eBay says Skype worth $2bn
eBay's chief executive Jonathan Donahoe believes Skype, which the online tat bazaar is trying to flog, is worth more than $2bn. That would be good news for eBay which paid $2.6bn for the voice over internet protocol phone service in 2005. Additional payments were dependent on Skype hitting certain targets. The phone service has …
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Did they even try?
Did Ebay even try to 'leverage the synergies'* between the two companies?
I'm not a heavy Ebay user, but I don't ever recall an (for example) link/icon on a tat page saying something like "Click here to speak to me now via skype". That is surely what they refer to 'entropic synergy leverage'** - I mean, if you are wanting to buy something a bit pricey, you want to speak to the dude first right? A little link to hook you up with the seller via skype, or take a voice mail if the seller isn't online? Isn't that what they were talking about.
Well, two points spring to mind:
1) They never (as far as I know) ever went down that road. Opportunity lost.
2) Skype could have added that feature on their own, and made an API available that *anyone* could use, just like cart icons on web pages (publicly available APIs that you are invited to code against). They didn't need to get bough for $2.6 billion to write an API! I would have developed it for them, for a mere fuckton of cash. Could have saved themselves loads that ebay lot, the silly beggers.
* To my hallowed fellow El Reg readers, I apologise
** Hey, I can spout this shit all day if you want me to!
But you should never pay full price
on something bought from eBay.
flog it on ebay
maybe if they put it up for auction they find a higher bidder?
Ebay are selling Skype?
What's the "buy it now" Price? is it No Reserve? Do I get buyer protection?
Actually, i dont think i will bother. they will probably add 3% on for paying with paypal anyway. Besides, their feedback is rubbish.....
Skype needs to advertise.
Most people don't even know what Skype is. I use a standalone Skype phone and the service only cost three bucks a month plus a twenty four dollar Skype in number each year. Thats only $60/year! I know people paying $60/month for a traditional landline. The call quality of Skype is very good too. The standalone phones are expensive but that is a one time cost that quickly pays for itself. All Skype needs is some advertisement! Seems so simple. Why is Meg Whitman an such an airhead on this?
do yer maths
$2 billion equates to $125 per active Skype customer.
Given the average spend for each skype customer, this price does not compute.
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