According to a story in the The Wall Street Journal, eBay is in talks to buy Skype for between $2 billion and $3 billion. Neither company has confirmed the rumor. Skype claims 50 million users with many insiders estimating its yearly revenues between $50 million and $60 million. Skype's software and service could help eBay improve customer service and boost its presence overseas.
Some say buying the VoIP company for the rumored figure is risky since it would put eBay in a new market. Unlike eBay's most prolific acquisition -- PayPal -- Skype would not necessarily strengthen its core business of online auctions. PayPal, the electronic pay service, now accounts for one-fourth of eBay's total revenue. Yahoo and Google have already launched Skype-like VoIP offerings.
For more on the Skype, eBay rumor:
- read this story from MarketWatch