Comments on: eBay Launches Green Community, Touts Sustainability of Used and Vintage Goods

By: Matt Levinthal

Matt Levinthal — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:04:17 +0000

Nick, I totally agree with you and I’ve been a user of eBay for 10 years. I believe eBay is good for the world, but they can be so much more.
What I would like to see from big companies like eBay is a man on the moon initiative. Set some big goals that not only require passion but inspire every employee and member of eBay.
What does eBay’s green moon shot look like? How about making their entire business sustainable by 2015. This includes both campuses, not just the LEED certified PayPal campus, 100% carbon neutral shipping, eliminating all waste on campus with recycling, composting and reuse programs, going 100% organic and offering local food options in their cafeteria, and generating community involvement with initiatives like no listing fees for used products, discounted carbon offset shipping programs and matching donations on all eBay Giving Works sales.
eBay has the scale, position, cash and personnel to take a shot at the moon. Other brands have already proven consumers will reward you for bold new sustainability initiatives. I feel the question is, do they have the passion and sense of purpose to do it?

By: Nick Aster

Nick Aster — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:01:43 +0000

Great news. The thing that makes eBay different from a garage sale is the near infinite scaleability. You can sell literally anything on eBay and get amazing results. The “Green” caveat, of course, is that things on eBay typically have to be shipped, but I’d be willing to bet that they result, on average, results in a smaller footprint than buying new goods.
Matt – I think you’re right that at first glance this seems like they’re just jumping on a bandwagon for PR purposes, but given that, whether they understand it or not, it’s really core to their business, I think the customers who hear about this may have an “aha” moment, and once customers start talking, the management may listen more closely!

By: Matt Levinthal

Matt Levinthal — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:41:05 +0000

It’s always good to see big companies doing thier part to educate the public and offer solutions.
However, making the case that you’ve always been green is very different from pushing the envelope. Great, eBay’s promoting used stuff, but it’s something garage sales have done since their inception, and no sustainable packaging is required for carrying something down the street.
With that being said, there are great people at eBay doing really great things. I just feel as though they have so much potential to become a leader of this movement. But as an old coach of mine once said, “Having potential means you haven’t done s@#! yet.”
Reaching your potential requires understanding your brands true purpose and acting out of passion. The end result becomes more than just sustainable initiatives to show off, your brand becomes a sustainable culture that cultivates innovate solutions for years to come.
At the end of the day I’ve yet to see that sort of passion from the leadership and therefore lack their ability to create that sort of change. Lets hope this is the start of something more.

By: JenBoynton

JenBoynton — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:59:59 +0000

Nah, it’s great news! Once a company makes a stab at discussing the sustinability of its operations, it can only become more green from there. I bet the Green Team won’t make the same non-recycled paper gaff the next time around!

By: Dave Shires

Dave Shires — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:21:00 +0000

It’s about time! eBay has been one of the “greenest” companies since their inception and they didn’t even know it till now. Or at least they didn’t talk about it for whatever reason. Glad to see someone got smart.