Seller Club Podcast
Seller Club Podcast
Episode 91: Seller Club Podcast IRL - eBay Open
We are THRILLED to bring you some of our initial takes on the fantastic eBay Open 2025 experience, but more than that, we get to bring you some awesome interviews we did on the ground from the Seller Club Podcast booth - from fellow sellers and longtime listeners to eBay employees from all over the company, this is just the beginning of all the great conversations we get to share with you on this side of the best seller event of the year!
If you love podcast content created for eBay sellers, don’t forget to follow us @sellerclubpodcast and @ebayforsellers and @sellerledger on Instagram.
Check out the best bookkeeping software for sellers out there–Seller Ledger–for an entire QUARTER for free with this special eBay Open offer! https://sellerledger.com/ebay-open-2025/
Hey everybody, welcome to episode 91 of the Cellar Club podcast. Let's drop that beat. Long time no see, Ken.
SPEAKER_08:It's been a few tenths of hours, you know.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah. Are you still as tired as I am?
SPEAKER_08:Um, I think I recovered pretty quick. Um, this was probably the best recovery I've ever had. I don't know if um because I've kept up with my vitamins and I really didn't want I ate junk, but I didn't eat a lot of it.
SPEAKER_07:Right. Like a donut a day.
SPEAKER_08:I actually didn't get to eat a donut.
SPEAKER_07:You didn't eat one single donut? Oh my gosh. That was me eating a donut a day.
SPEAKER_08:See, that is the thing. Like, that's why I'm recovering. Uh I think I've mitigated all the good for you. Yeah, so uh, well, for for everybody that's listening, um, if I think we just went straight through it, I was like, what did they do?
SPEAKER_07:And is uh he was not in an accident.
SPEAKER_08:Um no no no no no no we didn't go to uh camp or something like that. Um we just got back from eBay Open 2025, which was in Las Vegas.
SPEAKER_07:Live in person.
SPEAKER_08:In person, right? So the first eBay l open, big live gathering, because they did some regionals um meetup uh or like conferences, but it's it wasn't really a conference, it was more like a one-night conference. It's like a party kind of yeah. This time it's been it was what three days, right? Um so this was held in um the Venetian uh Las Vegas. Um the last time they this happened was in 2019, so long time coming. Um this is my third eBay open and Anna's first time. So let's hear it from Anna and see what she thought about it.
SPEAKER_07:Oh my gosh, it was so fun, the most fun, first of all. Um It was really it really did exceed my expectations in a lot of ways. And I tried to keep a really open mind because I didn't I've been to like big conferences for other things and other industries, but I didn't really know what to expect.
SPEAKER_08:And you've heard talks about it, um, you know, the last three or four years that you've been involved with the virtual, because you know, there were talks like, oh, it's different from the in-person, so I'm glad that it was.
SPEAKER_07:I definitely understand in a new way what the virtual eBay opens were trying to tap into. And I think successfully did to a large extent. I mean, as best you can in a virtual environment. But I can now see like what what we were going for a little bit more, and honestly, so much. I said this a bunch of times, and spoiler alert, we recorded so much content at eBay open, we're gonna be sharing.
SPEAKER_08:Way more than I thought.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, way we did a ton. We had people on the mic as much as possible, all kinds of different people. It was so great. We're gonna tell you all about it. But one thing that you'll probably hear me say in multiple recordings along the way is that I realized everything I loved so much about participating in eBay Open Seller Week, which for the last like three years is what I've I've done, you know, for the virtual events, I've flown to San Jose, met up with a group of other sellers, but like 20 or 30, not like hundreds, right?
SPEAKER_08:Thousands.
SPEAKER_07:Right. And, you know, recorded um content, filmed content that would then be used at eBay open. Um so what I now realize is that that was a microcosm of this, but until now I didn't have anything to compare it to. So now like this was kind of like everything I loved about Seller Week, but on steroids. Right. And interestingly, I didn't really have a big content role at all this year. I was just there with the podcast, and then Ken and I did do a really fun uh spot with Rebecca on the news desk, which was a actually totally live game. We ran a fact or fiction game with Rebecca, and it was super fun. We love working with her, and um, she made it really easy for us to step in and goof around and play and have fun with the game. So that was great, but that was like not something that was um in any way really similar to what I've done before for eBay Open, which has usually involved like writing and practicing panel and like a presentation that has a slide deck and all that stuff. So there was nothing like that this year for me, which was kind of fun because I really had nothing to be super nervous about. So other than just you know, anticipating the entire thing being like exciting and never knowing what's gonna happen, like that's the good side of you know anxiety. So I was just enjoying the good stuff and I think that was like kept really busy.
SPEAKER_08:That was 2018 for me. Um, just really participated. I did have like a small segment in 2018, but that was more like just an interview. But but I think like that was the best possible scenario. Actually, even now looking back at it, if we had I don't know how it would have been possible if you had other places to be and stuff to do. Because John and JC would have been would have been left there, yeah, and that would have you know like I think we would have missed so much.
