Colin, you may have hit on the very reason they purchased skype rather than designing their own -- the Asia factor. Ebay is behind in Japan, where yahoo auctions got a 3-4 months headstart. Maybe they're trying to regain their share there by muddling (uhm... Merging) these products.
> -----Original Message----- > From: Colin Anderson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 2:49 PM > To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion > Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] Skype purchased by Ebay 2.6 Billion > > > Seems to me that the intellectual property (the network + encryption + > client) is really the crown jewel here and an Ebay/Skype > client is a no brainer. In fact, I can see a scenario where > they drop or severly de-ephasize the voice part for their > ends - maybe reduced to a "Powered by Skype" blurb on the > client skin (just like you see "Powered by AOL search" or > other claptrap on CNN) > > The reality will be how well Ebay handles this. They will > probably bumble it. > > Funny thing is, for the $2.6 bil they spent for IP+client > list, they chould have designed and implemented their *own* > stuff coupled with the mother of all marketing campaigns > (think global: tons of Skype users are Asians - any Asian > users on the list care to comment about how this is being percieved in > Asia?) > > May You Live In Interesting Times. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Kanuri, Seshu (Company IT) > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 1:01 PM > To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion > Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] Skype purchased by Ebay 2.6 Billion > > > That theory sounds great on paper, but consider some of the > factors below. > > 1) On the web there are no loyalties. Today it is Skype but > tomorrow certainly belongs to GoogleTalk, if they can put > Encryption. How difficult is that to do? Whose quality is > better? Skype or Googletalk? I read that already 10% of the > Skype users have migrated to Googletalk and the numbers are > soaring. Googletalk is still in Beta. > > 2)Paying users of payPal are hardly 5% of the 75 Million that > they are boasting of. And the numbers are coming down as > PayPal has come to be known as a 'PreyPal' of late. Many have > stopped using this when the charges have started ripping them > off at 6% of the transfer amount for International payments > (even between canada and USA) and about 3.5% within USA. > > 3)What is the percentage of paying users of Skype? 1% - 2%, > may be. These customers may already be Ebay's customers. > > Ebay seems to be going like Time Warner buying AOL because > it's user base. There are several similarities in this deal. > > Skype is cool, it has good stuff in it. How much effort does > it take for Google to add these features and make the > googlers start using Google Talk - a month or may be two. > > My 0.02 cents > > Seshu Kanuri > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Colin Anderson > Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 2:06 PM > To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion > Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] Skype purchased by Ebay 2.6 Billion > > While ostensibly people see this purchase as Ebay being a > "me-too" VoIP player with GoogleTalk and Microsoft buying, > what's it called, Teleo? , I think there's a deeper plan. > Let's look at the numbers: > > -Huge installed base, like 30 to 70 million users (those are > the numbers I hear kicked around) -Secure, encrypted P2P > client that works great through firewalls -Name brand > recognition. Even my mother in law has heard of Skype and she > is a techno-illiterate. -Installed base loyalty. People who > use Skype, love it. > -Oh yeah, it does voice, too. (sarcasm on purpose: voice is > only partially the point) > > So what Ebay could do with this is use the Skype client as an > Ebay portal that they control. Why, do you ask, would they > want to do this? Several > reasons: > > -Break away from browsers with security flaws and inherent > social-engineering tactics like phishing. Nobody controls the > WWW. Ebay now controls the Skype network, controls the > encryption, everything. Less fraud for Ebay to deal with, > assuming they repackage the client into "Ebay 2.0 - download > now for free!" > > -Paypal integration - back to voice, wouldn't it be nice to > pay for your phone bill (a Skype account -> regular PSTN) > through PayPal? > > -Repositioning of Ebay as an online solution provider once > the "Ebay Way" is fleshed out, much as Google has moved > beyond search into "holy crap" stuff like video on demand, > mapping, etc. In the end, isn't it a good business plan to > become an indispensable, comprehensive middleman instead of a > one trick pony? Voice is just one aspect of it. > > -30-70 million users ain't bad. They may be Ebayers - they > may not. However, this gives Ebay a huge "installed base" > that they can play with before they bring new products and > services to the general market. Skype users are crazy about > Skype, and they will download any client that Ebay shoves > down their throat, as long as it's free. Later, once the > service is worked out and debugged, *then* they will do > micropayments for the service (via PayPal, of course) > > still, 2.6 bil is a crazy price and I agree that they paid > too much. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall and see > the other offers and who was in the running. The Skype guys > have made no secret that the whole reason that they created > Skype in the first place was to make money and to be bought > out. I'm sure there is champagne and hookers galore at the > Skype offices today. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dean Collins [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 11:27 AM > To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion > Subject: RE: [Asterisk-Users] Skype purchased by Ebay 2.6 Billion > > > This is the most insane decision taken by eBay ever. > > If I was an investor I would be devastated. > > There is nothing wrong with a company starting up a voice > over ip service but this isn't what eBay should be doing. > > Companies need to understand they are stewards for their > investors money not the ultimate owners and that if they cant > deliver ROI on this money then it is their duty to return the > money via dividends or share buy backs. > > eBay is insane and this is the beginning of the end for them. > > > Cheers, > Dean > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:asterisk-users- > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Cory Andrews > > Sent: Monday, 12 September 2005 1:08 PM > > To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion > > Subject: [Asterisk-Users] Skype purchased by Ebay 2.6 Billion > > > > Good news for service providers in my opinion, Ebay will > likely start > > alienating Skype users like they did with Paypal users. > > "SkypeSucks.com" domain already taken, shucks.... > > > > http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=3837895 > > > > -- > > Cory J Andrews > > Partner / Purchasing > > +++++++++++++++ > > VOIPSupply.com - Everything you need for VOIP > > 454 Sonwil Drive > > Buffalo, NY 14225 > > +++++++++++++++ > > tf voice - 800-398-VOIP X22 > > l voice - 716.630.1555 X22 > > f - 716.630.1548 > > e - [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > AIM - b2Cory > -------------------------------------------------------- > > NOTICE: If received in error, please destroy and notify > sender. Sender does not waive confidentiality or privilege, > and use is prohibited. _______________________________________________ > --Bandwidth and Colocation sponsored by Easynews.com -- > > Asterisk-Users mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/aster> isk-users > To > UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users _______________________________________________ --Bandwidth and Colocation sponsored by Easynews.com -- Asterisk-Users mailing list [email protected] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users _______________________________________________ --Bandwidth and Colocation sponsored by Easynews.com -- Asterisk-Users mailing list [email protected] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
