eBay Retires Whimsical 17-Year-Old Logo

Perhaps inspired by Microsoft, eBay announced that it’s retiring its old whimsical logo after 17 years of service. (You read that right--eBay has been rolling for 17 years, since 1995.) Instead of the jumbled and mixed-case letters, the new look is a straight, even set of lower-case letters; the fun colors, however, remain.

“Our refreshed logo is rooted in our proud history and reflects a dynamic future”, said eBay president Devin Wenig in a statement. “It’s eBay today: a global online marketplace that offers a cleaner, more contemporary and consistent experience, with innovation that makes buying and selling easier and more enjoyable.”

eBay logos
From bottom to top: Out with the old, in with the new

Wenig pointed out that these days, eBay does fewer traditional-style auctions and more of the “Buy It Now” variety of fixed-price sales, and sellers often offer free shipping and returns. There are also plenty of sales from retailers you know, as opposed to just strangers across the country auctioning off unwanted goods. He also noted that eBay has a focus on mobile commerce with apps that let users bid, browse, and buy.

eBay on tablet

eBay is a legendary company that introduced a disruptive way of buying and selling online, but the competition from the likes of Amazon (and in this neck of the woods, Newegg) is stiff. eBay hopes its new look will coincide with increased success in the online marketplace.
Tags:  eBay, logo, Misc