.

    Image via eBay

  • eBay Labels Now Available On Mobile

    eBay Labels Now Available On Mobile

    eBay announced that it is now offering sellers labels from its mobile apps. While you could access and print labels from the desktop before, the functionality has been expanded to make it more convenient.

    The company announced in a short blog post:

    You already know that eBay labels are a great way to save both time and money. But did you know you can print them from your mobile device? Well, it’s true. iPhone and Android users now have a super convenient way to print shipping labels right from their mobile phone. As long as you have the Android eBay app 2.8 or later, or iPhone eBay app 3.5 or later, you’re good to go.

    The labels have to be purchased through the app, and printed via a Wi-Fi enabled printer or by emailing the purchased label to your email id. You also have to have used eBay labels on the desktop in the past.

    In other eBay news, the company is expanding its local efforts, despite recently pulling the plug on its eBay Now apps. It’s reportedly offering in-store pick-up and same-day delivery in Brooklyn.

    Image via eBay

  • eBay Redesign Doesn’t Go Over Very Well

    eBay Redesign Doesn’t Go Over Very Well

    This week, eBay launched a redesign for its iPad app, and it doesn’t seem to be going over very well. The company appears to be trying to make its experience less like Amazon and more like Pinterest. The problem is that people apparently don’t want their eBay experience to be like Pinterest.

    Do you think eBay should me gravitating to more of a Pinterest-like experience? Share your thoughts in the comments.

    Here are a few screenshots.

    Earlier in the week, Jason Del Rey at Re/code shared some words from Chief Product Officer RJ Pittman, the guy responsible for the new design:

    “I’m happy to openly use the Pinterest model as an example. We want this to be as much a source of inspiration as a shopping destination.”

    Right. Because people go to eBay for inspiration. In fact, that “inspiration” concept comes up in the product description on iTunes as well. There, it says:

    Inspiration is just a swipe away with full access to eBay’s millions of items on your iPad. Our trend spotters and style mavens highlight new unique items daily alongside special limited-time shopping events, trending collections, and remarkable deals that save you money. Whether you’re checking out what’s hot today, or digging deep for that one-of-a-kind find, a world of new and vintage merchandise from eBay’s sellers is waiting for you…Version 3.4 of eBay for iPad improves on all the buying and selling functionality you’d expect, while providing great new opportunities to be inspired.

    It doesn’t seem that users agree that the new version is an improvement. They certainly don’t seem very inspired. The current version has a rating of one and a half out of five stars. That’s out of 2234 ratings and compared to four and a half for all versions of the app. In other words, eBay has historically been highly rated, but this new version is a huge bomb. This is further evidenced by a glance over to the actual reviews. Here are the top ones at the moment:

    Del Rey shares some additional complaints, and notes that both buyers and sellers are complaining, which can’t be good.

    It’s certainly interesting that eBay is going out of its way to separate itself from Amazon, as Amazon just launched a new feature that puts it in even more direct competition with eBay. Earlier this week, the online retail giant launched the “Make an Offer” feature, enabling users to haggle with sellers, and try to get better prices.

    eBay also recently started pulling back on a feature that would directly compete with Amazon when it shut down the eBay Now app.

    What do you think of the new eBay iPad experience? Do you see it as an improvement? Let us know in the comments.

    Images via iTunes

  • Classic iPods Are So Hot Right Now

    Classic iPods Are So Hot Right Now

    They say you don’t know what you’ve got, ’till it’s gone.

    The iPod Classic – you know, that mp3 player that relies on a click-wheel and only plays music (it can’t make phone calls?) – is apparently in high demand.

    Apple unceremoniously retired the classic device back in September, around the time the company was unveiling the brand new Apple Watch on a stage in Cupertino. And in the months since its departure, online marketplaces have become saturated with people looking to buy the now-discontinued players and plenty looking to sell.

    According to the Guardian, “more than 3,000 of the models – the seventh, final version came out in 2010 – have been sold on eBay since the Classic was retired in October, most for between £350 and £500. Even refurbished older models now cost far more than the £229 for which the later generations retailed.”

    For Americans, thats anywhere from $550 to nearly $800. They report that some iPod Classics have even fetched as high as $1000.

    And this is not just a UK phenomenon. A quick search of eBay shows hundreds of listings for iPod Classics coming from American locations – of all generations. Some are priced at $1000 and beyond, but the sweet spot seems to reside around $700.

    Why would people pay this much for old technology when they could easily purchase a brand new iPod Touch or Nano for much cheaper?

    Well, nostalgia for one. Also, everything has more value when it’s unattainable.

    Or, it could be that the ol’ click-wheel iPods hold a whopping 160GB. Try finding that kind of storage capacity with one of them fancy touch-screen iPods.

    Image via Sam Weiss, Flickr Creative Commons

  • eBay Now Same-Day Delivery Apps Are No More

    It’s been looking like eBay Now’s days were numbered for quite a while now. Now, the mobile apps for the e-commerce company’s same-day delivery service have gone M.I.A.

    VentureBeat reported all the way back in June that eBay Now could be on its way out. Last month, eBay held its Q3 earnings call, when eBay CEO John Donahoe made a comment indicating that the service wasn’t “essential” to is target customer base.

    Re/code then conducted an interview with him, proclaiming eBay Now to be “essentially dead’. Jason Del Rey shared some comments Donahoe made:

    “There’s no active plan to close it down,” he began. “But,” he added, “I think what you’re seeing is the shoppers that want same-day delivery tend to want it for consumables … groceries. That’s not really the sweet spot for eBay. Buy online and pick up in store — those are the kinds of things relevant to the eBay shopper.”

    At another point in the call, Donahoe referred to the service in the past tense as an “experiment” and pointed out that the company hasn’t expanded from four to 25 markets as it originally said it would by year’s end. He also noted that eBay customers seem to care more about being able to pick up an order for free than pay to have it delivered super quickly. Donahoe said the company’s partnership with United Kingdom retail chain Argos, which lets eBay shoppers order stuff online and pick it up at an Argos near them, will serve as a model for how eBay continues to try to help its shoppers get their orders quickly at no extra cost.

    Last week, Reuters reported that the company planned to “dismantle its standalone mobile app for its $5 same-day delivery service ‘eBay Now’ as soon as this week”.

    On Monday, TechCrunch pointed out that the app has gone missing from Apple’s App Store. It’s also gone from Google Play.

    It would appear that the service isn’t completely dead, however. According to TechCrunch, which spoke with an eBay spokesperson, it will be folded into eBay’s main apps and website.

    Even still, eBay Now as supposed to expand to 25 new markets, and from the sound of it, that’s no longer happening.

    The service appears to still be operational from the desktop.

    eBay Now was initially launched in beta in August, 2012.

    Image via eBay

  • Andreessen Leaves eBay’s Board of Directors

    Andreessen Leaves eBay’s Board of Directors

    Marc Andreessen announced he is resigning from eBay’s board of directors as the company prepares to split into two separate entities: eBay and PayPal.

    Andreessen has been on the board for six years. He joined in September of 2008. He said that now is the right time to step down with the split-up on the way.

    eBay President and CEO John Donahoe said: “Marc has been an extraordinary board member, and we greatly appreciate the leadership, insight and expertise he has provided over the past six years. He has provided invaluable support to me, the board and the entire company.”

    “It’s been an absolute privilege to serve with John, Pierre, and team, and I could not be more proud of what we’ve accomplished,” Andreessen said. “I have complete confidence in John and the board to lead eBay and PayPal through the process of embarking on independent paths in 2015. I wish eBay, and both of its successor companies, all the best, and look forward to following the future of eBay and PayPal closely in the years to come.”

