EBay Live 2008 in Chicago: What to expect and what to look for
EBay Live 2008 will be held in Chicago, which I think will make it the first eBay Live convention in the Mid-West.
EBay Live 2008 in Chicago
When: June 19 -21.
Where: McCormick Place West Building.
Registration opens on March 14, 2008:
- Early Bird Registration - $75.00 - March 14 - April 30
- Final Discounted Registration - $100.00 - May 1 - May 31
- Standard Registration - $120.00 - June 1 - June 21
- Saturday 6/21 Only Pass - $75.00
- Priority Pass - $150.00 (only 750 available)
There are two things one can pretty much not just be expected, but taken for granted: EBay Live 2008 in Chicago will draw a lot more attendees than eBay Live 2007 in Boston did. Hopefully eBay will have learned from the overflow crowds in Las Vegas in 2006 and cut off the number of registrants at a comfortable level. There will also be a lot of jokes between now and then about whether the eBay Live in the Windy City will suck or blow. Hah hah hah. Well, now we have that whole set of jokes out of the way.
On the business side of things, eBay Live in 2008 will be a good time to evaluate a number of initiatives, issues and developments:
- How will the restructured PowerSeller program play out?
- Will store listings and profitability for eBay store listers get a bounce from the soon-to-be rejuvenated eBay store program?
- How much closer to Yahoo will eBay and PayPal be at that time?
- What will eBay’s relationship with Google be like?
- Will any of eBay’s acquisitions pay off? Specifically, how will Skype be coming along? Last year eBay mid-level eBay managers in Las Vegas that I spoke to wondered whether Skype would figure out a way to make money. Not much progress appears to have been made on that score over the past 12 months.
- What overall message will eBay push to drive buyers to its site?
- Finally, which washed-up has-been group that still knows how to get the masses moving will play at the Closing Gala?
