Search results for eBay
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Posted
Sep 30 2009, 12:27 PM
by
Kim Peterson
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
General Motors turned to eBay (EBAY) last month in a desperate attempt to sell more cars, hoping for a new sales channel as it shuts down dealerships across the country. It didn't work. After just seven weeks, GM has decided to end the online program. Dealers say it didn't help them sell more vehicles -- in fact, buyers started lowballing them for better deals, The Wall Street Journal reports. "We thought the program was successful but that this was not the right time," GM's sales chief told the Journal. GM said it would try again with eBay next year. If GM does revive the effort, it will have learned plenty of lessons.
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Posted
Sep 30 2009, 03:48 AM
by
Douglas McIntyre
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
A devilishly clever new Trojan virus that works over the Internet can hack into bank accounts while people are online and take money without being noticed.
According to CNET, the Trojan, dubbed "URLzone," has features "designed to thwart fraud detection systems which are triggered by unusual transactions.”
The new program takes online fraud to a new level. And that should cause significant alarm among consumers. It appears that the experts who create the Trojans have made them so advanced that they will soon be able to get into credit card and brokerage accounts, which could cause a nationwide disruption of the financial system and drive people away from online banking. Financial firms have counted on increasing numbers of people to use the Internet for their transactions which save the banks money on retail locations and tellers.
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Posted
Sep 25 2009, 07:42 AM
by
Minyanville
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
This article is written by Minyanville's John Kelly The last time NFL pro bowler Michael Vick played football was in Kansas. Specifically, Leavenworth, Kan., where he was serving a 23-month sentence at the federal penitentiary. In a scene straight out of "The Longest Yard," Vick, in prison for his involvement in a vicious dog-fighting ring, reportedly played quarterback in jail yard games as a way to kill time and keep in shape. See also, The NFL's Very Own Bernie Madoff. He'll have an opportunity to finally get back on more familiar turf Sunday, as his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles, hosts the Kansas City Chiefs at Lincoln Financial Field. And with Philadelphia's starting quarterback likely to miss the game due to a rib injury, the possibility of Vick playing is high. The game will attract not only Eagles fans and animal rights activists, but also that part of the sports industry whose main concern is sales.
The questions on everyone’s minds are:
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Posted
Sep 03 2009, 04:58 AM
by
Minyanville
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
 This article is written by Minyanville's Tal Pinchevsky
Even eBay (EBAY) itself might admit that the summer of 2009 has been a difficult one. Its sale of 65% of Skype for $1.9 billion was a disappointing end to what was supposed to be a major, if puzzling, acquisition. And the company’s stock immediately took a hit on the heels of Walmart (WMT) announcing a new third-party retail site that could cut into eBay’s market share. It all brought an unceremonious end to what was supposed to be a historic anniversary for an industry trailblazer. Bing: How to use Skype
Since being founded in 1995, eBay has become an undisputed monster in an online marketplace that has seen plenty of high-profile Web brands come and go. That’s not bad, considering founder Pierre Omidyar built the site to assist his wife with her growing collection of Pez dispensers. But the real beginning of eBay as we know it began exactly a decade ago with the first few steps in what would become a sprawling global expansion.
Ten years ago this summer, eBay launched its British and German sites, which have since gone on to become among the company’s most-active national sites. It went on to launch in dozens more countries and, between 2003 and 2005, the company launched important sites in China and India, making it the world’s largest online marketplace.
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Posted
Sep 01 2009, 08:33 AM
by
Kim Peterson
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
 EBay (EBAY) has finally found a buyer for Skype, the Internet calling service that it bought four years ago for $2.6 billion.
Skype was a bizarre acquisition for eBay that never made sense. The auction company had hoped that buyers and sellers would use Skype to talk to each other for free. It would create a new level of communication and revolutionize the site. That didn't happen. Instead, Skype became a darling among international callers. Two people using Skype could talk for free, even internationally. Skype also had low rates for calling regular phones. Suddenly, daily calls to family in India or Germany became a reality for many. Bing: More on Skype
So that left eBay in a bit of a bind. Yes, Skype had potential. Skype had loyal fans. And it was a good product. But it was never well suited for eBay's transactional business model. What to do with this budding star?
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Posted
Aug 26 2009, 10:44 AM
by
Kim Peterson
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
 How bad are times for California? So bad that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is now autographing used cars to sell online.