    The board decided that splitting up eBay and PayPal would best position both units to “capitalize on their respective growth opportunities in the rapidly changing global commerce and payments landscape.”

    Donahoe and CFO Bob Swan will lead the separation of each business with oversight from the board. eBay’s new CEO will become Devin Wenig, who is currently president of eBay Marketplaces. Dan Schulman is PayPal’s president, and is in charge of finding a CEO for the standalone company.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • eBay Restricts Shopping From Old Web Browsers

    eBay announced that in an effort to make shopping more secure, it will restrict site access through older versions of web browsers.

    This is largely in response to the POODLE SSL 3.0 vulnerability recently discovered by Google. The company says in a blog post:

    We have decided to restrict the use of an outdated Internet security protocol, SSL 3.0, because we have determined it does not meet our standards. This industry-wide protocol, which is more than 18 years old, has been recently restricted by many Internet companies because it has a vulnerability.

    Fortunately, the newest versions of browsers available provide higher levels of protection. The newest versions of Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari will continue to work without SSL 3.0. However, customers using older browsers (see below) without support for the newer, more secure protocol, will experience issues using eBay and need to update their browser.

    eBay adds that implementing this change is “necessary” to ensure a safe and secure experience for customers. The company, as you may know, suffered a massive data breach not all that long ago.

    The big web browser companies are working on fixes for the vulnerability.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • eBay Earnings Released, Revenue Up 12%

    eBay Earnings Released, Revenue Up 12%

    eBay released its earnings report for the third quarter with revenue growth of 12%. Payments volume was up 29% while eBay Marketplaces volume growth was 9%.

    As you probably know, eBay and PayPal are splitting up next year.

    eBay CEO John Donahoe said, “Rapidly changing competitive environments in commerce and payments underscore the opportunities for eBay and PayPal, and highlight how each business will benefit from the focus and agility of being an independent company. PayPal had another strong quarter, and its mobile payments leadership and momentum continued with mobile volume up 72 percent to $12 billion. PayPal is on track to process 1 billion mobile transactions in 2014.”

    “And eBay continues to focus on enhancing its competitive position, improving the experience for buyers and sellers and investing in consumer engagement,” he added. “As we prepare to separate eBay and PayPal in 2015, our teams are focused on strong execution to ensure each business is set up for long-term success.”

    eBay Enterprise gross merchandise sales grew 14% with revenue reaching $259 million.

    Here’s the release in its entirety:

    SAN JOSE, Calif.–()–Global commerce platform and payments leader eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) today reported that revenue for the third quarter ended September 30, 2014 increased 12% to $4.4 billion, compared to the same period in 2013. GAAP earnings of $673 million or $0.54 per diluted share, and Non-GAAP earnings of $848 million or $0.68 per diluted share, were driven by accelerating enabled commerce volume growth and double-digit revenue growth.

    “Rapidly changing competitive environments in commerce and payments underscore the opportunities for eBay and PayPal, and highlight how each business will benefit from the focus and agility of being an independent company”

    eBay Inc.’s enabled commerce volume (ECV) increased 27% in the third quarter to $63 billion. Mobile ECV advanced 67% to $14 billion representing 21% of volume. eBay Inc. mobile downloads since inception exceeded 282 million, attracting 7.3 million new customers in the quarter. Cross-border trade grew 27%, representing $14 billion, or 22%, of total company ECV.

    “Rapidly changing competitive environments in commerce and payments underscore the opportunities for eBay and PayPal, and highlight how each business will benefit from the focus and agility of being an independent company,” said eBay Inc. President and CEO John Donahoe. “PayPal had another strong quarter, and its mobile payments leadership and momentum continued with mobile volume up 72 percent to $12 billion. PayPal is on track to process 1 billion mobile transactions in 2014. And eBay continues to focus on enhancing its competitive position, improving the experience for buyers and sellers and investing in consumer engagement. As we prepare to separate eBay and PayPal in 2015, our teams are focused on strong execution to ensure each business is set up for long-term success.”

    PayPal net total payment volume (TPV) grew 29% with Merchant Services volume up 37% and on-eBay volume up 9%. Revenue grew to $2.0 billion. PayPal gained 4.4 million new active registered accounts to end the quarter at 157 million, up 14%. Global on-eBay penetration increased to 80.5%. Mobile payment volume grew 72% to $12 billion, representing 20% of TPV. Active accounts acquired on mobile were 2.9 million. Newly rebranded PayPal Credit grew 29%. PayPal also rolled out new product innovations like its One Touch offering making it simpler and easier to check-out and pay with PayPal.

    eBay Marketplaces gross merchandise volume (GMV) grew 9%, with the U.S. up 7% and international up 11%. Revenue grew to $2.2 billion. Marketplaces gained 3.4 million new buyers to end the quarter with 152 million active buyers, up 13%. The selection of items available on Marketplaces grew to over 800 million listings, including both platform and non-platform offerings, reflecting the success of improved selling initiatives, particularly on mobile. Marketplaces mobile volume grew 41% to $7 billion. Fixed price sales grew 15% and now represent 79% of the total sales on the platform.

    eBay Enterprise gross merchandise sales (GMS) grew 14%. Revenue grew to $259 million. Enterprise enabled its clients to grow same-store sales 13%.

    Third Quarter 2014 Financial Highlights (presented in millions, except per share data and percentages)
    Third Quarter
    2014 2013 Change
    eBay Inc.
    Net revenue $4,353 $3,892 $461 12%
    Enabled commerce volume (ECV) $63,056 $49,727 $13,329 27%
    GAAP
    Net income $673 $689 $(16) (2%)
    Earnings per diluted share $0.54 $0.53 $0.01 2%
    Non-GAAP
    Net income $848 $837 $11 1%
    Earnings per diluted share $0.68 $0.64 $0.04 6%
    Business Units
    Payments
    Net revenue $1,950 $1,620 $330 20%
    Net total payment volume (TPV) $56,576 $43,837 $12,739 29%
    Marketplaces
    Net revenue $2,156 $2,027 $129 6%
    Gross merchandise volume (GMV) $20,075 $18,345 $1,730 9%
    Enterprise
    Net revenue $259 $252 $7 3%
    Gross merchandise sales (GMS) $900 $787 $113 14%

    Other Selected Financial and Operational Results

    • Operating margin — GAAP operating margin decreased to 17.9% for the third quarter of 2014, compared to 20.5% for the same period last year. Non-GAAP operating margin decreased to 23.7% in the third quarter, compared to 26.8% for the same period last year.
    • Taxes — The GAAP effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2014 was 15.9%, compared to 21.1% for the third quarter of 2013. For the third quarter of 2014 and 2013, the non-GAAP effective tax rate was 19.2% for both periods.
    • Cash flow — The company generated $1.4 billion of operating cash flow and $0.9 billion of free cash flow during the third quarter of 2014.
    • Cash and cash equivalents and non-equity investments — The company’s cash and cash equivalents and non-equity investments portfolio totaled $15.1 billion at September 30, 2014, up from $12.8 billion at December 31, 2013.

    Business Outlook

    • Fourth quarter 2014 — The company expects net revenues in the range of $4,850 – $4,950 million with GAAP earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.73 – $0.76 and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.88 – $0.91.
    • Full year 2014 — The company is reducing full year revenue guidance to $17.85 – $17.95 billion.

