It seems the several months leading towards the end of 2011 were some good one’s for the World’s largest online auction marketplace, eBay. The company reported higher earnings and net income rose quite significantly while being out Wall Street expectations.

Being that the economy is still slowly rebounding, eBay is a great place for people to shop and get great deals on the products that they want or need. The Christmas and Holiday season is always a good one for e-commerce sites and the auction site is no exception.

Via AP:

“The company earned $1.98 billion, or $1.51 per share, in the October-December quarter. That’s up from $559 million, or 42 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier. Excluding special items such as the Skype gain, eBay Inc. says it earned 60 cents per share in the latest quarter, above the 57 cents that analysts were expecting. Revenue grew 35 percent to $3.38 billion from $2.5 billion.”

Paypal, one of the World’s largest online payment services which is owned by eBay, also did very well.

“The e-commerce and online payments company said its PayPal business continued to grow, ending the quarter with more than 106 million active accounts. That’s up 13 percent from a year earlier. Revenue jumped 28 percent to $1.24 billion and the business processed $33.4 billion worth of payments during the quarter. That’s up 24 percent from a year earlier.”

Sounds like 2011 was a great year for the company. Something interesting worth mentioning is that mobile purchases were up 500% which came out to $4 Billion. Quite the increase and goes to show that mobile usage continues to be on the rise.

Do you buy on eBay or do you prefer another site?

eBay Has Successful Fourth Quarter, Net Income Shoots Up is a post from: The Inquisitr

As a person who basically routes their entire life through the internet- professional, personal, lifestyle- one of the things that gets me agitated about the whole SOPA brouhaha is how little the average web user is concerned with the ostensible end of the internet as we know it.

The few outside communities like Reddit who are aware of even the existence of SOPA don’t really seem to comprehend how seriously it could impact even basic web use, and many worryingly seem to believe that the delayed passage does not mean- in the words of a Daily Kos writer- that the bill is “favored to pass.” (Which, you guys, it still is.)

The continued failure of the bulk of web users to realize the threat SOPA poses means that the few who understand the impact need to do everything in their power to wake the web up to its imminent potential destruction. And it seems that some of the biggest entities are considering a “nuclear option” to get users active, to spur political action and maybe- just maybe- convince lawmakers to ignore special interests and ditch SOPA.

AOL, eBay, Facebook, foursquare, Google, IAC, Linkedin, Mozilla, OpenDNS, PayPal, Twitter, Wikipedia, Yahoo! and the Zynga Game Network are all members of an organization called the NetCoalition, and there is said to be chatter about shutting off the sites for a time to drive home the message that a future with SOPA sucks for everyone. Daily Kos quotes:

When the home pages of Google.com, Amazon.com, Facebook.com, and their Internet allies simultaneously turn black with anti-censorship warnings that ask users to contact politicians about a vote in the U.S. Congress the next day on SOPA, you’ll know they’re finally serious…

“There have been some serious discussions about that,” says Markham Erickson, who heads the NetCoalition trade association that counts Google, Amazon.com, eBay, and Yahoo as members. “It has never happened before.”

Scarily, not even the action proposed is guaranteed to stop SOPA or the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), but it would be a hell of a newfangled protest and could be a political game-changer.

Are you concerned about SOPA?

SOPA-Opposing Web Giants Consider ‘Nuclear Option’ to Thwart Law is a post from: The Inquisitr

Online auction site eBay announced the acquisition of recommendation startup Hunch on Monday for an estimated cost of $80 million (Acquisition pricing has not been revealed at this time).

Launched in 2008 the company will retain their 50-person recommendations team who according to Hunch founder Chris Dixon will move over to join the team at eBay.

eBay has long had a problem predicting what their customers are searching for because many of their products are used or come in unique form which makes them hard to analyze.

According to eBay’s chief technology officer:

“Hunch was solving a similar problem with unstructured data,” he says. “The type of technologies were similar enough that this makes sense.”