SPEAKER_07:I think so too. Like, I mean, I was I I'm glad. Like I love doing presentations, like I love being part of the content, but I was glad for the sake of just how everything worked together this time that I didn't because I could kind of be at the booth at times where you did have to go and do some really fun panel stuff, which I would love for you to talk about.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah, so uh uh one of the participations I did for this year for eBay Open is unofficially the surprise guest, or officially the surprise guest of um this eBay Seller Capital team.
SPEAKER_07:Um you know, it wasn't Can we just say you are the Backstreet Boys of the eBay Seller Capital team?
SPEAKER_08:Yes, yes. I was the backstreet boys.
SPEAKER_07:Because we did get a surprise visit from three of the backstreet boys.
SPEAKER_05:Correct, right?
SPEAKER_08:Three, not all of them. Right. Three, right, right.
SPEAKER_05:So uh my three favorites though.
SPEAKER_08:Oh, actually, there were three solid ones. I don't even know who the other two is.
SPEAKER_07:AJ's my favorite.
SPEAKER_08:Always has been. Um so yeah, so um basically I did share my um experience, you know, aka testimonial on the product that eBay Talic Capital is launching, and we're gonna have actually more interviews about it that we're gonna um launch if you want to know more about it. But yeah, it was a quick, you know, four to six minute segment on just sharing on how you know it kind of made a difference on our business this year. Because as you guys have probably heard us, this year is kind of like our growth year and trying to inject more inventory, and when you inject more inventory, you need more capital. So that's when eBay seller capital kind of play uh rope played the role on how it kind of like all came together. So it it felt it felt like a circle, a full circle moment, because um one of the things that I actually thought of last night, because I'm trying to, you know, how can I explain what happened, you know. Um I guess if you're not following me, if you're not connecting with me on LinkedIn, make sure you find me. And Anna's there too now. Um so I was trying to say, how can I kind of share that story on LinkedIn? So actually going back to two years ago in 2023, I had a conversation and JC f found a photo of it with Avriti, which yeah, sh I think she leads the managed payments. Um Yeah, and uh that was the question that she asked me, like how how can eBay um help and you know uh partner with sellers to um build their business bigger or get to the next level. And that was the request that I gave in and to actually emailing Cynthia because you gave me her info that yeah that I missed and to getting forward to Jitin and now Jitin, you know, being my appointment which actually is a lead product manager for eBay seller capital, um, to actually meeting the GM that we met that we actually interviewed Ollie, the GM of Liberus US. Um so that was kind of like the cool circle moment that you know, like, yeah, you know, as much as sellers want the features now, um, it does take time, but when it is done properly, um b with our experience with seller capital, I think it was um smooth, pretty smooth for both of us because you have used it as well. So that was my involvement, yeah.
SPEAKER_07:It it's really cool too because there are so many ways, like for whatever reason, seeing all this right before my eyes in person did really bring it together for me. All the different ways that eBay like plugs in sellers, like like that, right? Like I know in the past there's been panels, it's not like the first time a seller's been part of a panel, but like I think it's really cool how they find like the real stories of things at work, you know, and so that was really cool. It it was it was really interesting to see all like many different ways that sellers were being like like plugged in, right, to share, and it just underscores how much we really love to hear about each other from each other, right?
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_07:But the other thing that I feel like and and now I didn't even hardly get to go to any sessions myself because I was literally in the podcast booth recording almost the whole time. So I went to a couple like the opening and closing keynote. I'm planning to do the um on demand, like watching all the sessions and taking notes and stuff, like I normally would have for a virtual eBay open.
SPEAKER_08:So that was a really good part that all of it is recorded and we get to re-watch it.
SPEAKER_07:I didn't feel like I was missing out at all, and there were a lot of things that were happening at the same time, so you had to choose anyway.
SPEAKER_08:So which also also um to give you uh perspective, the last eBay opens that I did in 2018 and 19, there were no recordings.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah. That was it, right? That was it.
SPEAKER_08:If you aren't there, you didn't hear it. Yeah, yeah. So I think that's what the virtual factor brought in that now everything gets recorded and there's gonna be like things.
SPEAKER_07:And I love that it was um that it was, you know, still accessible to everyone who couldn't be there in Vegas for whatever reason. Um, but yeah, I so I didn't like hear a lot of stuff firsthand yet, but I did hear from so many other sellers, and it seems like a theme of what people were like thrilled about when they would go to all the sessions was that eBay was delivering on what we asked for over and over and over again. I heard that a lot, and I also heard a lot of people saying, you know, how how much the the whole event did exceed their expectations, too. Like people who would come by the booth and talk about it were just thrilled. So many people I talked to that were like, Oh yeah, I've been selling for 25 years and this is my first one. So I thought that was really interesting. Just the mix of people who came. I also met a couple of totally brand new sellers. We met people who've listened to every single episode of this podcast. Shout out to Sue and Bill in particular. Um, but also people who were just most people I think were just finding out about us for the first time.