    Quarterly Conference Call and Webcast

    eBay Inc. will host a conference call to discuss third quarter 2014 results at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time today. A live webcast of the conference call, together with a slide presentation that includes supplemental financial information and reconciliations of certain non-GAAP measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures, can be accessed through the company’s Investor Relations website athttp://investor.ebayinc.com. In addition, an archive of the webcast will be accessible for 90 days through the same link.

    eBay Inc. uses its Investor Relations website at http://investor.ebayinc.com as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor, in addition to following press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls and webcasts.

    About eBay Inc.

    eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is a global commerce and payments leader, providing a robust platform where merchants of all sizes can compete and win. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay Inc. connects millions of buyers and sellers and enabled $205 billion* of commerce volume in 2013. We do so through eBay, one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, which allows users to buy and sell in nearly every country on earth; through PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to securely, easily and quickly send and receive digital payments; and through eBay Enterprise, which enables omnichannel commerce, multichannel retailing and digital marketing for global enterprises in the U.S. and internationally. We also reach millions through specialized marketplaces such as StubHub, the world’s largest ticket marketplace, and eBay classifieds sites, which together have a presence in more than 1,000 cities around the world. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

    * This adjusted number reflects decision to remove vehicles and real estate GMV from ongoing total GMV and ECV metrics (previously stated ECV for 2013 was $212 billion, incorporating vehicles and real estate GMV).

    Presentation

    All growth rates represent year over year comparisons, except as otherwise noted. All amounts in tables are presented in U.S. dollars, rounded to the nearest millions, except as otherwise noted. As a result, certain amounts may not sum or recalculate using the rounded dollar amounts provided.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This press release includes the following financial measures defined as “non-GAAP financial measures” by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP earnings per diluted share, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP effective tax rate and free cash flow. These measures may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The presentation of this financial information, which is not prepared under any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles, is not intended to be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures, see “Business Outlook,” “Non-GAAP Measures of Financial Performance,” “Reconciliation of GAAP Operating Margin to Non-GAAP Operating Margin,” “Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Non-GAAP Net Income and Reconciliation of GAAP Effective Tax Rate to Non-GAAP Effective Tax Rate” and “Reconciliation of Operating Cash Flow to Free Cash Flow” included in this press release.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, the planned separation of eBay Inc.’s Marketplaces and PayPal businesses and the future performance of eBay Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries that are based on the company’s current expectations, forecasts and assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the completion and timing of any such separation, the future performance of the Marketplaces and Payments businesses on a standalone business if the separation is completed, expected financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2014, the future growth in the Payments, Marketplaces and Enterprise businesses, mobile payments and mobile commerce. Actual results could differ materially from those predicted or implied and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. There is no assurance as to the timing of the spin-off or whether it will be completed. Other factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: whether the operational, marketing and strategic benefits of the separation can be achieved; whether the costs and expenses of the separation can be controlled within expectations; changes in political, business and economic conditions, any European, Asian or general economic downturn or crisis and any conditions that affect ecommerce growth; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the company’s need to successfully react to the increasing importance of mobile payments and mobile commerce and the increasing social aspect of commerce; the company’s ability to deal with the increasingly competitive ecommerce environment, including competition for its sellers from other trading sites and other means of selling, and competition for its buyers from other merchants, online and offline; changes to the company’s capital allocation or management of operating cash; the company’s need to manage an increasingly large enterprise with a broad range of businesses of varying degrees of maturity and in many different geographies; the effect of management changes and business initiatives; the company’s need and ability to manage other regulatory, tax and litigation risks as its services are offered in more jurisdictions and applicable laws become more restrictive; any changes the company may make to its product offerings; the competitive, regulatory, payment card association-related and other risks specific to PayPal and PayPal Credit (formerly Bill Me Later), especially as PayPal continues to expand geographically and introduce new products and as new laws and regulations related to financial services companies come into effect; the company’s ability to timely upgrade and develop its technology systems, infrastructure and customer service capabilities at reasonable cost; the company’s ability to maintain site stability and performance on all of its sites while adding new products and features in a timely fashion; and the company’s ability to profitably integrate, manage and grow businesses that have been acquired or may be acquired in the future. The forward-looking statements in this release do not include the potential impact of any acquisitions or divestitures that may be announced and/or completed after the date hereof.

    More information about factors that could affect the company’s operating results is included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by visiting the company’s Investor Relations website at http://investor.ebayinc.com or the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. All information in this release is as of October 15, 2014. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this press release, which are based on information available to the company on the date hereof. The company assumes no obligation to update such statements.

