After a day at the eBay Seller Summit hearing from eBay’s leadership about the vision ahead, eBay’s sellers were delighted to see a surprise visitor welcomed to the stage: Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay.
Arriving with a standing ovation, Omidyar sat down with eBay CEO Devin Wenig to reflect on eBay’s earlier days and its consistent sense of purpose.
“Our success will always be based on your success,” said Omidyar on eBay’s debut in 1995 and progress over the past twenty years. “We’re here because of you.”
Omidyar relayed some anecdotes from eBay’s early years – from generating the first code in his apartment in Campbell, CA to when buyers mailed checks directly to eBay to process payments, much to the post office’s confusion and amazement.
Speaking on the potential and purpose of technology to change the world and make it more just and fair, Omidyar remarked: “We need to do everything we can to create opportunity for everyone. Just imagine 7 billion humans on this planet with equal opportunity, and what kind of amazing place this planet would be.”