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_07:And honestly, our booth was hopping. It was busy the whole time. Talk about what we were actually ended up doing in our booth because we had plans for even more stuff, and we just didn't even have time to do half.
SPEAKER_08:No, no. I mean, you know, we when this is my first time running a booth uh for eBay Open, and I've always just seen it from afar, right? And looking at it, it's like sponsors, right? So, like I've never really gravitated to those booths before because they were just kind of like vendors, right? They're trying to sell you something. And you know, I think in the back of my head, I was like, I just want people to know that we're not trying to sell them something, you know.
SPEAKER_07:One is like we just want raising awareness, exactly, right? But also the experience of getting on the podcast if you want.
SPEAKER_08:So I I think that was the thing, you know. We didn't kind of like market it as like, hey, hop in our podcast, but it was just like if it happens organically, right? We want that organic connection. But one of the things that we talk about a lot in this podcast is seller snacks, you know, what are our favorite snacks? So um I think you know, it was just right to have our favorite snacks on the booth, and you know, obviously Anna's, you know, um wizardry with her aesthetic vision.
SPEAKER_07:Oh yeah, they were uh color sorted by eBay colors.
SPEAKER_08:Correct. So we had we had a red, a blue, a green, and a yellow colored snack, and um it was a hit.
SPEAKER_07:It was such a hit. I was actually surprised. No, we brought two full suitcases of snacks.
SPEAKER_08:And and these were like and they were all gone top-notch branded snacks. We had snacks for everybody, chocolate heads, um, cheesy hairs, we had makeup roll-ups. We had and then um um like edumame, you know, something for vegans, something for uh meat heads.
SPEAKER_05:Right.
SPEAKER_08:We had um we had some uh yeah, and to to cap it all off, we even got some snacks for our one of our favorite VPs at eBay.
SPEAKER_07:Oh, that was the one of my favorite moments in the whole conference.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah, so why don't we explain what happened there?
SPEAKER_07:Yeah. Me or you?
SPEAKER_08:Yeah, explain it. Explain it.
SPEAKER_07:Oh gosh. Okay, this is so great. So Adam Ireland, um, who if you have been listening to the podcast, we've interviewed him before. He we met him when he was the VP of Seller Experience, right?
SPEAKER_08:And a GM at GM of US Markets. GM of US markets.
SPEAKER_07:Sorry if I'm getting any of the titles wrong. Yeah. Anyway, though, um, he has moved over now, he's over collectibles, right? Correct, yes. So anyway, still like great person in leadership at eBay. We love talking to him. And um, so he he came by, we kept telling him, we were running into him around the conference, and we'd say, You have to come buy our booth because we have a special present for you, which I'm sure was a little off, but you know, yeah, yeah, yeah. He knows us, he knows we're just like goofballs. But anyway, we did have a special present for him, and basically he is from the UK, and his favorite snack is also from the UK, and you really it's really hard to get here.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah, it's uh readily available in any of the stuff. Yeah, it's not just like at the grocery store.
SPEAKER_07:Like you can order it, but it's you know, you can't just go pick one up. So, anyway, they're called twigglets if you've ever had them. They are flavored like marmite or vegemite, if you know what that is. Um, it let's just say it's a very acquired taste.
SPEAKER_08:It is acquired taste. I eat I eat all ranges of snacks, and I'm not picky with my snacks. Yeah, but this one stumped me. Yeah. Um, when people saw my reaction, they thought I was just goofy now.
SPEAKER_07:I was teasing you because I'm like, this is how I feel about durian. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't.
SPEAKER_08:People were like, you know, like they can't be that bad. It can't be that bad. Until all of them start like trying it. And I think Anna was the only one that could stomach the taste.
SPEAKER_07:I liked it. It's it's it's a weird flavor. It's not like it's not like at face value delicious, but I I don't know. I like it. I wonder if it's like that.
SPEAKER_08:Why the reason why they're called twiglets? Because they look like they do look twigs from a tree. During winter.
SPEAKER_07:They're not they're like knobbly looking, like the skinny twigs. Think about like a pretzel stick, but they're not like uniformly shaped, and they have like uh marmite dust all over them.
SPEAKER_08:It's just like the reject of pretzel sticks that fell on the ground, got stepped over by somebody that had dirty shoes, had oil in the floor.
SPEAKER_07:I was gonna say, but the flavor is much more potent than dirt. It doesn't taste like dirt.
SPEAKER_08:No, no, no.
SPEAKER_07:This one is like marmite.
SPEAKER_08:It's so it because it's so potent, it becomes bitter.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, it is bitter.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah.
SPEAKER_07:Um, so so anyway, it was great. It was a great crescendo moment because he was so excited.
SPEAKER_08:He was so excited because basically at the end of the last day, like he finally was gonna be that excited about how he like everything.
