In brief
A person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of the workforce, will be cut. Another report puts the total at around 1,100, based on 12,300 employees at the end of last year.
The February round eliminated about 800 jobs, or 6% of staff at the time, so the October cuts make two rounds this year.
CEO Jamie Iannone wrote that the strategy is working and that eBay will simplify operations and move resources to its fastest-growing areas.
eBay shares rose on Wednesday, 21 October, by between 1.12% and 1.6% depending on the report, and have gained nearly 40% this year against about 12% for the S&P 500.
- February 2026eBay cuts about 800 jobs, or 6% of staff
- May 2026eBay rejects an unsolicited $56 billion bid from GameStop
- 21 OctReuters reports a second round of cuts, about 9% of the workforce
- 28 OcteBay reports third-quarter results
Scale of the cuts
eBay will cut about 9% of its workforce, roughly 1,000 jobs, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg. Another report puts the figure at around 1,100, based on the 12,300 employees eBay had at the end of last year. The company has about 1,000 staff in Ireland, and affected employees are to be told in the coming days.
This is the second round of job cuts this year. In February, eBay eliminated about 800 positions, which was 6% of its staff at the time, and around 50 Irish-based jobs were reported at risk then. The company also reduced its workforce in early 2023 and early 2024, though the reporting gives no figures for those rounds.
- February 2026
- 800 jobs
- October 2026
- 1000 jobs
Data from the article text
Iannone's memo
Reuters first reported the cuts on Wednesday, 21 October, after reviewing an internal memo from chief executive Jamie Iannone. In the memo, Iannone said the company's strategy is working and that the next phase calls for hard choices about where eBay directs its money and effort. The company wants to simplify how it runs and shift resources toward its fastest-growing areas. A spokesperson confirmed the layoffs to Reuters the same day.
Iannone, who has run eBay since 2020, wrote in the memo:
“continuing to capture the significant opportunity ahead requires us to make thoughtful choices about where we focus and invest.”
Shares and deal history
EBay shares rose on Wednesday, though the reported size of the gain varies. One report put it at 1.12%, another said the stock climbed as much as 1.6% to $123.11 after the New York open, and a third cited about 1.2% in the morning session. Over the year, the shares have risen nearly 40%, against a gain of around 12% for the S&P 500 benchmark.
Earlier this year eBay bought Depop, a fashion resale app, in a deal worth $1.4 billion. The purchase was aimed at strengthening its position against Vinted, the Lithuanian company expanding in the United States. In May, GameStop chief executive Ryan Cohen made an unsolicited $56 billion bid for eBay, which the company rejected as "neither credible nor attractive."
Outlook
eBay has set itself apart from rivals by pushing into authenticated luxury goods, collectibles and refurbished products, categories that draw buyers willing to pay more for valuable items. Iannone has focused sales on those areas. When the company last reported results in August, it forecast third-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates. The company will report its third-quarter results on 28 October, and affected staff will be told in the coming days.