Ebay has a new logo
(top of picture). I visited the site on the day of the official switchover (last
Thursday) and my immediate reaction was one of disappointment and slight frustration.
I was disappointed and frustrated that Ebay had decided it was necessary to tone-down
their identity and make it more orderly, or, as I would describe it: soulless.
I was fond of
the old logo. It was fun, lively and a bit quirky. It represented fresh thinking
- an alternative way of doing things. Something different. Now Ebay appears
much more conformist, with only its multi-coloured lettering to
remind us of it’s past identity (although even the colours have been slightly muted).
After reading Devin
Wenig’s (an Ebay Exec) reasoning behind the change, I now understand that this
new logo represents a shift in direction for Ebay, away from auctions and collectibles, toward
full-priced, buy-it-now merchandise. “It's eBay today: a global online marketplace that offers a cleaner, more
contemporary and consistent experience," Wenig wrote.
It seems Ebay is now focusing more on new, fixed-priced items as it tries to increase competition with Amazon.com Inc. The fact that Amazon has been growing faster than Ebay recently maybe justifies this move for Ebay, but I believe it represents the loss of something special for the consumer. I mean, from a consumer's point of view: do we really need another
Amazon? Where are the online alternatives? Where's the choice?