SPEAKER_07:I'm so glad we got it on a camera too. But he was like thrilled. He was a so excited, but he didn't even realize. So we we bought like on eBay a vintage like tin, like a twiglets tin from like probably the 50s or 60s. Um, but it was you know, it before all the snacks were in like plastic bags, like they were in tins. That's how they were packaged. So it was an old Twigglitz tin, and then we got some little like personal size baggies of Twiglets to because they'd fit inside the tin, because it was a small tin. So we put a couple packs in there, and then we had a whole bunch of more that we gave him, but that's just what fit in the tin. So we presented that to him, and he was over the moon because it's basically a collectible tin, too, which is great. Obviously, he's a collectibles guy, but um, he was so thrilled, and then he didn't even realize there was something in it. So like, open it.
SPEAKER_08:And then he got more even more excited and like literally open it and I want to eat it right now kind of moment.
SPEAKER_07:And he made us all try it, and he was like, Oh my gosh, I'm out of these at home right now. This is the best. So he was really thrilled.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah, so so that was a cool moment.
SPEAKER_07:But that was that was such a small like gesture, but that is something we talked about. I mean, going back to what we were saying in general about snacks, since the beginning of this podcast, we've talked about snacks when we did a lot of interviews at Cellar Week last year. I guess was it last year or two years? Yeah, last year. Um, we asked everyone what their favorite snack was, and so that's how we knew. And we thought this would be such a fun surprise for the next time we're all in person together. So we just um, you know, had that little side quest, but it was so satisfying and so fun.
SPEAKER_08:And one of the things that I pointed out too uh from t uh talking with other, you know, leaders of eBay, whether they were VP, director, execs, and stuff like that, that what what you know looking back at kind of like our journey, especially with my involvement with eBay Open, this was something that I didn't caught that I just got this event. It was actually the community and the interactions that eBay employee have with each other. Um because if you don't realize this, there's eBay the eBay is so big and they have so many employees that they don't even see each other and they don't even know each other until somewhat, some shape of way they get connected, whether it's on in the line, falling in line for something, or a conversation with us getting introduced. Because we know them, yeah, we know them and we know right. Yeah. So I think that was so cool because um when you talk about community, there has to be connection. And when there's connection that's genuine, that's when you really see like, oh, like this is not stage, this is real thing that's unfolding. Um and you know, getting to know people, uh moving from one department to a different department, to now getting introduced to other leaders from that department. So that was awesome. And I you know, one of the things I called out was like, yo, that the reason why eBay has a really tight community in as sellers is because within their company itself it is being fostered. So it kind of just like, yeah, it kind of just like bleeds out.
SPEAKER_07:Uh across like within a team or kind of like what I think of as departments, there is such a strong sense of like camaraderie and it's really cool, but but at the same time, like some of these departments like have no reason to work with each other in their regular job, right? So they are only encountering each other, like you said, for other reasons. Maybe we're the one bringing them together at an event like this where everyone's present for their own department's purposes, right? So it was really interesting to see some of that. And I mean, we definitely had the whole run of old and new friends across the board, sellers, eBay employees, and you know, even talking to some of the other sponsors was really fun because we weren't a sponsor in the traditional sense, like you said, like we weren't selling anything per se. Like obviously we want more people to listen to the podcast, but um that was really fun because we were surrounded by this group of other, like many of them were sellers who developed something for sellers. So that was kind of cool to talk to them in a different way where we're not just another seller that might become their their client or something passing by, but we were like in the same section because we were also sponsors, so we got to have some interesting conversations. Um, and it's just cool because you know, eBay sellers are they're scrappy, they're innovative. Many of them run multiple businesses. And it was kind of cool to hear about the you know, software development or kind of engineering side of that where they're a seller and they see a need in the in the field and they try to fill it themselves. Like that's really cool and innovative and brave, I think. So um, as someone who just like talks, you know, talks on a podcast, I'm like, wow, you invented that?
SPEAKER_06:That's so cool.
SPEAKER_08:But yeah, the in there's so many rollouts, and you know, maybe uh we'll we're gonna do it on a different episode where we talk about the technicalities of all the product that they rolled out. Um, because because you know, there's a few things that they literally said on the stage, and a few hours later it appeared on our apps. It was live. So that I I don't know. I don't know, maybe I forgot the feeling when they did a rollout like that, that it was so instant. Yeah. That you know, like I personally didn't even hear that there were rumors of it happening, and then hearing from it that it's happening now, yeah, and then looking at my phone and you know, the feature was there. Yeah. I was like, yo, they heat like they just talked about this yesterday and it's already rolling out. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07:Um somebody was ready to press the button.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah, so that was that was exciting. And you know, we're we're gonna we're gonna talk more about um you know different features and stuff like that. But Anna, why don't you um explain to them and tell them uh what's gonna happen after we end this um our segment of this podcast because we have some uh questions? We hear about a segment today. Yep, exactly. Multi-segment podcast today.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, it it was really um challenging and fun and like such a like drinking from a fire hose experience, I feel like talking to so many people at the conference, but fortunately we had so many amazing conversations on tape. So and I know tape is like an outdated term, but I it wasn't exactly on air. We didn't live stream these conversations, but we wanted to be able to bring the best back to you guys and hopefully um help you experience the live side of the conference, but also just share all of the cool insights and conversations that we were able to have with people. So we're gonna start that today. We're gonna bring you several um kind of shorter interviews with um some eBay employees and some other sellers, and we have so much, so we're gonna be sifting through the the rest. Like we've already pulled out the first few that we want to share on this episode, but we're gonna keep sharing them um because it's really good content and we feel like you guys will really benefit from it. Um and just get to know some of these wonderful people that we got to interact with at the conference too. So we're gonna drop the first few into this episode and then just be on the lookout for that over the next few weeks because we want to use as much of that as we can and um just share as much of it as we can.
