Sign in / up

back to article 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 …

COMMENTS

House rules Send corrections
This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Mark Wills
    Boffin

    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!

    0 0
  2. Norm DePlume
    Coat

    But you should never pay full price

    on something bought from eBay.

    0 0
  3. Sebastian Brosig

    flog it on ebay

    maybe if they put it up for auction they find a higher bidder?

    0 0
  4. SuperTim

    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.....

    0 0
  5. Supreme Guru of Everything
    Alien

    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?

    0 0
  6. Charles Smith
    Thumb Down

    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.

    0 0
  7. pctechxp

    I'll take it off their hands

    for 99p

    0 0
This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like