Is Changing of the Guard eBay's "Durability Bid?"

USA Today story highlights daunting tasks
for new eBay chief

Slowing market growth, disappointed investors and disgruntled sellers are among the challenges Tom Donohoe faces today as he takes over as CEO of eBay. The company is at a "digital crossroads" declared USA Today this weekend.

"As eBay readies for the post-Meg-Whitman era, and new CEO John Donahoe takes over Monday, it faces fierce challenges in a Web 2.0 era defined by armies of agile competitors," the story declared

Prominant is the piece is the disaffection of long-time eBayers, many of whom will join in a boycott of the company that starts May 1st.

One such eBayer is Lynette Setzkorn, who told the paper she reluctantly hopes to be "eBay-free" by June:

The 50-year-old Tulsa resident sold $30,000 worth of antique furniture in January, but the latest increase was the "final straw," she says. Setzkorn is shifting sales to antiques dealer Ruby Lane and Amazon.

Donohoe discussed his plans for a growing emphasis on fixed-price listings and his vision for some sort of combined fixed-price listing and auction mechanism.

"My commitment is to build from (eBay's) strengths and make the changes necessary in this competitive environment," Donahoe, a former Bain & Co. consultant, said in a conference call in January.

The paper got the feedback of Wall Street-types and everyday eBayers, one of whom told the paper that "fees are killing me."

More USA Today:

- And Donahoe has assiduously picked the brain of customers to see what they want. Scot Wingo, CEO of ChannelAdvisor,a maker of automation software for eBay sellers, recounts how Donahoe sought him out at a Starbucks in Boston last year and peppered him with questions on how eBay could improve the user experience. Wingo suggested lower listing fees, better search and a crackdown on fraud. "So far, they've done a good job," he says. -

(Tom Donahoe pictured in photo by EBay via AP)