SPEAKER_08:Yep. So make sure you follow eBay for sellers. Uh eBay is our sponsor for this podcast, and also follow Seller Ledger on Instagram. Those two are being our uh uh pretty cool sponsors for this um podcast.
SPEAKER_07:And and we do still have an exclusive offer with remember that?
SPEAKER_03:Oh, we do.
SPEAKER_07:With Seller Ledger, we were talking about it all week at the conference, but it is actually good until the beginning of September. So if you've ever been interested in trying Seller Ledger, DM us and we will show you how to do it. Yep, but it's it's additional free months of service. So they've never offered it before.
SPEAKER_08:If you check the show notes, there might be some surprise links there. There we go. So make sure you check this out.
SPEAKER_07:So what whatever way you need to, let us know, and we'll get you connected with that.
SPEAKER_08:All right, here you go. Without further ado, let's have them drop that beat. Chris Agarpo, drop that beat.
unknown:Yes!
SPEAKER_07:Chris, welcome.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_07:Of course, thanks so much for stopping by here at the booth at eBay Open25. Um, and here we are with a very special Chris, not just any Chris. Chris, can you tell us like why you're at eBay Open and who you are?
SPEAKER_01:Uh so I was uh, believe it or not, eBay's first employee. I was hired by Pierre way back in '96. He was the best man in my sister's wedding. And my brother-in-law was his boss way back in the day at Claris. So um Wow. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07:So, and you're still here.
SPEAKER_01:I'm still here. That is incredible. Yeah, so this is really amazing being being here at the uh eBay Open 25 because um I think the last one I went to was the open eBay open 20th anniversary. So it's been 10 years. It's been 10 years for me.
SPEAKER_07:Wow.
SPEAKER_01:So I'm really happy to be here.
SPEAKER_07:How many eBay opens have you been to over all that time?
SPEAKER_01:Uh some only two. This is your second year. So I want to thank Mike Briggell for uh getting me on this.
SPEAKER_07:And the Academy and Allison Engels. We should all be thanking Allison Engels. She's been crushing it.
SPEAKER_01:Dina and Dina Friedman. So that's awesome.
SPEAKER_07:Well, what's it been like for you? What's your kind of role been here?
SPEAKER_01:It's been really amazing. So, you know, the sellers would come up to me and I'd give them uh me and Griff, we're one of the oldest employees here. So I was employee number one. He was employee uh 11. So wow. Yeah. So we're one and one, one. Yeah, we're we're like old relics. So they wanted to be like in the museum's place, being in uh uh like human relics.
SPEAKER_06:So yeah, we human relics, yeah. So we can do it.
SPEAKER_01:So it's just amazing.
SPEAKER_06:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Talking to all the sellers and how um they they're telling us how they changed their lives. So I was really amazed that I was really touched.
SPEAKER_07:That's awesome. Were you like, did people say like they didn't believe you? No way, no, you're not.
SPEAKER_01:You were like looking at my button and they're like, what is this? They did you put that you're just saying that you were like your number I'm the best number one? I go, No, I'm eBay's actually number one employee.
SPEAKER_07:Literally, like chronologically first. Yes. Well they're arguably maybe also the best. Like we can't confirm or deny.
SPEAKER_01:You're too nice. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07:Oh my gosh. Well, it's so funny because I've met you a number of times on campus in San Jose. You're always walking around campus. Yeah, you have like a quality control kind of job, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so that's my QA inspector for uh EMR and uh enterprise management resources. Yeah. Some of my bosses, Eileen Alvareem, and she makes me like she's giving me all these um assignments to do, which keeps me really busy the whole day. Yeah I have to thank her for that. So yeah. Yeah, yeah, and it's and it's all about the bosses you have, the higher bosses. So I've got like Steven Wallace and Eric Donovan, and then new bosses who understand the culture of eBay. So and uh that's what I enjoy my job. And if I still love it, I I I wouldn't be there.
SPEAKER_07:And I mean that's incredible. I don't know anybody, I don't know anybody better qualified to really be able to speak on the culture of eBay. You've been there through it all. Yeah, which is really wild.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you.
SPEAKER_07:Will you ever retire?