How the company will integrate Hunch into their existing platform is still to be seen. What is known is that the company was likely a “hot target” as Michael Arrington explained in his Uncrunched post:

In mid 2010 there were whispers that Google was taking a long look at the company as well, although I haven’t heard anything to suggest they were bidding against Ebay this time around.

How would you like to see eBay change their recommendation engine for the better?

eBay Gobbles Up Hunch For Estimated $80 Million is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ecommerce giant eBay Inc. released its third quarter earnings report today, boasting a 13% increase in profits over the last quarter, and a 32% increase in profits when compared to the same quarter in 2010.

The company reported third quarter earnings of $490.5 million, or 37 cents a share (compared to from $431.9 million, or 33 cents a share, a year earlier), and non-GAAP net income of $628.2 million, or $0.48 per share. Market analysts had been predicting that eBay Inc. would report third-quarter earnings of around 48 cents a share.

eBay Inc. president and CEO John Donahoe attributes the growth in profits to the continuing expansion of PayPal, particularly with PayPal mobile.

“Our company reported another strong quarter, with eBay, PayPal and GSI each performing well,” said eBay Inc. President and CEO John Donahoe. “Mobile commerce continues to accelerate as consumers change the way they shop and pay.

“We expect eBay mobile commerce to generate almost $5 billion in merchandise volume this year and PayPal mobile to exceed $3.5 billion in payment volume. Mobile is one way online and offline shopping are blending into a single commerce environment. We are focused on enabling commerce, helping consumers shop anytime, anywhere, and being the commerce partner of choice for retailers of all sizes.”

eBay Inc. shares dropped down 5.7% after trading hours, coming to a stop at $31.32.

eBay Inc. reports strong third quarter earnings thanks to PayPal is a post from: The Inquisitr

The story of how Engadget’s tipster got the update is pretty odd – he claims Ice Cream Sandwich simply came loaded on a Samsung Nexus S he bought on Ebay. When he powered up his new handset, he realized he was getting a sneak preview taste of an update that is only due out some time in the next two months.

The video looks like the real deal, and the fact his phone has since been remotely locked and wiped by Google adds credibility to the claim. As for Ice Cream Sandwich itself, well, it looks quite a lot like Honeycomb. Engadget talked readers through the tweaks:

“There’s a new Google Apps icon which opens up a tray containing a number of featured services put out by the search giant, and long-pressing the home button brings up a vertical Honeycomb-style multitasking menu. The notification bar, camera UI and other menus also have a much different look. Granted, all of this could just be a custom ROM built to emulate the latest Google dessert, so we can’t be a full hundred percent certain that it’s authentic.”

You can see the video of the leak below, so let us know what you think, Android owners. Is this really Ice Cream Sandwich? And how much do you actually want an ice cream sandwich after reading this post?

Ice Cream Sandwich Android Update Appears On Ebay Phone … Two Months Before Launch [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Well it’s official, not only has Meg Whitman been hired by the HP board to replace ousted Léo Apotheker; who has been on the job for less than a year and will apparently walk away from the job with $10 million, but the HP board continues to show its own incompetence.

The simple fact is that any problems with the once venerable Hewlett-Packard isn’t so much who the CEO is but the fact that the board of directors for the company have been totally negligent in their care and running of the company. Thsi is something that started way back with the whole Fiorina mess that was exasperated by Hurd and his decimation of the company in order to make Wall Street happy.

So what do they do to try and fix the mess – they hire a SAP executive by the name of Léo Apotheker, who had left SAP under a cloud, a cloud that seems to have followed him to HP where he took the mess created by Mark Hurd and made it an even bigger mess to the point that the value of the company went even further in the toilet.

Now this very same board goes and gives him the boot and installs ex-eBay CEO; and failed California candidate for governor, Meg Whitman in his place. Talk about going from the frying pan into the fire.

