Ask HN: What type of companies will thrive in this environment?

2 points·ashishk··5 comments

Just curious, but when Mark Cuban says that instability in the markets gives rise to opportunities, what specific businesses can thrive?

View on HN

well, just as an example, ebay is struggling. they deserve to be toppled, and someone doing things right can topple them.

especially in this market, where people are probably looking to hock their stuff.

That's horrible analysis, eBay is not even close to struggling. They slashed 1000 jobs not because they're hurting, but because they're shifting. They're repositioning as the complete ecommerce solutions provider for small to big businesses. PayPal DOMINATES fund transfers and with their purchase of Verisign they have a big chunk of merchant accounts processing. Toss in Skype, recently BillPoint, expansion to international markets... That's not struggling.

Taking on eBay is outlandish.

ebay has shifted their focus away from online auctions into an online marketplace format. they've admitted it themselves, and their sellers are angry at it. if you don't call that struggling in their primary market, i don't know what is.

i never said that the company was about to go under, or anything, but their shift in focus and strategy is an indication that their auction model is failing and that they need support from elsewhere.

there's room for usurping the online auction house power.

Google saw increases in revenue despite the shrinking economy (although this was before the recent events of the past few weeks). The explanation was that more consumers were going online to shop in order to save some money.

I think businesses that by function, cut costs and increase ROI will do well. Just trying to figure out what the best way to do that is.

A bean cannery.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com