SPEAKER_01:Um well, we're thinking seven right now, seven to be on 67. Okay, okay. I collect the whole social security network. Oh, yeah, totally. I know it's a whole equation, right? Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_07:But it's great that you've been able to navigate. I'm sure you've had many different roles over the years. Yes. Um, but you've been able to navigate and kind of stay within and really help create such an amazing culture.
SPEAKER_01:Well, thank you for that. Yeah. I mean, I think it's just the people who are the the uh the incredible people at eBay really make it happen.
SPEAKER_06:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So I'm just there just as a witness.
SPEAKER_06:I don't believe that.
SPEAKER_07:I think you're totally part of it. You're a co-creator. I mean, seriously, not a lot of sellers, I mean, relative to the number of sellers on eBay, right? Not a lot of us have had that really privilege to kind of experience the culture of the company in that up close and personal way, even like at a conference or going on campus for various things, and it is remarkable. Like it's totally not what I expected of any corporation, and I'm constantly impressed by it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, you know, I it goes way back, extends way back with the founder of eBay and Jeff Skull, um, our first um president, those two really made eBay happen and how great this company is. And I I really am loyal to them, and uh yeah, if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be the person. Than I am today. I strive to be better every day, and they they always pushed me. So it was great. They were they're actually my age, but they were much further old soul, and they were so wise, so wise in the future. Yeah, I mean, this is way back in 96. They had a future in mind of eBay, how the growth it was gonna be, how big it was gonna be.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, and now you and me are here living that future. I know, I love it. So cool. I love it too. Well, this is like the last hour, I think, that we're open for the conference, so I don't want to take up all of your time, but thank you so much for stopping by.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you for having me. It's been amazing. I'll see you at the after party.
SPEAKER_07:Oh, yeah, we'll definitely be at the after party. Anything else you want to say?
SPEAKER_01:No, I just want to thank you for uh having me on.
SPEAKER_07:Of course. We would love to have you on anytime.
SPEAKER_01:Damn, anytime. When you're in San Jose, I'll be there. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07:Okay, great. We're gonna book your time. Okay, good. Thanks, Chris. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02:This is Bill Hunt. Drop that beat.
SPEAKER_07:Bill, welcome to the show officially.
SPEAKER_08:In person, in person, in person, live in Las Vegas, eBay Open 2025.
SPEAKER_07:Um, Bill is like a super special guest because he's been listening to tons of seller club podcast episodes.
SPEAKER_02:Sure.
SPEAKER_07:And we finally got to meet him in real life.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's uh it's a treat. Thank you. My bucket list.
SPEAKER_08:Oh, awesome. So let me ask you this how long have you been selling on eBay?
SPEAKER_02:I started on eBay way back in about 02.
SPEAKER_08:Okay.
SPEAKER_02:That was uh half.com at that time. Oh, oh. Yeah, then I well it wasn't it was eBay, but they had acquired half. Right. Okay. And then I had a long break and got got back into it 18, 19, but really in earnest in 2022.
SPEAKER_08:Okay, okay. That's a that's a cool time. So you've you've experienced eBay in multiple eras.
SPEAKER_02:Yes.
SPEAKER_08:Yep.
SPEAKER_02:Uh I'm an old person, so that's what happened.
SPEAKER_06:No. Have you been to an eBay Open before?
SPEAKER_02:Never have. I did the virtual one last year.
SPEAKER_06:How was that?
SPEAKER_02:It was not as good as being in person.
SPEAKER_06:You're like, well, now that I'm here, honestly, I kind of feel the same way because I've loved eBay open.
SPEAKER_07:I've been involved the last three years, but it was always only virtual, so I didn't even know what this was like in real life, you know, in person. Um, and I love it. It's like so fun and just over the top. I really hope we get to keep doing it this way.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, me too. I'll be here for sure. Yeah.
SPEAKER_08:So, Bill, what kind of stuff do you sell on eBay?
SPEAKER_02:I sell all kinds of things. I sell everything from soup to nuts. Oh, and I haven't sold it. That's an interesting spectrum. But I haven't, uh but I haven't sold soup or nuts yet.
SPEAKER_08:So we have a saying we sell in the Philippines, we sell toothpick two helicopters.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, yeah, there you go. Something like that.
SPEAKER_08:Something like that.
SPEAKER_02:I have sold a helicopter. So a whole helicopter? Oh, yeah. It's about this big. Uh little toy. It's still a helicopter. Yeah, it's still a helicopter.
SPEAKER_07:That's funny. Have you have you sold anything since you've been here at the conference? I have. You have your listing still turned on? I yeah, yeah. What's been your best sale since you've been here?
SPEAKER_02:Since I've been here? Uh little pelican figure, hand-carved wood,$35,$35. Oh, wow. That's it.
SPEAKER_06:We'll take a$35 sale any day.
SPEAKER_02:Sourced for two, sold for$35.
SPEAKER_08:Oh, I like that margin.
