Why the boring title? cause I dont want to gather the collective wrath of of eBay’s PR department with something titillating and controversial Actually I just wanted to try to answer a question that Rob and Pete asked . . . “why the collective yawn and silence in the blogosphere regarding Express?”

First before I rant on . . . I want to congratulate Chung and Adam for a job well done with Express and that I’ve learned much from both (esp Chung since I sit in the same row) watching them navigate the maze that is eBay to get their vision out the door. They are really the driving forces and the unsung heros behind express and deserves some time in the limelight (even if that means it is in this lightly trafficted blog )

For sure, eBay Express cannot be called a category disruptor at first glance. eBay Express is not a “web 2.0″ product which anticipates an user need 2-3 years from now for its target users. It is not innovating ahead of the market. It is not DICTATING to users what they need to do OR who they need to be to be accepted as the leading edge adoptors. IE . . .it aint that sexy and as such, the blogosphere could care less. That however, doesnt mean that eBay Express will not be a category killer or an innovation with deep consequences for the online e-tail industry.

eBay Express is more like the iPod . Certainly not the first mover and certainly not that sexy if you just look at the specs and a press release. (remember half.com which was Amazon before Amazon became Amazon). What it is . . . is months of market research, segmentation analysis, and usability testing combined with a deep intuitive understanding of why and how people shop. It is an innovation not for the sake of innovation but FOR a segment of users. Too few technology companies do that today. . .too few have learned not to talk down to its user base but instead to listen, respond, create, position every single piece of its product for users who was intended to consume it. This is how P&G, Gillette, 3M and other non-tech consumer companies survived for tens if not hundreds of years as leaders in their industry. Identify an underserved and large segment and relentlessly create a new product to serve that segment’s need and preferrences. . . and let innovation come as part of that process. (sneak peak . . .Express finding engine has more “edge” characteristics than even people here would like to admit)

And finally, Pete, I am confident you’ll like the pretty pictures & logo we have in the works for Express