eBay’s top team have their eyes set on the millennial shoppers with deep pockets, it seems. If recent comments from the Chief Product Officer RJ Pittman are anything to go by, mobile is front and centre (and rightly so). But what might that mean for merchants? The answer is obviously: mobile first.
And the millennials aren’t kids any more. They’re people born (and this is doubtless open to interpretation) between 1980 and 1995. Typically the children of baby boomers, they’re now very often consumers in their late 20s and 30s with significant spending power. It’s no wonder that businesses like eBay are interested. And these people do like shopping on their phones.
The common way you would begin a shopping journey is by typing a search. It seems like a reasonable thing to do, but what if you see a pair of sunglasses on a side table at your friend’s house that you think are pretty cool, but they don’t have a brand on them, and you don’t know what they are, but you love the style, you love the frames or the lens. In today’s world you gotta be able to take a picture, point your camera at that item and then find something that’s either exactly that item or something very similar and a great price. And that’s exactly what image search yielded. We’re bringing together the science of commerce, perfecting this has been more of an art of science over the last 10 years.
– RJ Pittman, eBay CPO (Chief Product Officer)
So what does a CPO do and why is Pittman someone we want to hear more from? He’s in charge of the platform and making sure it operates accordingly. He’s clearly interested in technology and innovation and not far off being one of those millennial shoppers himself.
And Pittman is a pretty interesting and, frankly, impressive character. He cut his teeth at Apple and Google and been with eBay for just over 5 years.
From a seller perspective, it is clear that eBay is keen to innovate and develop. But often it seems that merchants are less enthusiastic about change. In the future it looks like those merchants who want to make the best sales will be those who look to the future rather than the past and embrace the needs of millennial shoppers.
12 Responses
to recap
“ebay wants customers with money.”
wow, insightful.
that example piece is hilarious!
“you’re at a friends house and want his glasses. you could:
a: steal them
b: simply ask where he got them
c: wait until he leaves the room, surreptitiously photograph them to search on ebay, find chinese crap which is similar looking but not actually the same at all, and look monementally retarded the next time you bump into him wearing cheap knock-off’s of his designer glasses.
d: get a grip and choose your own style.”
yes if ebay want to appeal to millenials, being a creepy old weirdo slyly trying to steal your mate’s image is definitely the persona to portray. what could be cooler?
Hang on aren’t these the same people we hear about int he ens that can’t afford rents, morgages etc etc…. The ones priced out of every market?? Yet suddenly it appears they have loads of money to spend?
Well atleast we know that the majority of INR scammers must be younger than 20 and older than 30 now…. after all this millenial group have money to burn!
You couldnt make this up!
“He’s clearly interested in technology and innovation and not far off being one of those millennial shoppers himself.
And Pittman is a pretty interesting and, frankly, impressive character. He cut his teeth at Apple and Google and been with eBay for just over 5 years.
From a seller perspective, it is clear that eBay is keen to innovate and develop. But often it seems that merchants are less enthusiastic about change. In the future it looks like those merchants who want to make the best sales will be those who look to the future rather than the past and embrace the needs of millennial shoppers.”
Apple = greedy monopoly
Google = greedy monopoly
ebay = anyone care to summerise where its going? Amazon beat them too it!
“impressive character” whose Xmas card and cocktail list is this comment trying to get an invite from…
is this scripture paid for by ebay? it certainly aims to gain favour!
As for sellers looking backwards, what a slap in the face for subscribers here!
Looking back is called a trend spotting and the most valuable aspect when considering future plans.. its using facts as foundations for good business decisions about growth/new products/investment….. if we jumped to every new channel/hoop/idea or suggestion = we would be very busy fools (granted selling on ebay guarantees this anyway as the platform is so full of time consuming errors and glitches)
As SAM rightly says, stay in touch with shopping trends, but to suggest a lead provided Millennials.. Pah!
If they work this thing called the gig/you economy they are always saying they are skint, as soon as they can afford a house, their disposable income is gone… Government stats show 70% of UK workers are in the service economy, and this economy is famed for??????? yes LOW PAY!.. so this ebay type is realistically saying he is setting the stall out for 30% for shoppers.. these types want PRIME and it dropping from the sky on their heads when the press buy it now…
ebay does not have any ambitions to match a PRIME style delivery function, it wont even fix the address requirement on a item sold to be checked/corrected by the buyers.. and a partnership with Royal Mail for deliveries and returns.. the later is a revenue generator at sellers costs..
Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity…
I totally get staying in touch with shopping habits…. I do!
How about channeling some energy into nailing ebay down and getting the platform fit for purpose and doing the job it should for sellers right now?
Then report this back to us – we would have some confidence about future business plans then; we may even value ebay as a business partner.
Quoting and copy pasting ebay speak is nothing; seeking change and achieving improvement would help all sellers.. ebay doesnt want to listen to sellers – theyre just another income stream, ebay NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE THEM CHANGE…
Funny thing is, and its real funny.. I think the article states this guy is a millennial.. just imagine if this guy invoked change for the sellers, stabilized the platform and that allowed boosted sales all round.. EVERYONE HAPPY.. ebay/sellers/buyers.. shareholders.. and this millennial(ish) chap wouldn’t have to make up achievements for his CV..
Finally, Pittman has been with ebay 5 years.. what would be the general feeling from sellers about the last 5 years? I wonder…
any bugger with dosh is our motto
Young, old, with hair, without hair, I don’t bloody care as long as they spend their cash. What next eBay, you going to target under 11’s in the Lego category? If eBay search is anything to go by, a buyer may take a photograph of a ford escort and end up being shown escort agency underwear. My advice is fix what is broken first.