As with all previous CEO moves of late the HP board caused heads to shake in bewilderment at this move, a move that puts the woman who basically had to step down from a company that had become outdated and stagnant in one of the most important roles in a company that is in desperate need of leadership and vision.

What strikes me as strange is that one would think that if you are one of the world’s largest enterprise and hardware companies wouldn’t you .. like .. hire someone who understands that part of the business?

Instead HP hires someone who’s main claim to fame is running the world’s largest electronic auction houses. I mean, really where does any of her core competencies match up with the needs of HP?

HP continues to show cluelessness as they hire Meg Whitman to replace Apotheker is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Civil War-era photograph of Nicolas Cage has surfaced on eBay, and there is only one logical explanation… he’s a vampire.

The photo, which is being sold by a man from Tennessee for an asking price of $1 million, shows the Oscar winner in a Civil War-era photograph. But what’s even more amazing, it appears that Nicolas Cage hasn’t aged a day since the photograph was taken.

Jack Mord, who is selling the photo on eBay, said:

“Personally, I believe it’s him and that he is some sort of walking undead vampire, et cetera, who quickens/reinvents himself once every 75 years or so. 150 years from now, he might be a politician, the leader of a cult or a talk show host.”

According to the New York Daily News, the photo was taken in in 1864 at Johnson’s Island prison camp in Ohio by Professor G.B. Smith, who was famous for taking portraits of confederate prisoners during the Civil War.

But Mord insists that the photo is of an undead Nicolas Cage, who at the time of the photo, may have been a Civil War prisoner.

Mord said:

“My theory is that he allows himself to age to a certain point, maybe 70, 80 or so, then the actor ‘Nicolas Cage’ will ‘die’…but in reality, the undead vampire ‘Nicolas Cage’ will have rejuvenated himself and appeared in some other part of the world, young again, and ready to start all over.”

E! reports that Nicolas Cage has not denied that he is a vampire (he hasn’t confirmed either).

What do you think? Just a civil war prisoner? Or are we looking at definitive proof that Nicolas Cage is a vampire?

If you do think that Nicolas Cage is a vampire, you should probably check out this time traveling photo of John Travolta. 

Nicolas Cage is a Vampire? eBay Seller Has Proof for $1 Million is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you love going to outlet stores in the US, this latest offering from eBay is for you. The online auction site has launched Fashion Outlet, a virtual outlet mall in the US, allowing shoppers anytime to access discounted designer fashion.

The new site extends eBay’s selection of clothing, shoes and accessories with deals on merchandise direct from a collection of brands and top retailers, including Neiman Marcus Last Call, BCBG, Spanx, Brooks Brothers, Reeds Jewelers, Jockey, William Rast, Fila, Timberland, Custo Barcelona, Hanes, among others.

Miriam Lahage, eBay Head of Global Fashion Brand, has this to say about the new site:

“Outlets are the fastest-growing retail channel, and we’re excited to bring that shopping experience and value to our shoppers – anywhere, anytime, anyhow. The Fashion Outlet on eBay represents a new, innovative off-price sales channel for brands, retailers and designers to drive multi-channel distribution and incremental sales and engage a new audience by tapping into our community of dedicated shopping enthusiasts.”

The Fashion Outlet features a selection of women’s and men’s apparel, denim, shoes and handbags at “Buy It Now” prices comparable to brick and mortar outlets or 20 to 65 percent off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Within the Fashion Outlet, shoppers can browse by store, by brand, or by category from a growing roster of dedicated virtual storefronts, offering more than 200 favorite brands and designers.

The new destination joins other offerings including the eBay iPhone and eBay Fashion Vault.

We know this kind of offering from eBay is part of adding more business and value to the company, but we have to admit that we do miss the old eBay, the auction site.

eBay Launches Virtual Outlet Mall So That You Don’t Have to Go to the Outlet Mall is a post from: The Inquisitr

An ”exceedingly rare” handwritten letter from the late author J.D. Salinger has hit Ebay with a $50,000 ‘Buy It Now’ price tag.