    eBay Inc.
    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet
    September 30,
    2014
    December 31,
    2013
    (In millions)
    ASSETS
    Current assets:
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,790 $ 4,494
    Short-term investments 5,601 4,531
    Accounts receivable, net 755 899
    Loans and interest receivable, net 3,162 2,789
    Funds receivable and customer accounts 9,962 9,260
    Other current assets 1,384 1,310
    Total current assets 25,654 23,283
    Long-term investments 5,875 4,971
    Property and equipment, net 2,825 2,760
    Goodwill 9,220 9,267
    Intangible assets, net 642 941
    Other assets 260 266
    Total assets $ 44,476 $ 41,488
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
    Current liabilities:
    Short-term debt $ 250 $ 6
    Accounts payable 339 309
    Funds payable and amounts due to customers 9,962 9,260
    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 5,617 2,799
    Deferred revenue 185 158
    Income taxes payable 138 107
    Total current liabilities 16,491 12,639
    Deferred and other tax liabilities, net 709 841
    Long-term debt 7,346 4,117
    Other liabilities 120 244
    Total liabilities 24,666 17,841
    Total stockholders’ equity 19,810 23,647
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 44,476 $ 41,488
    eBay Inc.
    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income
      Three Months EndedSeptember 30, Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
    2014 2013 2014 2013
    (In millions, except per share amounts)
    Net revenues $ 4,353 $ 3,892 $ 12,981 $ 11,517
    Cost of net revenues (1) 1,389 1,224 4,132 3,587
    Gross profit 2,964 2,668 8,849 7,930
    Operating expenses:
    Sales and marketing (1) 923 755 2,642 2,223
    Product development (1) 511 433 1,491 1,318
    General and administrative (1) 442 415 1,368 1,242
    Provision for transaction and loan losses 249 185 685 553
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets 58 81 210 245
    Total operating expenses 2,183 1,869 6,396 5,581
    Income from operations 781 799 2,453 2,349
    Interest and other, net 20 74 24 89
    Income before income taxes 801 873 2,477 2,438
    Provision for income taxes (128 ) (184 ) (3,454 ) (432 )
    Net income (loss) $ 673 $ 689 $ (977 ) $ 2,006
    Net income (loss) per share:
    Basic $ 0.54 $ 0.53 $ (0.78 ) $ 1.55
    Diluted $ 0.54 $ 0.53 $ (0.78 ) $ 1.53
    Weighted average shares:
    Basic 1,242 1,295 1,258 1,296
    Diluted 1,251 1,310 1,258 1,314
    (1) Includes stock-based compensation as follows:
    Cost of net revenues $ 19 $ 9 $ 56 $ 45
    Sales and marketing 46 38 133 112
    Product development 57 42 167 120
    General and administrative 51 51 132 135
    $ 173 $ 140 $ 488 $ 412
    eBay Inc.
    Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
    Three Months EndedSeptember 30, Nine Months EndedSeptember 30,
    2014 2013 2014 2013
    (In millions)
    Cash flows from operating activities:
    Net income (loss) $ 673 $ 689 $ (977 ) $ 2,006
    Adjustments:
    Provision for transaction and loan losses 249 185 685 553
    Depreciation and amortization 365 357 1,120 1,033
    Stock-based compensation 173 140 488 412
    Gain on sale of RueLaLa and ShopRunner (75 ) (75 )
    Deferred income taxes (64 ) (89 ) 2,996 258
    Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisition effects (28 ) 127 (276 ) (905 )
    Net cash provided by operating activities 1,368 1,334 4,036 3,282
    Cash flows from investing activities:
    Purchases of property and equipment (427 ) (317 ) (902 ) (969 )
    Changes in principal loans receivable, net (261 ) (212 ) (493 ) (395 )
    Purchases of investments (3,238 ) (3,702 ) (6,879 ) (5,726 )
    Maturities and sales of investments 1,330 912 4,594 2,710
    Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (20 ) (70 ) (59 ) (85 )
    Repayment of Kynetic note receivable and sale of RueLaLa and ShopRunner 485 485
    Other (6 ) (14 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (2,616 ) (2,904 ) (3,745 ) (3,994 )
    Cash flows from financing activities:
    Proceeds from issuance of common stock 24 57 178 301
    Repurchases of common stock (8 ) (146 ) (3,476 ) (1,088 )
    Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation 4 19 90 180
    Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of restricted stock units and awards (14 ) (21 ) (224 ) (247 )
    Proceeds from issuance of debt 3,482 3,482
    Net borrowings under commercial paper program (1,200 )
    Funds receivable and customer accounts, net 75 (61 ) (702 ) (979 )
    Funds payable and amounts due to customers, net (75 ) 61 702 979
    Other (7 ) (7 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 2,281 (91 ) 43 (854 )
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (77 ) 86 (38 ) 29
    Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents 956 (1,575 ) 296 (1,537 )
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 3,834 6,855 4,494 6,817
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 4,790 $ 5,280 $ 4,790 $ 5,280
    eBay Inc.
    Unaudited Summary of Consolidated Net Revenues
    Net Revenues by Type (1) Three Months Ended
    September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,
    2014 2014 2014 2013 2013
    Net transaction revenues (In millions, except percentages)
    Marketplaces $ 1,707 $ 1,722 $ 1,727 $ 1,828 $ 1,609
    Current quarter vs prior quarter (1 )% % (6 )% 14  % 2  %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 6  % 9 % 11 % 13  % 13  %
    Percent of Marketplaces revenue from international 57  % 58 % 58 % 57  % 55  %
    Payments 1,783 1,741 1,700 1,693 1,493
    Current quarter vs prior quarter 2  % 2 % % 13  % 1  %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 19  % 18 % 19 % 18  % 18 %
    Percent of Payments revenue from international 56  % 56 % 56 % 57  % 56  %
    Enterprise 199 207 208 333 185
    Current quarter vs prior quarter (4 )% % (38 )% 80  % (5 )%
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 8  % 7 % 12 %  % 9  %
    Percent of Enterprise revenue from international 4  % 4 % 4 % 3  % 4  %
    Total net transaction revenues 3,689 3,670 3,635 3,854 3,287
    Current quarter vs prior quarter 1  % 1 % (6 )% 17  % 1  %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 12  % 13 % 14 % 14  % 15  %
    Marketing services and other revenues
    Marketplaces 449 452 428 471 418
    Current quarter vs prior quarter (1 )% 6 % (9 )% 13  % (1 )%
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 7  % 7 % 6 % 8  % 10  %
    Percent of Marketplaces revenue from international 70  % 72 % 71 % 69  % 70  %
    Payments 167 205 145 143 127
    Current quarter vs prior quarter (19 )% 41 % 1 % 13  % (15 )%
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 31  % 38 % 27 % 31  % 25  %
    Percent of Payments revenue from international 4  % 3 % 3 % 4  % 3  %
    Enterprise 60 60 61 74 67
    Current quarter vs prior quarter  % (2 )% (17 )% 11  % 2  %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter (10 )% (9 )% (1 )% (3 )% (1 )%
    Percent of Enterprise revenue from international  % % %  %  %
    Total marketing services and other revenues 676 717 634 688 612
    Current quarter vs prior quarter (6 )% 13 % (8 )% 12  % (4 )%
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 10  % 12 % 10 % 11  % 11  %
    Elimination of inter-segment net revenue (2) (12 ) (21 ) (7 ) (12 ) $ (7 )
    Total net revenues $ 4,353 $ 4,366 $ 4,262 $ 4,530 $ 3,892
    Current quarter vs prior quarter  % 2 % (6 )% 16  %  %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 12  % 13 % 14 % 13  % 14  %
    (1) During the first quarter of 2014, we changed our reportable segments based on changes in our organizational structure which reflect the integration of our Magento platform into our Enterprise segment. Prior to this change, Magento was reported in corporate and other. Also during the quarter, we revised our internal management reporting of certain Marketplaces transactions to align more closely with our related operating metrics. Related to this change, we reclassified our Marketplaces vehicles and real estate revenues from net transaction revenues to marketing services and other revenues. Prior period amounts have been revised to conform to the current period segment reporting structure.
    (2) Represents revenue generated between our reportable segments.
    Net Revenues by Geography (1) Three Months Ended
    September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,
    2014 2014 2014 2013 2013
    (In millions, except percentages)
    U.S. net revenues $ 2,050 $ 2,047 $ 1,998 $ 2,180 $ 1,873
    Current quarter vs prior quarter % 2 % (8 )% 16 % %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 9 % 9 % 12 % 11 % 14 %
    Percent of total 47 % 47 % 47 % 48 % 48 %
    International net revenues 2,303 2,319 2,264 2,350 2,019
    Current quarter vs prior quarter (1 )% 2 % (4 )% 16 % 1 %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 14 % 16 % 16 % 16 % 15 %
    Percent of total 53 % 53 % 53 % 52 % 52 %
    Total net revenues $ 4,353 $ 4,366 $ 4,262 $ 4,530 $ 3,892
    Current quarter vs prior quarter % 2 % (6 )% 16 % %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 12 % 13 % 14 % 13 % 14 %
    (1) Revenues are attributed to U.S. and international geographies primarily based upon the country in which the seller, payment recipient, customer, website that displays advertising, or other service provider, as the case may be, is located.
    eBay Inc.
    Unaudited eBay Inc. Supplemental Operating Data
    Three Months Ended
    September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,
    2014 2014 2014 2013 2013
    (In millions, except percentages)
    ECV (1) $63,056 $61,639 $58,495 $59,607 $49,727
    Current quarter vs prior quarter 2 % 5 % (2 %) 20 % 2 %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 27 % 26 % 24 % 23 % 23 %

    During the first quarter of 2014, we revised our internal management reporting of certain Marketplaces transactions to align more closely with our related operating metrics. Related to this change, we correspondingly excluded vehicles and real estate gross merchandise volume from our total gross merchandise volume. Prior period amounts have been revised to conform to the current period segment reporting structure.

