Will The Real Pierre Omidyar Please Stand Up!

Recently eBay users as well as those that follow ecommerce and business trends were offered an inside glimpse, (though obviously staged) at a video prepared for eBay employess in which John Donahoe CEO of eBay sat down with founder and COB Pierre Omidyar for a discussion on the direction eBay has taken in recent months. In the 3 video clips provided by eBayInk blog editor Richard Brewer-Hay, Pierre “explains” what he meant by the core values and concepts around which eBay was created.

In the video clips, John Donahoe asks Pierre questions clearly crafted to show solidarity for the changes eBay has recently announced and implemented (as well as some unannounced changes that have caught eBay members by surprise). Also in the video, Pierre speaks to the changing world of the internet and how the early values of eBay may not apply today.

While I agree that change is inevitable, and constant, values and philosophical beliefs should remain intact. That is why when I read my email this morning, nostalgic waves of the days gone by once again came to mind. In the most recent edition of SuccessMagazine the cover story is titled Greatest Internet Entrepreneurs of All Time. In the article, Pierre is 3rd in the list, with this bio:

 

Pierre Omidyar b.1967
As founder of online auction site eBay, Pierre Omidyar made the Internet personal again. By connecting buyers with sellers of collectable items, he created a global marketplace for the little guy. “What would happen within a marketplace if everyone had equal access to information and tools?” Omidyar wondered. “Would a level playing field enable individuals to compete alongside big businesses?” Judging by eBay’s success, Omidyar’s answer is yes.

Unfortunately SuccessMagazine may be a victim of timing. I am sure this story was prepared and in print well before the videos appeared on eBayInk. If you watch the video and read the quote in SuccessMagazine you too will see the not so funny contradiction felt by many eBay users.