The high price is even more unusual because of the length of the note – it contains a single line of just 26 words. The correspondence is addressed to his maid, Mary, and is dated March 12th, 1989. The full, barely legible text reads:

“Dear Mary — Please make sure all the errands are done before you go on vacation, as I do not want to be bothered with insignificant things. Thank you, J. D. Salinger.”

Including the salutation and author’s name, that totals 30 words – meaning a $50,000 sale would be equivalent to $1,666 a word. The note has been put on sale by Las Vegas memorabilia retailer History For Sale, and comes on Salinger’s monogrammed letterhead.

The use of Salinger’s full name struck me as curious (not that I wish to cast doubt on the authenticity of this piece), and suggests a somewhat formal relationship between the writer and his maid.

As the writer of “Franny and Zooey” and landmark novel “The Catcher in the Rye,” I suspect there’ll be no shortage of collectors interested in this, but considerably fewer who can afford it. The life of Salinger seems to be all the more tantalizing to readers by his hermit-like existence and obsession with guarding his privacy.

If anyone does feel like splashing out on this Salinger curio, the auction can be found here. And my birthday is in two weeks. Just sayin’.

JD Salinger One Sentence Letter Offered for $50,000 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Well, it will work year round, but it’s here in time for Christmas.

If you’re one of those people that uses apps like coupon aggregators to shop in a more informed fashion, a new Amazon app might interest you this Christmas. The Price Check app allows you to scan a products UPC code to see if it’s available at a better price from Amazon (whose Black Friday deals have been causing major web buzz) or in the Amazon Marketplace. If the product is in a case or doesn’t have a discernable UPC, you can take a picture of it, type the name into a search field, or even enter the information verbally.

Amazon’s mobile director Sam Hall commented on the new feature:

“This app makes it incredibly easy to quickly compare prices on millions of items before making a purchase. We’ve worked hard to have low prices at Amazon, and we like it when customers comparison shop so they know they’re getting a good deal. We hope this app will empower customers to shop with confidence this holiday and any other day”

According to TG Daily, Amazon isn’t the only mega-etailer getting in on the smartphone price comparison game. Ebay launched a similar app allowing customers to scan the site’s listings for better deals. While the apps could most definitely boost online retail sales, they could also prove invaluable for customers trying to haggle a better price on holiday gifts.

[Image]

New Amazon app turbo-boosts Christmas shopping price comparison is a post from: The Inquisitr

See that keyboard up there?

Apparently it’s a very rare IBM M15 ‘split’ ergonomic keyboard. Only a small number of them were made over a short span of time (1994 – 1995) where new ones sold for around $179, unless you got the optional number keypad which would drive the price up to $199.

These things are so rare that when one hits eBay it’s a rather big deal it seems even though the starting bid was only $29.95.

How big of a deal you ask?

Well the current bid in the lead is $1,625 with four days left in the auction, and the thing is the keyboard isn’t even in primo shape as you can see from the picture.

Time to start checking those computer parts bins in your closet eh.

via Geek.com

Rare IBM keyboard driving open wallets on eBay is a post from: The Inquisitr

Pikachu? He’s pretty cute, that electric little scamp. Pikachunk? Uh, not so much.

These handmade figurines come from the twisted mind of eBayer eattoast2, who’s currently selling them for around $30 a pop. They’re appropriately known as Ugly Pokémon, are made from sculpey clay, and make me want to sleep with the light on. That Jigglygruff is wrong.

[Ebay, via Go Nintendo]

Ugly Pokémon will haunt your dreams is a post from: The Inquisitr

The new Xbox 360 Slim? Thanks, but no thanks Microsoft. Not while there’s some dude on eBay selling this Xbox 360 case, as signed by MC HAMMER himself. Oh yes:

And here’s the auction text, that genuinely made me do a lol:

White Xbox 360 case, signed by MC Hammer.

