Ebay is rejuvenated by mobile shopping says BW.
After losing ground to Amazon.com (AMZN) for years in online retailing, eBay has emerged as a leader in a new market: mobile commerce. As consumers increasingly shop with their BlackBerrys, iPhones, and handsets powered by Google’s (GOOG) Android software, such as the Motorola (MOT) Droid, eBay has become the top mobile retailer in the U.S., say analysts. Consumers are even buying cars with their eBay apps: The most expensive example this year is a used Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder that went for $139,000. In 2010, the San Jose company expects to move $1.5 billion worth of goods through its mobile apps—more than double last year’s $600 million. Tablet computers, too, are moving the merchandise: Users of eBay’s app on Apple’s (AAPL) iPad spend three or four times as much money in a typical session than they would on an iPhone, says Steve Yankovich, eBay’s vice-president for mobile.