Cohen: eBay’s Management Killed Growth, Alienated Sellers
Ryan Cohen details how eBay's 'professional management' tanked key metrics, ignored sellers, and missed e-commerce growth, offering a stark warning for founders.
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen’s $56B Plan to Take Over eBay
With Ryan Cohen · Sunday, June 28, 2026
In this interview, Ryan Cohen, CEO of GameStop, details his entrepreneurial journey from founding Chewy to his activist investment and turnaround of GameStop. He outlines his strategic vision and $56 billion bid to acquire eBay, explaining why he believes its current management has failed and how his three-pronged plan will unlock significant value. Cohen also discusses the media's negative perception of GameStop and activist investors, contrasting it with the perceived protection of entrenched corporate management.
Key takeaways
- eBay's post-founder management presided over steep declines in core metrics like GMV and active users, which fell by 30 million. Operating earnings also dropped, while operating expenses climbed to over half of the company's revenue. Read more →
- Chewy built a multi-billion dollar business by directly challenging Amazon's operational excellence while cultivating intense customer loyalty through passionate pet owners. Read more →
- Ryan Cohen wants to build "big things," declaring "life is too short to do it small," drawing on his experience scaling Chewy. He's not interested in moderate growth. Read more →
4 articles from this episode
Ryan Cohen's Chewy Rule: Make Suppliers Hate You, Or Overpay
Chewy founder Ryan Cohen shares his brutal supplier negotiation rule and 24/7 dedication. Learn how to apply his 'will overkill' approach to your startup.
Cohen's eBay Play: Cut $2B, Go Live, Own Digital Collectibles
Ryan Cohen's bold eBay strategy isn't just cost-cutting. He details his $56B vision: slash $2B, build live commerce from GameStop stores, and create a new digital collectibles market.
Ryan Cohen: Why My Chewy Playbook for GameStop Was 'Really Stupid'
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen admits misapplying the Chewy playbook. Learn his pivot to 'maniacal cost cutting,' pre-owned focus, and $350M collectibles boom.
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