* For use with HDMI versions
* No Faceplate
* Can be touched

See also: Xbox 360 autographed by Sarah Palin going for a million bucks

[Ebay, via GameSniped]

The MC Hammer Xbox 360, yours for under $50 (currently) is a post from: The Inquisitr

This eBay bandit’s feedback is unsurprisingly negative.

[via Buzzfeed]

At least he’s honest is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rumors have been creeping around the internet that Apple is quietly limiting the number of iPads individual consumers can purchase.

As is often the case, the policy is nebulous and the accounts of iPad purchase banninations vary widely. One of the first people to report a “no iPad for you” incident was a blogger who posted about the incident in an entry titled “How I went from Apple store newbie to lifetime ban in one week” on his blog, Protocol Snow. The young man says he was attempting to pick up a few iPads for friends on the NeoGAF gaming forum when he was banned at the Apple Store, probably by some jerk in a “Genius” shirt.

Below is a quote from the post- rather lengthy, but worth reproducing because it does a great job of conveying the frustration inherent in such a vague policy. (Quoting begins after Apple Store staff members disappear into the back and the dude trying to buy the iPads overhears them discussing his last store visit.)

Me (nonchalantly) — “Is there an issue?”

He’s still staring at his monitor and a few seconds pass before Guy #2 carefully says, “There is a limit to the number of iPads that customers can buy.”

Me (playing dumb) — “Oh, is that right? What’s the limit?”

Guy #2 — “Only 2 per customer.”

Guy #1 — “I’m sorry sir, but you have reached your lifetime limit of iPad purchases and will not be allowed to buy any more.”

Me (anticipating that statement) — “Is the iPad limit per person? Per credit card? Per household?”

Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit.”

Me — “What does that mean? Can I use a different credit card to buy it? I’m buying this for a friend.”

Guy #1 — “You are not allowed to buy this iPad.”

Me — “Uhh… is it ok if I have a family member or friend come to buy it for me? My reservation doesn’t expire until 6:00 PM.”

Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit.”

Me (suddenly realizing what he’s saying) — “Wait, what? Lifetime? What does that mean?”

Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit of iPads and will not be allowed to buy any more.”

Me — “I’m banned from buying iPads? I know there’s a shortage right now, but I can’t buy any more once there’s plenty of stock?”

Guy #1 — “All I can say is that you have reached your lifetime limit.”

In a post referencing the above incident, Cult of Mac says that a hospital hoping to purchase 100 iPads was told the lifetime limit was three, not two iPads. Doctors from the hospital had initially commented that an iPad would make their jobs (and ostensibly, the level of care they are able to provide) far more efficient.

Although no one wants to see popular tech toys put out of reach by eBay vultures or other predatory resellers, what if you’ve got four kids? Small business owners who might benefit from the iPad? Schools, or even homeschooled kids? If you like your iPad, can you not buy one for your mom and your boyfriend, too? It will be interesting to see how this pans out- and if you’ve been turned away from the counter without an iPad, we’d love to hear about it in the comments .

Need a few iPads? You’re SOL, says Apple is a post from: The Inquisitr

I’m not even that into Halo, but please, people, let’s stand back and admire the artistry in this stunning Xbox 360 casemod.

It features Halo protagonist Master Chief blasting a hole through the system with his battle rifle, and it needs to be on my mantlepiece now. Theoretically, this could happen, because the Australia and New Zealand Xbox Team is selling this one-off on eBay to raise funds for the David Peachey Foundation.

Microsoft has promised to match the winning bid and donate a further $10,000 to Cure Kids. The current highest bid is still an affordable AU$730, but expect that to rocket over the remaining two days. More pics:

See also: 7 Amazing Modded Game Consoles

[Ebay, via technabob]

That. Is. Awesome: Modded Halo Xbox 360 for sale is a post from: The Inquisitr

The difference between mother Angel’s version and the copy owned by Dave, from Kansas? His copy was still sealed in its original shrinkwrap – factory-sealed, as collectors say. According to the people who follow this kind of thing, there are only two sealed copies of Stadium Events in existence, which sent the price of this soaring. It even has its original Richard Gordman $29.99 price tag.