    (1) Includes Marketplaces GMV (excluding vehicles and real estate), Payments Merchant Services Net TPV and eBay Enterprise Gross Merchandise Sales not earned on eBay or paid for via PayPal or PayPal Credit (formerly Bill Me Later) during the period; excludes volume transacted through the Magento platform. PayPal Merchant Services Net TPV is the total dollar volume of payments, net of payment reversals, successfully completed through our payments networks, including PayPal Credit, Venmo, and payments processed through Braintree’s full stack payments platform during the period, excludes PayPal’s and Braintree’s payment gateway businesses and payments for transactions on our Marketplaces platforms.
    eBay Inc.
    Unaudited Payments Supplemental Operating Data
    Three Months Ended
    September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,
    2014 2014 2014 2013 2013
    (In millions, except percentages)
    Active registered accounts (1) 156.9 152.5 148.4 142.6 137.4
    Current quarter vs prior quarter 3 % 3 % 4 % 4 % 4 %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 14 % 15 % 16 % 16 % 17 %
    Net number of payments (2) 894.6 850.2 834.4 846.1 729.4
    Current quarter vs prior quarter 5 % 2 % (1 )% 16 % 4 %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 23 % 21 % 22 % 22 % 24 %
    Net total payment volume (3) $56,576 $55,046 $52,006 $51,973 $43,837
    Current quarter vs prior quarter 3 % 6 % % 19 % 2 %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 29 % 29 % 27 % 25 % 25 %
    On eBay net total payment volume as % of net total payment volume 25 % 27 % 29 % 29 % 30 %
    Merchant Services net total payment volume as % of net total payment volume 75 % 73 % 71 % 71 % 70 %
    Take rate (4) 3.45 % 3.53 % 3.55 % 3.53 % 3.70 %
    Transaction rates (5)
    Expense rate 0.95 % 0.95 % 0.99 % 0.97 % 1.05 %
    Loss rate 0.33 % 0.28 % 0.27 % 0.32 % 0.30 %
    Margin rate 62.8 % 65.1 % 64.6 % 63.5 % 63.4 %
    Loan portfolio rates
    Risk adjusted margin (6) 16.8 % 16.6 % 16.2 % 15.8 % 16.1 %
    Net charge-off rate (7) 5.3 % 5.5 % 5.4 % 6.3 % 5.5 %
    90-day delinquency rate (8) 3.3 % 2.7 % 2.8 % 2.9 % 3.2 %
    (1) All registered accounts that successfully sent or received at least one payment or payment reversal through our payments networks, including PayPal Credit and Venmo, but excluding users of Braintree’s unbranded payment checkout solutions, within the last 12 months and which are currently able to transact.
    (2) Total number of payments, net of payment reversals, successfully completed through our payments networks, including PayPal Credit, Venmo and payments processed through Braintree’s full stack payments platform during the period; excludes payments sent or received through PayPal’s and Braintree’s payment gateway businesses.
    (3) Total dollar volume of payments, net of payment reversals, successfully completed through our payments networks, including PayPal Credit, Venmo, and payments processed through Braintree’s full stack payments platform during the period; excludes payments sent or received through PayPal’s and Braintree’s payment gateway businesses.
    (4) Take Rate reflects total net revenues earned through our payments networks, including PayPal Credit, Braintree, Venmo, PayPal’s payment gateway business, subscription fees and other net revenues, divided by Net Total Payment Volume.
    (5) Expense Rate reflects third party payment processing expenses and other related service costs, divided by Net Total Payment Volume.
    Loss Rate reflects expense associated with our customer protection programs, fraud, chargebacks and merchant credit losses, bad debt expense associated with our accounts receivable balances and loan reserves associated with our loan receivables balances, divided by Net Total Payment Volume.
    Margin Rate reflects Take Rate less Expense Rate and Loss Rate, divided by Take Rate.
    (6) The risk adjusted margin represents annualized credit portfolio revenue, excluding contra-revenue incentives to customers or merchants, less cost of funds and less net credit and fraud losses during the period, divided by average loan receivables for the period.
    (7) Net charge-off rate is the annualized ratio of net credit losses over the average daily loan receivables balance during the period. Net credit losses are the principal loan losses, exclusive of interest and late fee write offs, less recoveries of previously charged off balances.
    (8) 90-day delinquency rate is the end of period PayPal Credit account balances that have missed three or more consecutive payments, divided by total ending loan receivables.
    eBay Inc.
    Unaudited Marketplaces Supplemental Operating Data
    Three Months Ended
    September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,
    2014 2014 2014 2013 2013
    (In millions, except percentages)
    Active Buyers (1) 152.3 148.9 145.1 140.3 134.9
    Current quarter vs prior quarter 2  % 3 % 3 % 4 % 3 %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 13  % 14 % 14 % 14 % 13 %
    Gross Merchandise Volume (2) $20,075 $20,485 $20,545 $21,503 $18,345
    Current quarter vs prior quarter (2 )% % (4 )% 17 % %
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 9  % 12 % 12 % 13 % 13 %
    U.S. GMV as % of total GMV 39  % 39 % 40 % 39 % 40 %
    International GMV as % of total GMV 61  % 61 % 60 % 61 % 60 %

    eBay’s classifieds web sites, brands4friends and Shopping.com are not included in these metrics.

    During the first quarter of 2014, we revised our internal management reporting of certain Marketplaces transactions to align more closely with our related operating metrics. Related to this change, we reclassified our Marketplaces vehicle and real estate revenue from net transaction revenues to marketing services and other revenues. Prior period amounts have been revised to conform to the current period segment reporting structure.

    (1) All buyers (including buyers of Half.com, StubHub, GittiGidiyor, and our Korean subsidiary) who successfully closed a transaction within the previous 12-month period. Buyers may register more than once, and as a result, may have more than one account.
    (2) Total value of all successfully closed transactions between users on Marketplaces platforms during the period regardless of whether the buyer and seller actually consummated the transaction; excludes vehicles and real estate gross merchandise volume.
    eBay Inc.
    Unaudited Enterprise Supplemental Operating Data
    Three Months Ended
    September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,
    2014 2014 2014 2013 2013
    (In millions, except percentages)
    Gross Merchandise Sales (1) $900 $940 $936 $1,771 $787
    Current quarter vs prior quarter (4 %) % (47 %) 125 % (3 %)
    Current quarter vs prior year quarter 14 % 15 % 16 % 11 % 13 %
    (1) Represents the retail value of all sales transactions, inclusive of freight charges and net of allowance for returns and discounts, which flow through our Enterprise commerce technologies, whether we record the full amount of such transaction as a product sale or a percentage of such transaction as a service fee; excludes volume transacted through the Magento platform.

    eBay Inc.
    Business Outlook
    (In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts)

    The guidance figures provided below and elsewhere in this press release are forward-looking statements, reflect a number of estimates, assumptions and other uncertainties, and are approximate in nature because the company’s future performance is difficult to predict. Such guidance is based on information available on the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update it.

    The company’s future performance involves risks and uncertainties, and the company’s actual results could differ materially from the information below and elsewhere in this press release. Some of the factors that could affect the company’s operating results are set forth under the caption “Forward-Looking Statements” above in this press release. More information about factors that could affect the company’s operating results is included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by visiting the company’s investor relations website at http://investor.ebayinc.com or the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    Three Months Ending
    December 31, 2014
    (In millions, except per share amounts) GAAP Non-GAAP (a)
    Net Revenue $4,850 – $4,950 $4,850 – $4,950
    Diluted EPS $0.73 – $0.76 $0.88 – $0.91
    (a) Estimated non-GAAP amounts above for the three months ending December 31, 2014, reflect adjustments that exclude the estimated amortization of acquired intangible assets of approximately $70 – $80 million and estimated stock-based compensation expense and employer payroll taxes on stock-based compensation expense of approximately $170 – $180 million as well as the related tax impact.

    eBay Inc.
    Non-GAAP Measures of Financial Performance

    To supplement the company’s condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, the company uses non-GAAP measures of certain components of financial performance. These non-GAAP measures include non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP earnings per diluted share, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP effective tax rate, and free cash flow.