SPEAKER_06:That's how you do it, guys.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah. At the end of the day, you know, people call me, oh, you're a sneaker seller. No, I'm a margin seller.
SPEAKER_07:Is there uh anything you've ever in listening to so many episodes of our podcast? Thank you for listening. Um, is there ever anything you've wanted to like scream at us in the moment while we were saying talking about something?
SPEAKER_04:Like, you guys, it's this, or no, or yes, that's the best thing ever. No, I don't think so.
SPEAKER_07:I don't know. I don't think so. Nothing in particular that really like ground your gears. Great.
SPEAKER_02:No, no, no. Nothing that bugs me. You guys are great.
SPEAKER_07:Thanks. Well, we'll take it. Um, what do you think has been like valuable about having like other sellers in your ears in the form of a podcast?
SPEAKER_02:It's just good to always be thinking about what's going on, what people are doing, how they're turning sales, how they're a little bit of comparing notes. Exactly. Yeah, I mean, I don't have a lot with I don't sell many shoes, so I'm in a different world completely on that. Yeah. But uh it's still just good to hear about the process, somebody who's out there doing the grind, making the money. Yeah.
SPEAKER_08:So, Bill, have we hit um all the points? Because one of our uh a main um kind of like goal for Seller Club podcast is you know, like we sell on multiple categories, but most of what we discuss are applicable to most categories. So is that true as a listener?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I think you guys do a really good job when you take your themes and start going through and processing. I think those themes, you know, under that umbrella from a lot of different sellers.
SPEAKER_08:Yeah, credit Soana, the one of the main writers of Silicon Podcast.
SPEAKER_06:Uh, that's why you'll hear me sometimes trying to keep them on track because I'm like, but I have the outline.
SPEAKER_07:You guys, I shared it with you, but are you looking at it? No, you're not. It's fine though. Um, well, I'm just gonna put you all the way on the spot. Do you have a favorite host?
SPEAKER_02:I think my favorite host is all three of you. You guys are great.
SPEAKER_06:That was the best answer.
SPEAKER_07:You're the best. Thank you. I try. Is there anything else you want to leave sellers with from eBay open or anything you would like to share with them from your experience here?
SPEAKER_02:You know, I I'd say a lot of what we do is just so, I guess, elephant, you know, I don't want to say elementary, but yeah, there's fundamentals. There's some fundamentals to it. You hear it over and over. So a lot of things they keep hammering, but there's jewels to be had here, whether you're going to the uh the cellar clinic, looking at your at your uh shop, that's great. Having a chance to interact with the staff people, it's been amazing. The staff seems so friendly and supportive.
SPEAKER_07:I know, it's amazing, isn't it? Yes, that always just like blows my mind.
SPEAKER_08:That's so well. Thank you so much, Bill, for hopping on. Um this is super exciting to meet you in person. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's been great. It's uh meeting you know people like you and some of the others I've watched and listened to. It's a it's a highlight. Thank you.
SPEAKER_07:Well, it's our highlight to meet you in real life. So thanks so much for jumping on with us. You're so brave. I appreciate it. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02:Thank you. Thank you, Mike.
SPEAKER_06:Bye bye.
SPEAKER_00:Drop that beat.
SPEAKER_06:Oh my goodness, who dropped the beat just now? Would you please introduce yourself? That was an amazing beat drop. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00:Well, I'll be a little bit disappointed if the accent hasn't come through a little bit to indicate this is Adam Island here. I thought that was. So excited to be back with my great friends at Cellar Club.
SPEAKER_06:Yes, welcome. Thank you so much for making it to our booth.
SPEAKER_07:It has been a totally breakneck pace whirlwind of a conference, hasn't it?
SPEAKER_00:It has been incredible. Uh, I have been late to everything, and it has been entirely because I just consistently um just bumping into old friends, yeah, seeing familiar faces, and uh spending way too long catching up, which has just been a ton of fun.
SPEAKER_07:Absolutely. I think we're in the same boat. The cool thing about having a booth is a lot of people come to us, but then it's like there's just a flood of people at all times at our booth, and we're trying to make sure we get to talk to everyone. Um, but this is a great moment. You made it, we were free, so it all worked out, the stars aligned. Um, this is so cool. Have you had eBay opens in person before for yourself?
SPEAKER_00:I was here in 2019. Okay, cool. So uh do you remember the last one? Uh but that was actually my first year supporting the North America business. I've been in corporate roles before that. So that was uh that was the first one that I made it to.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And then obviously uh the virtual ones in between.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, absolutely. I've only been to the virtual ones, so this is like I've been I've been kind of saying this to uh some of my other friends who've been in the same boat, but you know, the last three years I've been part of eBay open filming content and stuff, and everything I love so much about that experience is turns out like are the same things I love about this, but that was really just a microcosm of this.
SPEAKER_00:So I think micro is the right word. I uh I got the privilege obviously of going up on the main stage, and uh when I stepped stuck my head out behind the curtain and saw how big that room was, I was like, okay, this isn't eBay Main Street anymore.
