eBay to Cut 1,000 Jobs in Second Layoff Round as Focus Shifts to High-Margin Re-Commerce

Online marketplace eBay is cutting approximately 1,000 jobs, or 9% of its global workforce, in an aggressive move to strip out operating layers and redirect capital toward its fastest-growing categories.

The downsizing, confirmed by a company spokesperson following an internal memo from CEO Jamie Iannone, marks eBay's second round of workforce reductions this year. The company previously let go of 800 employees—roughly 6% of staff—in February. At the close of last year, eBay employed around 12,300 people globally.

Growth in High-Margin Niches The job cuts come despite a remarkably strong operational turnaround on Wall Street:

• Outperforming the Market: eBay shares have climbed nearly 40% in 2026, easily outpacing the benchmark S&P 500's 12% advance.
• The Enthusiast Moat: Rather than competing head-on with generalist e-commerce giants, eBay has carved out defensible margins by anchoring its catalog around authenticated luxury watches, rare sneakers, trading cards, and refurbished consumer electronics—attracting collectors willing to pay higher transaction premiums.
• Depop Integration: The platform's $1.4 billion acquisition of social fashion marketplace Depop has paid off, expanding eBay's footprint with younger shoppers and cementing its footing in the rapidly expanding circular fashion and re-commerce sectors.

"Our strategy is working. Continuing to capture the significant opportunity ahead requires us to make thoughtful choices about where we focus and invest." — Jamie Iannone, CEO, eBay

Earnings Ahead and Hostile M&A Deflections The headcount reset arrives just days before eBay reports its third-quarter financial results, following an upbeat August forecast that topped Street consensus.

The marketplace's disciplined cost base and steady cash generation have also made it an acquisition target. In May, GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen launched an unsolicited $56 billion takeover offer for eBay, which the board promptly rejected as neither credible nor attractive. By paring down overhead now, leadership is reinforcing its independence and signaling to investors that operating margins will take precedence heading into 2027.