    These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative to, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. In addition, these non-GAAP measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. Non-GAAP measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with the company’s results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP. These measures should only be used to evaluate the company’s results of operations in conjunction with the corresponding GAAP measures.

    Reconciliation to the nearest GAAP measure of all non-GAAP measures included in this press release can be found in the tables included in this press release.

    These non-GAAP measures are provided to enhance investors’ overall understanding of the company’s current financial performance and its prospects for the future. Specifically, the company believes the non-GAAP measures provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain expenses, gains and losses or net purchases of property and equipment, as the case may be, that may not be indicative of its core operating results and business outlook. In addition, because the company has historically reported certain non-GAAP results to investors, the company believes that the inclusion of non-GAAP measures provides consistency in the company’s financial reporting.

    For its internal budgeting process, and as discussed further below, the company’s management uses financial measures that do not include stock-based compensation expense, employer payroll taxes on stock-based compensation, amortization or impairment of acquired intangible assets, impairment of goodwill, significant gains or losses from the disposal/acquisition of a business, certain gains and losses on investments, restructuring-related charges and the income taxes associated with the foregoing. In addition to the corresponding GAAP measures, the company’s management also uses the foregoing non-GAAP measures in reviewing the financial results of the company.

    The company excludes the following items from non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP earnings per diluted share, non-GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP effective tax rate:

    Stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes. This expense consists of expenses for stock options, restricted stock and employee stock purchases. The company excludes stock-based compensation expense from its non-GAAP measures primarily because they are non-cash expenses that management does not believe are reflective of ongoing operating results. The related employer payroll taxes is dependent on the company’s stock price and the timing and size of exercises by employees of their stock options and the vesting of their restricted stock, over which management has limited to no control, and as such management does not believe it correlates to the company’s operation of the business.

    Amortization or impairment of acquired intangible assets, impairment of goodwill, significant gains or losses and transaction expenses from the acquisition or disposal of a business and certain gains or losses on investments. The company incurs amortization or impairment of acquired intangible assets and goodwill in connection with acquisitions and may incur significant gains or losses from the acquisition or disposal of a business and therefore excludes these amounts from its non-GAAP measures. The company also excludes certain gains and losses on investments. The company excludes the impact of the accretion of a note receivable associated with the disposal of certain businesses. The company excludes these items because management does not believe they correlate to the ongoing operating results of the company’s business.

    Restructuring. These charges consist of expenses for employee severance and other exit and disposal costs. The company excludes significant restructuring charges primarily because management does not believe they are reflective of ongoing operating results.

    Other certain significant gains, losses, or charges that are not indicative of the Company’s core operating results. These are significant gains, losses, or charges during a period that are the result of isolated events or transactions which have not occurred frequently in the past and are not expected to occur regularly or be repeated in the future. The company excludes these amounts from its results primarily because management does not believe they are indicative of its current or ongoing operating results.

    Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments. This amount is used to present stock-based compensation and the other amounts described above on an after-tax basis consistent with the presentation of non-GAAP net income.

    In addition to the non-GAAP measures discussed above, the company also uses free cash flow. Free cash flow represents operating cash flows less purchases of property and equipment. The company considers free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by the business after the purchases of property, buildings, and equipment, which can then be used to, among other things, invest in the company’s business, make strategic acquisitions, and repurchase stock. A limitation of the utility of free cash flow as a measure of financial performance is that it does not represent the total increase or decrease in the company’s cash balance for the period.

    eBay Inc.
    Reconciliation of GAAP Operating Margin to Non-GAAP Operating Margin
    Three Months Ended
    September 30, September 30,
    2014 2013
    (In millions, except percentages)
    GAAP operating income $ 781 $ 799
    Stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes 173 141
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets within cost of net revenues 20 19
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets within operating expenses 58 81
    Total non-GAAP operating income adjustments 251 241
    Non-GAAP operating income $ 1,032 $ 1,040
    Non-GAAP operating margin 23.7 % 26.8 %
    Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Non-GAAP Net Income and
    GAAP Effective Tax Rate to Non-GAAP Effective Tax Rate
    Three Months Ended
    September 30, September 30,
    2014 2013
    (In millions, except per share amounts)
    GAAP income before income taxes $ 801 $ 873
    GAAP provision for income taxes (128 ) (184 )
    GAAP net income $ 673 $ 689
    Non-GAAP adjustments to net income:
    Non-GAAP operating income adjustments (see table above) 251 241
    Accretion of note receivable (5 )
    Amortization of intangibles of investments 1 2
    Gain on sale of RueLaLa and ShopRunner (75 )
    Other (3 )
    Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments (74 ) (15 )
    Non-GAAP net income $ 848 $ 837
    Diluted net income per share:
    GAAP $ 0.54 $ 0.53
    Non-GAAP $ 0.68 $ 0.64
    Shares used in GAAP and non-GAAP diluted net income per-share calculation 1,251 1,310
    GAAP effective tax rate 16  % 21  %
    Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments to net income 3  % (2 )%
    Non-GAAP effective tax rate 19  % 19  %
    Reconciliation of Operating Cash Flow to Free Cash Flow
    Three Months Ended
    September 30, September 30,
    2014 2013
    (In millions)
    Net cash provided by operating activities $ 1,368 $ 1,334
    Less: Purchases of property and equipment (427 ) (317 )
    Free cash flow $ 941 $ 1,017

     

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  • eBay Announces Live Auctions For Arts & Collectibles

    eBay Announces Live Auctions For Arts & Collectibles

    eBay announced the launch of a new Live Auctions feature, enabling buyers to participate in auctions for arts and collectibles from actual auction rooms from the website.

    The company has a schedule of upcoming auctions, which is as follows:

    10/9: African-American Fine Art, hosted by Swann Auction Galleries
    10/14: Rare & Important Travel Posters, hosted by Swann Auction Galleries
    10/15: English & Continental Furniture & Decorations/Old Master Paintings, hosted by Doyle New York
    10/16: Books, Maps and Manuscripts, hosted by Freeman’s
    10/17: Fine Photographs: Icons & Images, hosted by Swann Auction Galleries
    10/21: Early Printed, Medical & Scientific Books, hosted by Swann Auction Galleries
    10/21: Important Jewelry, hosted by Doyle New York

    “Through the launch of live auctions, eBay is reimagining the time-honored auction house experience,” said Gene Cook, GM of emerging verticals for eBay Marketplaces. “We know that people want new ways to peruse and purchase fine art and collectibles, and eBay’s live auctions are a best-in-class, inspiring shopping experience that delivers on this at a variety of price points.”

    eBay’s live auction inventory is sold directly by the auction houses themselves.

    In May, eBay announced that it had partnered with Invaluable, which has its own live online bidding platform, to bring over 2,000 auction houses to eBay buyers.

    Image via eBay

  • What The eBay PayPal Split-Up Means For Them And For You

    What The eBay PayPal Split-Up Means For Them And For You

    Big news in the world of e-commerce. eBay announced that it will separate eBay and PayPal into two independent, publicly-trade companies next year.

    Do you expect each of these companies to thrive separately? Let us know what you think.

    Investor Carl Icahn had famously called for such a spin-off, and it looks like he is now getting his wish. He’s reportedly the company’s six-largest shareholder.

