Cheers,
RBH

“This innovative rewards program reflects the future of retail and the convenient, seamless shopping experience consumers are looking for,” said eBay Inc. President and CEO John Donahoe.

This partnership reflects eBay Inc.’s commitment to enabling commerce—partnering with brands, retailers and sellers of all sizes to market their inventory and empowering consumers to shop their channel of choice, whether it’s “clicks” online or “bricks” in their local neighborhoods.

eBay Holiday Rewards Program

• - Today Friday, December 16 at 6:00AM ET through Monday, December 19 at 11:59PM ET
• - Shop online at Toys“R”Us or Babies“R”Us on eBay, ToysRUs.com, BabiesRUs.com, Dicks SportingGoods.com or Aeropostale.com
• - Spend $100 or more with any participating retailer and check out with PayPal
• - Receive a coupon via email for $10 off your in-store purchase
• - Redeem coupon at a local retail store, of the same brand, through December

For the last-minute shoppers out there, you can easily find – and buy – the gifts you want at a local retail store through RedLaser. Users of the app can scan or search top toys, check availability at the nearest Toys“R”Us retail location and purchase the item through PayPal, right from the palm of your hand. Shoppers can conveniently pick up their gifts in-store that same day.

Make sure to come back here to the blog and tell us about your online and in-store shopping experience this holiday season.

Cheers,
RBH

I’m consistently amazed (and proud) of some of the initiatives that come out of our company, especially around the holidays. Earlier this week, eBay unveiled The Give-A-Toy Store in New York and San Francisco that makes it easy for shoppers to donate joy – and toys – via their mobile devices. The holiday storefronts benefit Toys for Tots and feature interactive displays of popular toys such as teddy bears and trains that represent donation amounts from $2 to $25. Window shoppers can download the eBay mobile app to scan QR codes on virtual price tags, which triggers the toys to animate and “come to life.” As donations are made to Toys for Tots, the virtual toys celebrate and express their gratitude.

Actress Debra Messing joined eBay to launch The Give-A-Toy Store in New York City, located at 35th Street & Broadway, near Herald Square. A Give-A-Toy Store also opened at 117 Post Street in San Francisco, near the busy Union Square shopping district. Both locations will be open for enjoyment and charitable window shopping through December 9th. Here is some behind-the-scenes footage of the launch…

Shoppers not in New York or San Francisco are able to experience the Give-A-Toy Store and make donations by visiting http://www.eBay.com/GiveAToyStore. Facebook users are also invited to interact with the Give-A-Toy Store on Facebook, through the Build a Toy campaign that allows fans to customize a virtual toy at Facebook.com/eBay. eBay will donate $1 for every toy customized, up to $50,000.

Cheers!
RBH

eBay Inc. today reported that revenue for Q3FY11, increased 32% to $3.0 billion, compared to the same period of 2010. We recorded Q3 net income on a GAAP basis of $490.5 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, and non-GAAP net income of $628.2 million, or $0.48 per diluted share. The year-over-year increase in third quarter GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share was driven primarily by solid top-line growth, partially offset by continued investment in key strategic initiatives and the impact of acquisitions.

PayPal
PayPal ended the quarter with 103.0 million active registered accounts, a 14% increase year over year. PayPal revenue increased 32% year over year and PayPal’s net total payment volume (TPV) grew 31% to $29.3 billion in Q3 compared to the same period of last year. PayPal expects to generate more than $3.5 billion in mobile TPV in 2011, up from $750 million in 2010.

eBay Marketplaces
The Marketplaces business also delivered a strong Q3. Gross merchandise volume (GMV) excluding vehicles increased by 16% year over year to $14.7 billion. U.S. GMV excluding vehicles increased 14% year over year. International GMV excluding vehicles increased 18% year over year to $9.1 billion, reflecting solid growth in Europe, continued improved performance in Korea, as well as a positive impact from foreign exchange.

eBay expects to generate almost $5 billion in mobile GMV in 2011, more than double mobile GMV in 2010.

The company’s GSI business, which was acquired in the second quarter of 2011, contributed $202.6 million in revenue for the third quarter.

Business Outlook
• Fourth quarter 2011 — eBay expects net revenues in the range of $3,200 – $3,350 million with GAAP earnings per diluted share in the range of $1.47 – $1.53 and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.55 – $0.58. GAAP earnings per diluted share includes the gain from the sale of our remaining equity interest in Skype.

• Full year 2011 — eBay now expects net revenues in the range of $11,500 – $11,600 million with GAAP earnings per diluted share in the range of $2.42 – $2.48 and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share in the range of $1.98 – $2.01. GAAP earnings per diluted share includes the gain from the sale of our remaining equity interest in Skype.

There are a number of options for you to get more information around today’s earnings announcement. You can listen along to the live eBay earnings call. You can follow along with my tweets in real-time, beginning at 2pm PT.