Dave found the rare title while hunting through his basement, and revealed he was actually on the verge of giving it away:

“We had quite a collection (185+ games) that has sat in our basement for over 20 years. The games were on a list to be brought to Goodwill – in fact, within a month, Goodwill was going to have them.”

A close call, then. So what’s he doing with this windfall?

“After taxes and tithing, the rest of our part will be going to a retirement account that has been decimated by the dot-com bomb, 9/11, and the recent market problems. Not very sexy, but needed.”

Incidentally, lucky old Dave revealed he was influenced by reading about Angel’s game selling for $13,000. Now, I don’t want to draw too many quick assumptions here, but did he read her story at The Inquisitr, perhaps? If so, I assume my cut of the sale is already on its way, Dave. I operate on a very agreeable 30%.

[Ebay, via Yahoo!]

Rare Nintendo game sells for $41,000 is a post from: The Inquisitr

But at least the company gave it a shot. Back in the 1980s, the Japanese videogame giant attempted to build on the success of its relatively new Mario and Zelda franchises with “Nintendo Cereal System”, a box of two different cereals with a Mario and Zelda theme respectively.

I never tasted this stuff back in the day, and as Nintendo Ralston Foods stopped making Nintendo Cereal System in the late-1980s, I probably never will. But if I am desperate to poison myself with an original box of outdated Nintendo cereal, this sealed box just popped up on Ebay – where it’s already going for $207.

While eating the contents of this box is not recommended, watching the Nintendo Cereal System advert below is highly recommended:

[Ebay, via GameSniped]

It came from Ebay: 22-year-old Nintendo cereal selling for $207 is a post from: The Inquisitr

When a mother from Haw River, North Carolina recently dug out some of her kids’ old toys from the basement to sell on Ebay, she wasn’t expecting to rake in over $13,000 for a battered old Nintendo Entertainment System with five games.

Yet when one of those five games is Stadium Events, the rules change a little.

Stadium Events is universally accepted as one of the rarest games out there, on the NES or otherwise. It’s estimated that only 200 copies were ever released to the public, and collectors believe only ten complete editions of the game still exist. So imagine the expression on the faces of said collectors when they saw a fully boxed Stadium Events casually perched in the photo above.

Before she knew it, mom Angel saw bids on her dusty old console rocket into the thousands. The nicest part of this story? It was plainly a complete surprise to her. One Ebayer asks her why the price on the auction is so high, and her reply makes it clear that she was oblivious to the collector’s gem in her basement all along:

“Please google “Stadium Events”….that is one of the games that is listed and will come with the lot….that is the only thing in the lot that they seem interested in….it is a true rarity and is valued right now between $15,000.00 up to $25,000.00 because as I have heard there were only around 10 ever put out into the population…Trust me…I am totally floored by this….I had to pinch myself to make sure I was’nt dreaming lol…..Thank You for inquiring…Angel”

[Ebay, via Hot Blooded Gaming]

Unsuspecting mom sells rare Nintendo game for $13,000 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Super modder Ben Heck has created some of the most elegant looking and crazy gaming mods we’ve ever seen, now one of his modified systems, the PS3 Slim Laptop has been listed on eBay, and it can be all yours if you’re willing to hand over a ton of cash.

The unit, which was modded from a 17 inch Gateway 1775w LCD with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution has been listed and is currently sitting at $1,075 with 16 bids and three days left for bidding.

While I personally wouldn’t pay over $1000 for a PS3 Slim, even a really cool looking version, it’s a very cool collectors item for big gaming fanatics and a perfect example of top notching gaming console mods. I’d even go as far as to call it a work of gaming art.  [Technabob]

Ben Heck PS3 Slim Laptop Mod Hits Ebay is a post from: The Inquisitr