    The decision came after the Board of Directors reviewed the company’s growth strategies and structure. They concluded that creating two separate businesses best positions them to “capitalize on their respective growth opportunities in the rapidly changing global commerce and payments landscape.”

    Indeed, both eBay and PayPal face greatly increased competition from numerous big players including Google, Apple, Amazon, Alibaba, and Square, to name a few. Then there are companies like Stripe, which already has deals in place with Facebook and Twitter.

    “eBay and PayPal are two great businesses with leading global positions in commerce and payments,” said President and CEO John Donahoe. “For more than a decade eBay and PayPal have mutually benefited from being part of one company, creating substantial shareholder value. However, a thorough strategic review with our board shows that keeping eBay and PayPal together beyond 2015 clearly becomes less advantageous to each business strategically and competitively. The industry landscape is changing, and each business faces different competitive opportunities and challenges.”

    “eBay and PayPal will be sharper and stronger, and more focused and competitive as leading, standalone companies in their respective markets,” Donahoe added. “As independent companies, eBay and PayPal will enjoy added flexibility to pursue new market and partnership opportunities. And we are confident following a thorough assessment of the relationships between eBay and PayPal that operating agreements can maintain synergies going forward. Our board and management team believe that putting eBay and PayPal on independent paths in 2015 is best for each business and will create additional value for our shareholders.”

    In its announcement, eBay listed the following as three conclusions the Board came to upon completing its review:

    1. A changing competitive landscape creates enormous opportunities for eBay and PayPal; separation will create sharper strategic focus and better position each business to capitalize on those growth opportunities as independent companies. The pace of industry change and innovation in commerce and payments requires maximum flexibility to stay competitive and drive global leadership.

    2. The benefits of the existing relationships between eBay and PayPal will naturally decline over time and can be optimized in arm’s length operating agreements between the two entities. Arm’s length operating agreements can formalize the existing relationships between the two companies and capture ongoing synergies.

    3. This is the best path for delivering sustainable shareholder value. eBay is a leading global commerce platform that has benefited from PayPal, and PayPal is a strong, rapidly growing global payments leader because it has been part of eBay. But beyond 2015, eBay and PayPal will each benefit more and create greater value from the strategic focus, speed, flexibility and agility that come with being independent publicly traded companies.

    Donahoe and CFO Bob Swan will lead the separation of each business with oversight from the board, including the determination of management and capital structures for both companies. Interestingly, neither Donahoe nor Swan will have an executive management role in either of the separated companies, though they’ll most likely serve on the Boards.

    eBay’s new CEO will become Devin Wenig, who is currently president of eBay Marketplaces. Scott Schenkel, who is currently CFO of eBay Marketplaces will become CFO of eBay.

    “eBay has been a leading innovator in the world of commerce for almost 20 years; it’s an incredibly special business,” Donahoe said. “Since joining eBay three years ago, Devin has proven to be an exceptional global leader and operating executive. He is steadily enhancing eBay’s unique assets and capabilities and creating new commerce experiences to ensure long-term growth and commerce leadership. He will make a fantastic CEO of eBay.”

    Dan Schulman joins PayPal from American Express, where he was president of Enterprise Growth, to be President of PayPal, effective immediately, he will also be responsible for designating the CEO of the standalone PayPal company.

    “As both a leading global technology platform and a financial services business, PayPal requires a diverse blend of leadership skills and operating experience in its president and future CEO,” Donahoe said. “Dan has a proven track record of leading complex technology businesses at scale, driving sustainable growth and understanding how to innovate to drive competitive advantage and deliver compelling experiences for customers. I am thrilled to have him lead PayPal forward as a publicly traded, independent global payments leader, and we welcome him to the team.”

    What does the mean split mean for current customers and businesses using eBay and PayPal? eBay had this to say:

    The creation of independent eBay and PayPal businesses will take up to 12 months to complete so this has no immediate impact on your account. Likewise, you can continue to count on everything you expect from eBay today. Innovation, value, trust, selection, and global reach will remain central to our business. And we will continue to work closely with PayPal to ensure payments remain a seamless part of the eBay experience.

    As an active customer, you help make eBay what it is. eBay has always been more than a store. It is a community of people—buyers and sellers—connecting around the world. Thank you for being part of this amazing community. As we begin this next chapter of the eBay story, you have our commitment to make sure people like you remain at the heart of everything we do.

    The spin-off is expected to be completed in the second half of 2015. It is subject to market, regulatory, and other conditions.

    Some are already speculating that another company like Google could make a play to acquire PayPal, but given that it’s not even going to be its own company for another year, there’s no telling what will happen in the space in the meantime.

    eBay has a history of getting rid of companies it previously acquired. It sold Skype to an investment group, which in turn sold it to Microsoft. It also sold StumbleUpon, which became profitable a year ago.

    Do you think users will benefit from the separation of eBay and PayPal? Will it make any difference? Share your thoughts in the comments.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • iPhone 6 Plus Going for Embarrassing Amount of Money on eBay

    No.

    Nope.

    Naaaaaaah.

    I know there’s no iPhone 6 Plus stock left and the phone is so cool that even dead people are singing its praises.

    But no. Just wait a couple weeks. Read a book. Go fly a kite. Take LSD. Do literally anything other than pay $5,000 for a new iPhone.

  • eBay Announces Enterprise Commerce Marketing Platform

    eBay Announces Enterprise Commerce Marketing Platform

    eBay is readying a product called the eBay Enterprise Commerce Marketing Platform, which will reportedly combine various other platforms, including those it picked up in its 2011 acquisition of GSI Commerce.

    That deal was for $2.4 billion, and was a play by the company to cement itself as a leading strategic global commerce partner of choice for retailers and brands of all sizes.

    eBay Enterprise President Craig Hayman writes on the company’s enterprise blog, “We evaluated our existing demand-generation technologies to see how we could make them more efficient, more effective and easier to use. And we found a brilliant strategic partner in FICO, a leading predictive analytics and decision-management company.”

    “Together, we designed and built the eBay Enterprise Commerce Marketing Platform,” he adds. “This omnichannel demand-generation suite includes a robust mix of planning, management and analytical tools, fully integrated with best-in-class demand-generation solutions.”

    According to a report from AdAge, eBay intends to have clients migrated over to the new platform by the end of March after making it available in the first quarter. The report says:

    The platform, which sits on a DMP, will allow clients to combine their own proprietary data with third-party data and information from eBay itself, and could be used for things like website optimization and social- media ad retargeting based on previous product views. For example, a retailer could match its email list to eBay registration data, then connect that matched ID to a mobile device or online cookie to aim display ads at customers who don’t open emails.

    Mr. Denton [Steve Denton, VP of marketing solutions for eBay Enterprise] said eBay would not tap into any data flowing through the enterprise commerce platform for its own purposes. “Your data as a client is your data,” he said.

    According to eBay, the new platform will enable you to optimize offers and spend across all channels, act on knowledge of value/timing of “each step of the customer journey,” and utilize eBay’s own insights.

    I’m sure we’ll be hearing plenty more about this in the coming months.

    Image via eBay

  • eBay Has New (Kind Of) Mobile Ad Plans

    eBay Has New (Kind Of) Mobile Ad Plans

    eBay has a new webpage up about in-app mobile advertising, where it is courting advertisers to appear in its apps.

    As AdAge notes, the company tested ads in its mobile apps in 2012, but decided not to run with it. With PayPal possibly being spun off next year, it’s apparently had a change of heart.