Oh yes, it has come to this. The state, in desperate need of cash, is cleaning out its storage and putting items up for sale on eBay (EBAY), Craigslist and other places, The Los Angeles Times reports. And with a signature from the Governator, maybe those things will bring in a little more cash. A 2002 gold Ford Focus with some 108,000 miles on it, for example, had Schwarzenegger's autograph on the visor and was going for $2,125 on eBay. The state will hold a two-day auction for other items starting Friday in Sacramento. There are other deals to be had, the Times reports. Some are unclaimed items, or stuff that has been confiscated
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Posted
Aug 13 2009, 08:27 AM
by
Minyanville
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
This article was written by Minyanville's Scott Reeves
If your nautical experience is limited to the Staten Island Ferry, here’s a chance to broaden your horizons: Rent Rupert Murdoch’s 183-foot sailboat.
Gawker says the Rosehearty -- not to be confused with the "Citizen Kane" Rosebud -- can be yours for a mere $310,000 per week.
The sailboat has an aluminum hull -- a downer for traditionalists. But the “stunning” interior is the work of French designer Christian Liagre. On the other hand, do you want to be seen floating around in something designed by the folks who gave us the Maginot Line and Le Car?
Bing: Rupert Murdoch
Renting the boat would be strictly business and wouldn’t get you entrée to Page Six, the New York Post’s famous (and must-read) gossip page. But there might be a few back issues of The Poopsheet of Record lying around for your edification.
Rupert’s splendiferous boat comes with 3 white sails and opens up other out-of-this-world possibilities. How ‘bout renting a sports hero’s persona? It might be possible. There’s no guarantee the babes will follow, but it probably beats life under fluorescent lights in a cubicle.
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Posted
Aug 11 2009, 10:15 AM
by
Kim Peterson
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
 Things are so bad for General Motors that the automaker is now selling cars on eBay (EBAY).
Actually, it's not the worst idea. People can buy GM cars and trucks from some 225 California dealers at this eBay site starting Tuesday, according to Bloomberg. It's a desperate attempt by GM to find more sales channels as it cuts the number of its dealerships by 42%. GM is selling new Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick and GMC cars, and buyers can accept the "buy it now" price or make a lower offer, which starts an online negotiation. After a car is sold, a California dealer will contact the buyer to arrange financing and delivery. The move could be aimed at bolstering GM sales in California, where its market share is only about 13.5% (the national average is 19%). GM says it chose California because
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Posted
Aug 04 2009, 03:02 PM
by
Andrew Horowitz
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
Looking for an interesting opportunity, we came upon MercadoLibre, a company which provides emerging market exposure as well as a technology edge. Think of it as the eBay of Latin America which may hold opportunity as it expands further in the region.
Description
MercadoLibre (MELI) operates an online trading site for the Latin American markets. The company's Web site allows businesses and individuals to list items and conduct sales and purchases online in either a fixed-price or auction format. MercadoLibre offers classified advertisements for motor vehicles, vessels, aircraft, real estate and services, and offers online payment services.
MELI is a Latin version of eBay (EBAY). The difference is that this company has a much better outlook and it is in the initial growth phase. So, we may think of it as a young eBay before it got caught up in Skype, PayPal and other bureaucratic red tape.
Points to consider
Here are some of the fundamentals and a few comparisons to eBay and Amazon (AMZN)
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Posted
Apr 14 2009, 02:01 PM
by
Kim Peterson
Rating:
Money Blog: Top Stocks Blog - MSN Money
EBay (EBAY) is finally getting rid of Skype, its worst acquisition ever. The auction house paid $2.6 billion for the online calling service in 2005, but was never able to integrate it well. So eBay wants to spin it off through an IPO next year.
Executives thought Skype would boost sales by allowing buyers and sellers to talk to each other online. That never happened, and Skype became an expensive mistake that eBay pretty much left alone. Yet the service still grew, and is loved by many -- particularly for international calling. But it doesn't make much money. Skype only brought eBay $145 million in revenue in the fourth quarter. And while it is profitable, it generates thin margins. Analysts think Skype only added about 3% to eBay's operating margins last year. Those numbers could be worse this year, as Skype meets its fiercest competitor yet: Google (GOOG). So why an IPO?
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