SPEAKER_06:We're not kids anymore. I know, was that intimidating? That's a really big stage.
SPEAKER_00:It is, but I'm lucky that like I got to be up there and had kind of have the more fireside chat uh model and uh with a couple of my colleagues that I know really, really well. Perfect. Obviously, I've worked with uh with many years. Exactly. Yeah.
SPEAKER_07:Well, have you had any? I know you love talking to sellers. Like we talk about this all the time. Um, that's like one of your favorite things about working here. And um, you've been in so many different roles where you get to talk to sellers, but has there been anything different or anything that's been like a consistent through line this conference that you've heard from people?
SPEAKER_00:Uh no, I think for me the the thing that's been most fun has just been uh, you know, I know that the community gets a little frustrated, particularly in the world of collectibles when all we talk about is uh is trading cards. Oh and so uh I won't mention sneakers.
SPEAKER_07:I was gonna say we've heard this before. Sneakers, sneakers, sneakers. That's what Ken likes to say.
SPEAKER_00:Um, but uh, you know, so I was delighted that like we were able to expand the aperture a little bit. And we had uh, you know, for our collectibles panel, we had a comic seller up there, we had a toys seller up though up there. But perhaps, and and we are starting to do more in those spaces, but like I also recognize there is a massive breadth to the collectibles category.
SPEAKER_04:Oh yeah, there is.
SPEAKER_00:And whether that's China figurines, Disney pins, you know, militaria, you name it.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And uh, and so like I, you know, I'm definitely not making any promises at this point, but like it was just so helpful to be able to, you know, had a great conversation with a stamp seller, had a great conversation with um a model train seller, and just being able to understand from those sellers in those different categories that we've not been spending a ton of time like to data on, you know, what are the things they need, how can we better support them?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And then how do I find those common threads across those categories where we already have made investments and we can then start to take that out and across other categories?
SPEAKER_07:That's awesome. You have explained this uh to us before, just how when uh things in a category are are modified or improved and then kind of it trickles, but but you want to make sure that it like works really well in the category before you blast it out to everywhere else. And I think we've seen a lot of that kind of stuff happening. I mean, this eBay open, it just strikes me how many things you know have been talked about and announced and and iterated upon that we've asked for, you know, like it's been very clear like sellers have asked for this and we did it. They asked for this and we did it. And I think that's really gratifying. Like as a seller, that's like, yes, thank you. That's exactly what we wanted. And of course, it's always evolving. There's always, we're like always wanting something else, you know. We were joking earlier, the next thing we want is health insurance. So if you could please work on that, we would be really appreciative.
SPEAKER_00:That would definitely be a new vertical, but um, but no, like that's been the same reaction for me. And like, look, I in my category focused role, like I actually didn't know about a number of the announcements that were coming out, but I think we're in a couple of things. Surprised with the rest of us? That's awesome.
SPEAKER_03:I love that.
SPEAKER_00:But the but the thing that I feel really good about is that we are getting to a place where there is a good balance about being able to go deep into these categories and we're still understanding some of those horizontal pain points. And so, right, like when we got when it got announced about Cox, for example, right? Like, I remember being at the um the boss reseller event in Vegas two, three years ago now, and like that was something that was consistently on people's minds. And like, if you're only taking a category lens, you're not necessarily gonna hear that, you're not gonna pick that up just if you're doing the collectible sellers. And so the fact that we're able to like continue to roll out sort of the category-specific improvements while finding those things like that, or even like you know, the um uh the broken parts uh changes as well, which I know are a really big uh impact for a lot of people in the community.
SPEAKER_07:Yeah, that's awesome. Well, thank you for your service. We appreciate. I mean, I know from knowing you and and your work, like how much you do advocate for sellers too. And uh, we just really appreciate it. It's come to so much fruition. And honestly, this has been such an exciting week. I can't wait to see what happens next and what next year is gonna be like. I mean, I don't know, I haven't heard anything one way or the other about you know if we're gonna be in person or when or how often or whatever, but the energy here has been undeniable. And everybody that I've talked to has been, and that's been quite a lot of people, by the way. But everybody we've talked to has been like so happy with it and just so refreshed, I think, by this experience.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, 100%. And uh yeah, I guess I say, like, I get lots of surprises now, so I don't know anything about future plans for uh for open, but uh it's been a fabulous few days. And look, honestly, it's my pleasure. Like, I know it sort of can sound a little bit cheesy, but like we truly do only succeed when our sellers succeed, and so it's just so important that we understand what we can be doing to continuously like make life better and easy for you all.
SPEAKER_07:It's not just a saying, guys, it's the business plan. So we appreciate that. Um, well, thanks so much for joining us for a minute. There's more stuff happening all around us, so I don't want to hold you up for too long, but um, we just always love to have you come drop the beat with us, Adam.
SPEAKER_00:Always a pleasure. Great to see you both.
SPEAKER_07:Thanks so much. See you later.