I just saw a rumour that eBay could be on the prowl to buy Skype. Bit of a business model shift, it would seem. The news comes out of the September 8th Wall Street Journal:

EBay Inc. is in talks to acquire Internet-telephony company Skype Technologies SA for $2 billion to $3 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, in a deal that would represent a dramatic shift in strategy for the world's largest online auction site.

The talks are in a sensitive stage and could fall apart, according to one person briefed on the matter. Luxembourg-based Skype, whose software allows consumers to make free telephone calls around the world using Internet technology, has been in active discussions with other technology companies, and none has led to a deal.

But the emergence of eBay as a suitor reveals a lot about the auction leader's growth prospects and strategy. While still dominating its field, eBay's core business is maturing, and the company is searching for new product categories and international markets. The company has made a steady string of acquisitions and investments over the last year and a half to enter markets such as rental-property listings, online classified-ad listings and comparison shopping.

Granted that its core business is maturing, I still don't see how VoIP fits into anything near a similar business strategy. From what the article notes, Skype is the only potential buy that is completely outside the eBay market - the others in shopping and classifieds at least fit the same business model.

So, this sounds like a crazy move on both parts. Don't you think?

News via Infectious Greed.

Technorati Tags: eBay, Skype, VoIP, Acquisition