eBay Radio is signing off for the first time in 15 years. Hostess with the mostess Lee is retiring and Griff is staying on as eBay Radio takes new form as a pre-recorded, podcast style show that may eventually be renamed.

The first time I was ever really aware that eBay Radio was a thing was at the 2007 eBay Live! in Boston (the only Ebay Live! that I ever attended) where I attended a live broadcast of it. From then I became a sporadic listener to a regular guest on the program, having been on a dozen times over the years. Alas, when my kids came along it became harder and harder to be able to get enough uninterrupted time to call in for a segment but I thought eBay Radio would always be there for me to come back to someday, it was that much of an institution. And now we are saying goodbye this summer and I’m sad to see it go.

When eBay Radio was at its best, it was a company connecting with it’s customers on an unprecedented level, a true conversation. At it’s worst, it was a pitchfork wielding angry mob. But what made it great was that, better or worse, that channel of communication was always there making users feel heard, even if it was an illusion. It was a town hall where real users got to speak directly to both eBay staff and other users, giving an element of democracy to a company that just as easily could have run like a dictatorship.

I am very eager to see what form the new podcast brings. Having it pre-recorded offers the potential for more polished segments and better guests, but also takes away the rawness of the real uncensored users that always made eBay Radio so valuable and, at times, cringe-worthy. Will the new show still give us that warts and all look at how real sellers are feeling or will it just be corporate talking points and pre-approved hosts? I’m sure eBay would prefer the latter but is that really what’s best for the marketplace as a whole? I’m not saying every eBay yahoo with a telephone has to be given a platform but I did find it informative as a seller to hear what others were riled up about enough to shout on the radio every week and I’m not sure how eBay will be able to reduplicate that in a podcast format.

Whatever the future holds for the show formerly known as eBay Radio, I wanted to issue my own personal thanks to everyone there for their support and for having me on the show so many times. In particularly, I want to thank Griff and Lee for always making me feel at home on the air and always welcoming me back to promote my latest thing book or other offering, to Melissa for thinking of me whenever they needed a slot to fill, even after I was too deep in the Mom Lyfe to be able to do it anymore and to eBetsy for her wonderful writing, friendship at eBay events (even that time you got mad at me for looking…. younger than you thought I was from my voice??) and for understanding that I am so verbose I need wayyyy less talking points than the average caller to fill a 15 minute segment. I thank you all so much for your support and friendship over the years and wish you all well in your future endeavors (especially in the adventure that is retirement, Lee!).

As for the people who will come to run the eBay Radio successor… have I ever mentioned how good I am at filling a segment with polished pre-approved corporate talking points?

You know where to find me.