eBay Main Street

10 million Australians are now shopping online. Listen to Deb Sharkey, from eBay Inc. Government Relations for Australia and New Zealand, as she discusses the growth in ecommerce, consumer convenience and how mobile commerce is blurring the lines between online and brick and mortar stores. She notes that online sales in 2011 hit $27 billion with forecasted growth of 12% in 2012. Even stronger growth was reported by the largest Australian businesses using eBay.com, which grew an amazing 38% in 2011. In her briefing to policy makers, she discussed the importance of multi-channel commerce and broadband access.

This month, Australia's National Consumer Fraud Awareness Week will be the week of 19th March 2012. The campaign launch will feature a panel session including eBay Inc.’s Trust & Safety Specialist, Lorraine Smyth.

eBay Inc. agrees with the proposition that a comprehensive blueprint for online privacy is necessary to foster the continued explosive growth of the Internet.  With the White House's documented framework for “Consumer Data Privacy in a Networked World,” eBay believes that a strong foundation has been presented by the US executive branch of government,  which can be leveraged to benefit consumers and businesses alike.

Julie Bainbridge, Head of PayPal’s Global Brand Risk Programme, played a significant role as a panelist in last week’s Digital Education Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia.The Summit, entitled “Internet Sehat Dan Aman” (which translates to a safe & healthy internet), was a 2-day event launched by the Asia Internet Coalition together with the Ministry of Communication and Information (Depkominfo).

This morning, while speaking at a cybersecurity event hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski praised eBay Inc. and other Internet retailers for the positive impact we’ve had on our nation’s economy and the opportunities we create for small businesses.

As part of the "You Can't Fake Fashion" campaign, eBay Inc. has teamed up with more than 75 designers to raise awareness against counterfeit items. A commemorative, original line of tote bags is currently on display at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and will be available exclusively on eBay beginning March 20.  eBay Inc. is committed to keeping its sites free of counterfeit goods, which according to CEO John Donahoe, “harm consumers and merchants, online and offline.”  Read a story about the campaign from CNBC's Consumer Nation.

This week the Australian Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet published submissions to the Cyber White Paper, Connecting with Confidence: Optimising Australia's Digital Future. The White Paper focuses on how governments, businesses and individuals can realise the full benefits of cyberspace while at the same time ensuring current and emerging risks can be managed. The Paper covers a broad range of areas including consumer protection, cyber safety, cyber crime, cyber security and cyber defence. eBay Inc. provided submissions from both the eBay and PayPal brands with recommendations including the establishment of a Consultative Working Party on the Digital Economy focusing on cyber security and growing the digital economy in line with the National Digital Economy Strategy.

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The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce has named Tod Cohen, eBay Inc. Vice President of Government Relations and Deputy General Counsel, its 2012 Business Advocate of the Year. Cohen will be inducted into the Business Hall of Fame at a March 2 awards ceremony. The prestigious award recognizes Cohen for his tireless advocacy on behalf of small business online commerce and the frictionless trade of goods and services around the world. Congratulations, Tod!