- eBay to cut about 1,000 roles, approximately 9% of its workforce.
- CEO Jamie Iannone cites the need to align teams and reduce expenses as reasons for the layoffs.
- The company will also scale back contracts in its “alternative workforce.”
- eBay’s move follows a trend of job cuts in the US tech industry, including companies like Amazon and Google.
Online retailer eBay is set to cut around 1,000 positions, representing approximately 9% of its current workforce, according to a statement from the company. CEO Jamie Iannone explained in a letter to employees that while progress is being made against their strategy, overall headcount and expenses have outpaced business growth. To address this, organizational changes will be implemented to streamline certain teams and enhance the end-to-end customer experience globally.
In addition to the job cuts, eBay plans to reduce the number of contracts within its “alternative workforce” in the coming months. Iannone urged managers to inform affected employees, and he requested that all eBay staff work from home on Wednesday to allow for private discussions about the layoffs.
Iannone acknowledged the difficulty of the decisions, recognizing the impact on individuals who have contributed significantly to eBay’s community and culture. This move comes after eBay laid off 500 employees globally in February of the previous year, citing a slowdown in consumer spending post-pandemic.
The tech industry in Silicon Valley has witnessed a surge in job cuts, with major firms like Google and Meta announcing significant redundancy programs. Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai warned of potential further cuts, emphasizing the company’s focus on investing in artificial intelligence. Meta had previously revealed plans to cut 10,000 jobs, and other tech companies like Duolingo, Amazon, and Spotify have also implemented workforce reductions in recent months.
Data from layoffs.fyi, a platform tracking job losses in the tech sector, indicates that over 13,000 people have been laid off at 72 companies in the early part of this year.
