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Today is
eBay's Analyst Day, and we're watching the webcast to
glean any important bits of info for you. Stay tuned for more throughout the afternoon.Skypecasts and Skype Me! are the names of the game: the answer to "how will eBay integrate Skype with PayPal and auctions?"
Everyone wants to hear more from our favorite CEO, Meg Whitman, and she has taken back the stage after lunch. She discusses the integration between Skype and eBay, raves about Skypecasts, and tells the gathered analysts: eBay transactions that allow potential buyers to "Skype Me" sell for twice the sales price of the transactions, that don't. Her keynote address is that "eBay provides your online reputation, PayPal provides your wallet, and Skype provides your online presence." She makes the argument that you will soon be able to take all of these aspects of your "self" with you wherever you go; "the internet will no longer be just a destination, but the fully integrated and ever present part of your lives."
[Tim Beyers from Motley Fool agrees with Meg: in his opinion, Skypecasts are a fantastic justification for Skype's $2.6 billion purchase price.]
It makes sense, really; PayPal will be positioned to become the preferred payment method on Skype; Skype will allow eBay sellers to chat with buyers and learn more about the products available for sale; the three will work together as a synergistic brand machine. And it's really about brands here; the management team keeps harping on the hugeness of each brand as a Brand, and how quickly and world-dominating-ly they are growing.
Later, CFO Bob Swan gets on to remind us that the building of these brands is exactly why they have to spend so much on sales and marketing. Well, with 80% gross margins, I guess I would, too.
[Aside: I love Meg Whitman to death but have *never* been a huge
fan of her fashion sense. Gah. I'm really trying to get past her gigantic paisley scarf-cowl thing and listen to
her.]
[Disclaimer: I own a few shares of eBay, and next time I have cash to invest, I think I'm buying some more.]
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