You can access the full Q3 eBay earnings announcement.

For folks interested in following the entire conversation on StockTwits, go to http://stocktwits.com/symbol/EBAY.

Cheers,
RBH

From the X.Commerce Blog Post:

We’ll be live blogging and tweeting from the road, so you can keep up here and by following @X_Commerce on Twitter for real-time updates, videos, photos and more. You’re also invited to join the conversation by using #XbusTour on Twitter and if you happen to spot the bus out on the road, snap a photo of it and share it with us!

Don’t forget to register for the X.commerce Developer Conference, where you’ll be able to join thousands of other developers to learn firsthand how to fully utilize the X.commerce platform opportunity, along with the full range of eBay Inc. assets and technologies.

You can also track the progress and upcoming stops of the XbusTour.

PayPal Exec Comments on Competition
In an interview with CNET, PayPal’s Sam Shrauger, vice president of global product and design, commented that services seeking to mimic or compete with PayPal, will face a slew of challenges, “Being in the payments business is harder than saying you’re in the payments business.” As most of the industry is focusing on a technology called near-field communications, PayPal PayPal isn’t going to mandate the use of any specific technology. [via CNET]

Further News
+ A new study finds, social media can be as addictive as drugs
+ Econsultancy.com rounds up ten new e-commerce infographics
+ Over half of tablet owners say that they use it for shopping

Looking Back on eBay Ink
August 3, 2010: eBay Announces First-Ever Free Rewards Program with eBay Bucks. The program is free and open to all US eBay users. In a nutshell, eBay Bucks offers consumers 2% back on most items purchased through the eBay Marketplace with PayPal. I sat down with Marc Steffens, Sr. Manager of eBay Bucks Rewards Program, to discuss the launch and what it means for buyers and sellers. (You can also read more in his eBay Announcement Board post).

eBay Ink Weekend Roundup is a summary of news and updates around eBay, PayPal, Social Media, Technology and E-commerce. Let us know what interests you.

Today we announced that eBay has agreed to acquire Zong for approximately $240 million. Zong is one of the leading providers of payments through mobile carrier billing, with connections with more than 250 mobile carriers in 45 countries. Upon closing of the transaction, Zong will eventually become part of PayPal.

PayPal has 100 million active accounts; millions of people who have already trusted us to provide their digital wallets. And Zong’s expertise in carrier billing means that it has the potential to reach the more than 4 billion people around the world who have mobile phones – including people who don’t have (or choose not to use) bank accounts or credit cards online. By combining Zong and PayPal, we believe we can offer more services to more customers, ultimately bringing even more value to how people pay and get paid.

You can read more about it on the Zong blog too.

Cheers,
RBH

The developer community has told us eBay and PayPal offer really powerful ecommerce and payments technology but, they are even more powerful when managed together. And, the market is evolving really fast. Online and offline commerce are converging into a “new retail” experience, powered by mobile, local, social and digital innovation. In this new environment, people want a seamless and integrated shopping and payments solution that works anytime, anywhere — on any connected device.

That makes a lot of sense to us. So, to deliver on your expectations and take advantage of all this innovation, we have decided to come together as one team to give developers one ecommerce solution – a complete approach to commerce online and offline that gives you more access, resources and support than ever before. I’m honored to now lead this newly combined open platform business, made up of the assets of both eBay and PayPal platforms.

The first indication of this joint union of developer communities is the announcement of Innovate 2011. Innovate 2011 will take place on October 12 & 13 at Moscone West in San Francisco and combines the eBay Developer Conference and PayPal’s Innovate X into one all-encompassing event.

Cheers,
RBH

Version 1.2 of the eBay Fashion iPhone app is now live in the App store and includes a new “See It On” Sunglasses feature (requires iPhone 4 & iOS 4.0) that uses augmented reality to let shoppers virtually try on sunglasses! Here’s how it works…

1. Access “See It On” from the app’s front page

2. Isolate an image of yourself using a front-facing camera

3. Choose different styles, including Aviator, Novelty, Fashion, Giro, Wayfarer and Rimless, as well as frames and lenses in multiple colors

4. Fit the glasses to your face using a pinch and zoom measurement

5. Purchase the perfect pair, right from the palm of your hand!

Check out this demo video highlighting the app:

Something tells me sunglasses are just the beginning. I’m sure we’ll be seeing similar features for any number of accessories in the not-to-distant future. And for now, that future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades [double groan].

