The rumours were true. Skype has been sold... to eBay. At a $4.1 billion dollars, I think they've done pretty well with the sale. Probably better than anybody expected. About half of eBay's cash reserve has gone into the deal, according to Jeff Clavier.

It's an interesting acquisition, likely to cause some rumbles in the stock market and in the markets themselves for some time. Only time will tell what this pairing will truly mean, but some of the plans are already up front in the press release:

Skype, eBay and PayPal will create an unparalleled ecommerce and communications engine for buyers and sellers around the world.

“Communications is at the heart of ecommerce and community,” said Meg Whitman, President and Chief Executive Officer of eBay. “By combining the two leading ecommerce franchises, eBay and PayPal, with the leader in Internet voice communications, we will create an extraordinarily powerful environment for business on the Net.”...

Online shopping depends on a number of factors to function well. Communications, like payments and shipping, is a critical part of this process. Skype will streamline and improve communications between buyers and sellers as it is integrated into the eBay marketplace. Buyers will gain an easy way to talk to sellers quickly and get the information they need to buy, and sellers can more easily build relationships with customers and close sales. As a result, Skype can increase the velocity of trade on eBay, especially in categories that require more involved communications such as used cars, business and industrial equipment, and high-end collectibles.

The acquisition also enables eBay and Skype to pursue entirely new lines of business. For example, in addition to eBay’s current transaction-based fees, ecommerce communications could be monetized on a pay-per-call basis through Skype. Pay-per-call communications opens up new categories of ecommerce, especially for those sectors that depend on a lead-generation model such as personal and business services, travel, new cars, and real estate. eBay’s other shopping websites — Shopping.com, Rent.com, Marktplaats.nl and Kijiji – can also benefit from the integration of Skype. - Skype Press Release

The deal truly speaks volumes about markets and convergence. We've heard that "markets are conversations" from economists for ages, and eBay truly embodies this action between the actions of buyers and sellers. Skype is that platform for communications in real time, and brings true conversations to the market, where it will play out in everything from transactions to improved buyer relations to, as Ross Mayfield notes, identity.

From a user perspective, I hope that Skype turns around from the downward growth into positive numbers. That I receive no eBay spam or embedded ads. And that the product continues to evolve for the benefit of us users.