    “With $20 billion in mobile commerce generated in 2013 and 260 million (and counting) global app downloads, eBay is a leader in m-commerce,” eBay says. “What’s more, eBay mobile users are highly engaged. They spend 3x the amount of time on eBay compared to the nearest competitor. Now, for the first time, we’re giving you the opportunity to connect with eBay users throughout their entire shopping journey. eBay mobile advertising will be a native experience, beautifully integrated into the eBay app.”

    “eBay is one of the world’s largest online marketplaces with more than 149 million active users driving nearly $75 billion in sales volume in 2013,” it says. “As one of the only ad-targeting platforms to naturally possess first-party data, we have enormous insight into user interests and intent based on actual shopping and purchase behavior. In fact, eBay tracks over 290 million hours of shopping activity each month. We harness the power of this data to help our advertising partners reach their ideal audience anytime, anywhere and on any device.”

    It goes on to tell advertisers they’ll have access to over 60 predefined audience segments, powered by “real commerce data”. It also creates custom segments with an Audience Discovery tool.

    It then talks about cross-device targeting and its suite of products, which includes programmatic buying, eBay Audience Platform, and mobile.

    As The Wall Street Journal, which reported on eBay’s offering earlier, points out, the move risks sending potential buyers away from eBay to competitors, but that “advertising is an attractive market because it tends to generate much higher margins than the sale of goods.”

    Amazon is also working on its own AdSense competitor, while Google itself just announced AdSense for Shopping, enabling third-party commerce publishers to run Google product ads.

    eBay is working with Triad Retail Media on its offering.

    Image via eBay

  • The Word’s Most Expensive Comic Book Was Just Sold On eBay

    The Word’s Most Expensive Comic Book Was Just Sold On eBay

    “History has been made on eBay,” a spokesperson for the company tells WebProNews.

    We reported last month that Action Comics #1 – the comic book that introduced the world to Superman – was to go up for auction on eBay. It’s often considered the “Holy Grail” of comic books. There are believed to be about 50 unrestored original copies in existence. Dealer Darren Adams had one of them, and it was in remarkable condition. Naturally, he decided to see what he could get for it.

    The auction ended Sunday night, closing at 6pm PT, with a winning bid of $3.2 million, shattering the previous record of $2.16 million that was set in 2011. The copy is now officially the most expensive comic book in the world, according to Certified Guaranty Company evaluator Mike Brown.

    “I’m proud to have owned the most valuable comic book in the world,” said Darren Adams. “Working with eBay on this auction allowed me to share this rare treasure with their global community and ensure the next owner is just as passionate about its place in history.”

    “This was a record auction for eBay as it was the most expensive comic book ever sold on our marketplace. The sale of Action Comics #1 is a prime example of how eBay plays a role in popular culture by connecting shoppers to must-have merchandise, including rare and valuable collectibles,” said Gene Cook, General Manager of Emerging Verticals for eBay Marketplaces. “This was an extraordinary opportunity to bring a comic – one that has captured the attention of passionate collectors and casual fans alike. We will continue to bring more of the world’s most unique and compelling merchandise to our passionate and global community of 149 million buyers, at a wide range of accessible price points.”

    Some of the proceeds from the auction are being donated to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

    Image via eBay

  • eBay Could Spin Off PayPal Next Year [Report]

    eBay Could Spin Off PayPal Next Year [Report]

    A new report out today from The Information says that eBay is considering spinning off PayPal as soon as next year – a move investor Carl Icahn very publicly called on eBay to make earlier this year.

    Jessica Lessin reports:

    Ebay has been telling potential recruits for the position of PayPal CEO that it’s considering spinning off the payments business as soon as next year, according to two people briefed on the conversations. The search for a new head of the unit began in June after former PayPal CEO David Marcus said he was leaving for Facebook.

    eBay’s PR department has been passing around this statement:

    “The board will continue to assess all alternatives to create that long-term value and to enhance the growth and competitive positions of both eBay and PayPal. This position has not changed.”

    Marcus is heading up the messaging unit at Facebook, and is expected to turn Messenger, which Facebook recently began requiring mobile users to use for chatting, into an ecommerce offering of sorts.

    Spinning off companies would be nothing new for eBay. In the past, it has bought and sold the likes of Skype and StumbleUpon. The former, of course, eventually went on to be acquired by Microsoft. The latter became profitable last fall.

    Earlier this week, PayPal announced a new “One Touch” payment feature for mobile apps, which it is making available at first to certain developers, but plans to roll out more broadly in the near future.

    Image via PayPal

  • PayPal Announces One Touch Payment Feature

    PayPal Announces One Touch Payment Feature

    As you may recall, eBay bought payments platform Braintree for $800 million last fall. Now, PayPal and Braintree have introduced One Touch, a new way to pay for things in mobile apps. In fact, it’s the fastest way to do so, according to the company.

    One Touch payments are open for developer beta with select merchants for the time being. Those using the Braintree v.zero SDK and all PayPal app users will be able to use it soon. In a post on the PayPal blog, the company says:

    With One Touch, PayPal’s 152+ million active users will be able to securely pay in many of their favorite mobile apps in a single touch, making remembering user IDs, passwords and card numbers a thing of the past. One Touch payments will be the magical experience that every mobile user will come to expect, not unlike the experience PayPal pioneered for online shopping and paying many years ago.

    You’ll soon discover that checking out with One Touch will enable you to easily, quickly and securely pay in a single touch. Of course, you’ll be able to opt in and out of the experience by app and choose any source of funding – from your PayPal balance, credit card or linked bank account – with each purchase. This One Touch experience will be the absolute fastest way to pay on a mobile device, letting you get what you want when you want it.

    PayPal is sure to note that there is no trade off of security when you use One Touch. It’s just as secure as any other PayPal transaction, they say.

    The beta is open to select developers in the U.S. using Braintree v.zero SDK.

    Image via PayPal

  • eBay Sucks Slightly Less Than Others at Diversity

    eBay just followed suit and released their gender and ethnic diversity figures, and it looks like the company have hurdled a pretty low bar. Or limboed a very high bar. Something easy.

    According to eBay, their company is made up of 58 percent male employees. This beats Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, who have all released their diversity figures over the past couple of months (in that order).

    On the high end, both Twitter and Google are 70 percent male, and on the low end Pinterest is 60 percent.

    “As a leader in commerce and digital payments, we take diversity seriously. Since eBay was founded in 1995, we have believed in the power of technology to democratize commerce and create more opportunities for all. We believe in the same power of inclusion and opportunity inside our company. Enabling talented people to thrive matters. Diversity matters. It makes us stronger, and makes us better,” says eBay.

    “We believe sustained commitment can make a demonstrable difference. And we are far from satisfied. We will continue to strive for progress, and a stronger, better, more diverse eBay.”

    When it comes to ethnic diversity, eBay is 61 percent white – putting them somewhere in the middle of the other tech companies for that specific stat. But, with 5 percent and 7 percent respectively, eBay employs more Hispanic and Black workers than any of the other companies previously mentioned.

    “We are committed to publishing this data annually. We hope such transparency by eBay and other companies in our industry will help foster constructive debate, partnership and progress,” says eBay.

    As important as the company as a whole’s diversity figures are, the most telling sign that the tech world has a diversity problem comes in the leadership position diversity. Like all of the aforementioned companies, eBay skews heavily toward the white dudes. eBay’s leadership is 72 percent male and 72 percent white.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons