Mobile computing (led by tablets costing less than $100 and smartphones that are less than $30) will transform Indian society and the marketplace, Jay predicted, as it has in the U.S. Jay also discussed trends in cross-border trade and the buying power of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) market.

Notable quotes from the interview:

“It is no longer a theory or an idea—Moore’s Law (an observation by Intel Corp. co-founder Gordon Moore that computing power doubles every 18 months) is coming to effect in India. We will have hundreds of millions of mobile users in India.”

“While you waited five years for a major trend to come over from U.S.-Silicon Valley to India, the wait is a mere six months now.”

“When you are shopping on your mobile device, you can search, for example, for an iPad and a map will appear with all the places near you selling iPads, and you can get the price points and the reviews—all this while you simultaneously get the prices on eBay.”

“With the advent of new technology, we will see group shopping where my friends can virtually join me in shopping. Technology can allow me to superimpose clothing and friends can comment through Facebook…. It is already happening in pockets; we are experimenting with technology to superimpose shoes, sunglasses, etc.”

“If our experience elsewhere is an indication, we will bring on eBay all the things that users could never imagine buying online. I know many people don’t think of buying perishable fish on an auction site, but they will be able to do so in the near future.”

“Whereas before we saw the developing countries’ sellers make money selling in the developed markets—that is still happening and is primary part of our business—it was surprising to discover that small and medium-size businesses in emerging markets, too, are increasingly buying more goods from developed markets.”

Watch an excerpt from the interview below:

StubHub has launched All Access, its new externally facing corporate blog. Designed to capture the stories and experiences of all things StubHub, All Access will become the source where fans can discover, access and share StubHub news, information, technology previews, conversations, sneak-peeks, features, promotions, etc. all in one media-rich location.

Like eBay, StubHub is inherently social. It is a company built on social experiences. The StubHub marketplace is a catalyst for positive memories and emotional connections – whether it be through sports, music or theater. You can find them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. The StubHub Ticket Oak has his own Facebook page and you can check out their StubHub UK Facebook, StubHub UK Twitter, and StubHub UK Google+ pages too. Until today though, there hasn’t been a hub; a central location for all of these connections and discussions to live and grow.

StubHub wants to create a network that connects fans with one another; a destination that highlights all the new and innovative things we’re introducing for their fans.

We’re excited to see what the StubHub team has in store!

“Imagine if the next LeBron, Michael Oher or Beyoncé never had the opportunity to pick up a basketball, football or instrument as a child,” said Chris Tsakalakis, the Chief Executive of StubHub. “Yet vital community music, theater and sports programs for youth are falling on the chopping block today. That is why Rising Stars will focus StubHub’s philanthropy where we see the greatest need: underserved, at-risk youth and locally rooted, grassroots nonprofits.”

With New Orleans in the spotlight as Super Bowl XLVII approaches, the inaugural Rising Star award and initial $50,000 grant has been awarded to a nonprofit there. The Roots of Music Foundation aims to support, teach, and protect at-risk youth through music education, academic support, and mentorship while preserving and promoting New Orleans’ musical heritage. (In January, the Roots of Music  Marching Crusaders became the youngest marching band to perform in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif.)

The Rising Stars award is designed to have a transformative impact on both the programs and the youth they serve. Benefits of selection into the Rising Stars program include grant support (starting at $25,000) from the StubHub Foundation (a corporate advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation), exposure to StubHub’s international network of sports, music and theater fans, and access to StubHub employee talent through skills-based volunteerism and dedicated service projects.

Watch a video about The Roots of Music, below. For every view of this film before Super Bowl Sunday, the StubHub Foundation will donate $1 to the Roots of Music, up to $50,000.

Read more about Rising Stars: http://www.stubhub.com/rising-stars/

More about The Roots of Music: http://www.stubhub.com/roots-of-music/

Check out a demo of the updated app by senior product manager Rolf Skyberg:

To download the new apps, visit the iTunes stores for iPhone and iPad. Additional information is available at mobile.ebay.com and in the eBay for iPhone® and iPad® Fact Sheet.

Occupying three floors, the new office space, located at 108th Avenue Northeast and Northeast Fourth Street, is double the square footage of the existing Redmond office and will accommodate more than 350 workers, an eBay spokeswoman said.

“We expect to aggressively continue expanding,” said Ken Moss, eBay vice president of technology and science.

“There’s extreme competition for talent, so it’s recruitment, retention,” Moss said. “What you’ve got in downtown Bellevue is a critical mass. You’ve got housing, you’ve got restaurants, you’ve got retail, and you’ve got transit…. It is now kind of a hip place to be.”

Read more at The Seattle Times.

On Jan. 15, eBay Canada is launching a Valentine’s Day jewelry collection in collaboration with three hot Canadian designers, each of whom is contributing five limited-edition pieces.

“On the heels of the highly successful Holiday Collective in 2012, we wanted to continue to build momentum for eBay Fashion in Canada,” said Andrea Stairs, country manager of eBay Canada. “We chose three Canadian designers who would resonate with consumers, each bringing their own personal style into their designs to create stunning, proudly Canadian pieces.”

The designers include Dean Davidson, who initially drew his inspiration from the local adornments he observed on a trip to Africa. His pieces incorporate sterling silver, 19-karat gold and semi-precious gemstones, and are known for their luxurious brushed finish.

Rebekah Price launched her jewelry line after studying at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology and interning at Elie Tahari. Originally inspired by a cache of antique Swarovski crystals, Price uses Swarovski crystals in her designs with brass-plated metal in oxidized antique silver, antique gold, and rose gold.

Jennifer Ger and Suzie Chemel of Foxy Originals met at college and got started selling their jewelry on campus. The two believe that high-style fashion jewelry should be accessible to all young women. They take a playful attitude toward accessorizing, with pieces that feature colorful enamel designs, innovative shapes and clean lines.

Shipping is free in Canada, and the items also are available for purchase by shoppers in the United States and elsewhere. Check out the Valentine’s Collective!

Image courtesy of eBay Inc.

Francesco Rovetta first fell in love with mountains as a child growing up in Italy. Fascinated by their “grandness and imposing presence,” Rovetta, a director of business development of PayPal, has now found a way to simultaneously incorporate his love of mountaineering with a desire to support the children of the neighborhoods through which he travels.

Later this month, Rovetta will embark on Summit Stories, a project through which he plans to ”cross continents, climb mountains, meet great people, help children of many different backgrounds and learn and enjoy all of it.” More specifically, Rovetta will help bring educational opportunities to underprivileged youth and foster entrepreneurship amongst local communities as he travels to and climbs a host of peaks around the world.

He will start his adventure by scaling Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America, before moving on to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in June. The latter climb will be supported by the eBay Foundation through an affiliated charity.

Watch an interview with Rovetta about Summit Stories below. You can also read more about his adventures on the Summit Stories website and blog.

Top photo: Francesco on top of Mount Chopicalqui in Peru (6,350 meters) on a previous trip.  Courtesy of Francesco Rovetta.

eBay’s latest pilot programs to make selling on eBay even easier are getting widespread attention after a report by All Things D.

The article focused on a new pick-up service that sends employees to your door to whisk away your items for sale. A registered selling assistant then assesses them and lists them on the site. It’s like a consignment store that comes to you, notes Gizmodo.

“I can’t tell you how fabulous this is. You never know what’s going to sell, but you might as well try,” one first-time seller who tried the service told All Things D.

The 25 percent cut taken by the selling assistant amounts to “convenience in exchange for profits (like you haven’t ever paid for convenience before),” says Venture Beat, noting that it especially makes sense for hard-to-ship items like outdoor grills.

A similar pilot offered sellers the option to drop their items off at a booth in a mall. It drew thousands of people over a month during the holiday period.

Check out more coverage on CNET, Fast Company and Silicon Valley Business Journal.

Photo: eBay selling assistant vans. Courtesy of eBay Inc.

Check out the roadshow wrap-up, below.

DBO Wrap Video v04.0 from Peter Crocker on Vimeo.

More than 100 GSI Commerce employees dropped everything to help out at two company fulfillment centers in late November after learning client orders had vastly exceeded earlier holiday season estimates.

Employees from New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Florida flew to GSI centers in Trade Port and Richwood, Kentucky to pitch in where they could, working 12-hour shifts for five days to prepare items for shipping and make sure that customers received them in time. (The employees received their regular salaries, plus two extra vacation days, and the company paid for their travel,  accommodations and food.)

While this may seem like bizarre behavior, the hard work was worth it for the chance to help ensure customer satisfaction, learn what goes on behind the scenes and bond with colleagues, employees said.

Korisha Ali, an account coordinator, called it “an experience I will never forget” and Nancy Hebel, an account executive, noted the physical labor was exhausting, but rewarding. “As I look back, I can say, ‘What a great experience.’” Hebel said. She also gained a” valuable understanding of how the fulfillment process works,” she said.  ”I am amazed at how efficient the center is.”

“I shop online for most of my son’s Christmas gifts,” said Courtney Bang, a client services analyst. “I would be heartbroken if they did not arrive on time.  In fact, I told my son — he is 2 — that I was working in Santa’s workshop all week.  I wanted to help make the holidays happen for families all over the world!”

Check out a photo montage of their week: