jbs

Skype is Back, But the Damage is Done

Here's how you look at "damage" to a brand. You must compare customer expectations to their experience.

Skype is a new technology. Businesses aren't relying on it. The vast majority of customers don't exclusively use Skype for communications. Customers pay nothing (unless you're a Skype-In or Skype-Out customer that pays next-to-nothing).

So... the expectations aren't all that high, for all the reasons above. The customer expectations for Skype are not even close to what customers expect of a landline from a local telco, as far as reliability.

So there hasn't been much damage. Sure, the outage has slowed Skype's progress to gain credibility and wide-spread acceptance. But people expect glitches with new technology, especially when they pay very little or nothing for it.

Why eBay's StumbleUpon Purchase Actually Makes Sense

If you have to think too hard to justify it then it probably doesn't make much strategic sense.

I'll admit that when I think about it I can see how it may work as an acquisition. But I shouldn't have to think about it. eBay's strategy is still undefined and if you ask anyone at that company where eBay will be 10 years from now, you'll quickly see there's no vision.

The company has pretty much used up its international expansion idea. Now it's grasping at small acquisitions, one of which it hopes will pay off - big.