eBay Desktop Opens to Public; Improves Buyer Experience With Increased Personal Functionality

eBay Inc. (Nasdaq:EBAY)(www.ebay.com) today announced the public availability of the beta version of its eBay Desktop application, a rich Internet application that can be downloaded for free at desktop.ebay.com. As a client application that can run both online and offline, eBay Desktop increases the functionality and personalization options available to eBay.com users. eBay Desktop is part of a series of new products and features eBay is introducing to help the company fulfil its commitment to improve the buyer experience. Built on Adobe® AIR™, eBay Desktop runs on Windows XP and Vista as well as Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. "Applications built on Adobe AIR, like eBay Desktop, take Rich Internet Applications out of the browser and put them on the desktop," said Ron Rogowski, principal analyst, Forrester Research. "These desktop applications enable occasionally connected use, customized content view, and a branded experience that can act as a platform for closer relationships with customers." 1 Because eBay Desktop utilizes real-time data while connected, eBay buyers can more closely manage multiple listings and search queries with continuously updated information. By storing searches and bid histories locally on eBay Desktop, users can locate and move between the items and listings they are most interested in more quickly. "Improving the buyer experience is the top priority for eBay and a promise that we’ve made to our entire community,” said John Donahoe, president of eBay Marketplaces. "eBay Desktop, a new homepage, and some exciting new social commerce tools are a few of the announcements we’ll be making over the coming weeks and are part of a long-term strategy to again set the standard for what it means to have a great online shopping experience.” In addition to eBay Desktop, eBay is working to further enhance the buyer experience by personalizing eBay anywhere people go online with: Next Gen My eBay: streamlines and customizes personalized eBay pages eBay Marketplace on Facebook application: users can link eBay and Facebook accounts and share them with their networks eBay To Go: widget that injects eBay listings into your blog or Web site Formerly code-named "San Dimas,” eBay Desktop began as a prototype out of the eBay Disruptive Innovation program, and was launched into private beta on June 11, 2007. The public beta is initially available in the U.S. and the company plans to expand its presence into additional markets in Q4 2007. eBay Desktop uses eBay’s APIs to deliver eBay data dynamically without having to visit eBay.com, and can be downloaded for free at desktop.ebay.com. About eBay Inc. Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people around the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate together. eBay does this by providing the Internet platforms of choice for global commerce, payments and communications. Since its inception, eBay has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, Shopping.com, and others. eBay Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California. 1 Source: Forrester Research, "eBay San Dimas Marks A New Era for RIAs."