The US e-commerce platform eBay announced that it will cut about 800 jobs, accounting for about 6% of the company's total full-time employees. The company said in a statement that the move is aimed at reinvesting resources within the company's business and aligning the organizational structure with its latest strategic priorities. Related adjustments will affect several positions within the company. eBay emphasized that it was grateful for the past contributions of affected employees and promised to provide support to employees "in a caring and respectful manner."
According to the news, which was first reported by Bloomberg, the layoffs occurred as eBay reduced its workforce for the third consecutive year. At the beginning of 2024, the company laid off about 1,000 positions, accounting for about 9% of the total number of employees; at the beginning of 2023, it laid off about 500 employees, accounting for about 4% of the total number of employees at that time. This means that within three years, eBay has continued to slim down through multiple rounds of layoffs in response to business adjustments and changes in the market environment.
The layoffs also come on the heels of a major acquisition. Just a week ago, eBay announced that it would acquire second-hand clothing trading platform Depop from Etsy for US$1.2 billion in cash. This application is popular among Generation Z and Millennial users. By acquiring Depop, eBay hopes to further strengthen its competitiveness in the fast-growing second-hand fashion and young user markets.
One week before announcing layoffs, eBay had just announced its fourth quarter results for 2025. During the reporting period, the company's revenue increased by 15% year-on-year to US$3 billion, exceeding market analysts' expectations. Despite the impressive revenue data, eBay still chose to optimize its personnel structure and reallocate resources to align with its long-term strategic layout and new business integration plan.