Cheers!
RBH

More core features of the eBay Fashion iPhone App:
** New direct access to expanded categories—including Jewelry, Watches, Wedding—from the palm of your hand.
** A Personalized Closet allowing users to add, store and curate fashion finds in one place.
** An Outfit Builder enabling users to mix and match items from their Closet and virtually try them on – through an augmented reality feature – to create unique looks.
** Direct entry to the eBay Fashion Vault offering instant access to new, fixed price clothing, shoes and accessories at great value through exclusive, limited time discounts on coveted designer brands so users never have to miss a sale.
** A Virtual Style Gallery showcasing the latest trends and fashions on the home screen in a slide show format. Users simply tap the picture of an item they like to search for similar items available on eBay’s Marketplace.
** Auto Complete Feature: Automatically recognizes similar popular searches and fills in the rest of the search term.
** A customized eBay account view from the fashion perspective through My eBay (Fashion), only displaying fashion listings for easier organization and to help users plan their wardrobe. Users can always see their entire My eBay contents from the core eBay iPhone app or at eBay.com. 

eBay is focusing on three key themes for consumers this Holiday season:
1. Shop social
2. Shop mobile
3. Shop online

I had told Addison, my 4-year old daughter, that I was anticipating a busy day at the office before I left home last Friday morning. She had told me not to worry, she had given me something for luck and gave me a kiss on the cheek as I walked out the door. It wasn’t until 1:30pm that I opened up a folder out of my bag and found a small drawing of a smiley face and a heart. Exactly what I needed to keep me going through the afternoon.

You see, whenever we have something planned here at eBay HQ it always seems to follow the rule of three (rather than have one significant activity going on, we’ll have at least three). Last Friday was no exception. I arrived at the office on Friday morning to find a film crew set up in our cafeteria, a number of trucks outside, and every large conference room on the first floor of our building was booked for the day for various activities; from a “Women in Tech” meeting to a media presentation for a number of top press representatives from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, etc. To top it all off, we had a number of top Mom and organizational bloggers visiting that I was presenting to
later that afternoon (like they were going to learn anything from me). Needless to say, there was a lot going on.

It all centered around one thing – eBay and the Holidays. Specifically, the concept of “Love to Give” and this week, eBay has launched a number of ways in which people can shop, give and share their holiday experiences.

Love to Give This Holiday – Celebrating the “Unwrap Attack”
First off, we have “unwrap attacks” – those unforgettable, uncontrollable emotional moments that occur when someone receives the perfect gift. People are encouraged to upload videos of their best unwrap attack moment to the Love to Give gallery (http://lovetogive.ebay.com).

Samantha Bee, comedian and correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, will report on the phenomenon of unwrap attacks in an original webisode series. The campaign also features a shop-able Facebook “Unwrap Attack Creator” application.

Samantha was here all day Friday meeting with folks, filming, and even taking photos with yours truly…

Love to Give – Social Shopping
eBay also launched a first-of-its-kind social shopping tool, eBay Group Gifts (http://groupgifts.ebay.com). This innovative shopping experience integrates eBay, Facebook and PayPal, making it easy for family and friends to chip in together to purchase a group gift for any special occasion. eBay Group Gifts gives shoppers a way to give bigger gifts for less during the holiday season.

Love to Give – Mobile Shopping
With more than 13 million downloads and over $1.5 billion of merchandise volume expected this year, eBay is leading mobile commerce (http://mobile.ebay.com). eBay mobile apps are turning smartphones into shopping malls, not only enabling people to conveniently shop anywhere, anytime, but also making it easy to compare products and prices. eBay mobile helps you find the best deal on the perfect gift. eBay’s mobile app is available on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7, giving almost anyone with a smartphone access to eBay’s global marketplace.

Other Ways to Love to Give This Holiday
Can’t think of what you’d love to give this holiday? eBay is here to help. eBay’s Gift Spot (http://gifts.ebay.com) offers recommendations on gifts that are just right for husbands, wives, kids, family, fashionistas, techies, sports fans and others on your list. eBay does the searching, so you can focus on the giving.

The holiday season is also a time when people love to give back. eBay makes it easy to gift and give back by joining celebrities and organizations to participate in one-of-a-kind auctions benefitting worthy causes and those in need. Some auctions at http://www.ebay.com/holidaygiving include:
• President Clinton will be auctioning off dinner for a winner and three friends. All of the proceeds will go to work of the Clinton Foundation.
• A round of Ping Pong at SPIN with Susan Sarandon to benefit Independent Filmmaker Project
• A meet and greet with Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro at the premiere of their new comedy “Little Fockers” benefitting the Stiller Foundation.
• Jimmy Buffett VIP experience auction funds help the Child Mind Institute.
• Celebrity golf experience in Hawaii with sports greats like Steve Young, benefitting the Children’s Miracle Network.

For more information, visit eBay’s holiday homepage at http://gifts.ebay.com.

Check out all my photos from last Friday’s events on the eBay Ink Flickr page.

I have a lot of behind-the-scenes video footage that I’m editing that I look forward to sharing with you all soon too.

Cheers!
RBH