Key Takeaways
- EcommerceBytes, launched as AuctionBytes in 1999 by Ina and David Steiner, has ceased publication after 27 years of covering eBay, Amazon, Etsy and other marketplaces.
- The shutdown follows the Steiners’ $55.7 million settlement with eBay over the 2019 stalking campaign that targeted them for their reporting.
E-commerce news site EcommerceBytes has ceased publication after 27 years.
Launched as AuctionBytes in 1999 by Ina and David Steiner, the husband-and-wife publishing operation rebranded as EcommerceBytes in 2011 to covered eBay, Amazon, Etsy and other marketplaces focused on issues affecting online sellers.
The site’s homepage has now been replaced with a farewell notice thanked those who supported the publication over the years.
Why is EcommerceBytes Shutting Down After 27 years?
“Freelance reporters, advertisers, and providers supported what remained a small, husband-and-wife publishing business dedicated to helping sellers become more efficient and profitable selling online,” the note states. “Readers provided insight into the joys and pitfalls of selling online. Thank you for supporting and being a part of EcommerceBytes over the past three decades.”
A final NewsFlash to subscribers was sent on September 14, that noted they were proud to have given a voice to sellers who pioneered e-commerce. The newsletter nor the website notice explained why publication is ending.
What is EcommerceBytes and Why Did It matter to Online Sellers?
The shutdown comes after the Steiner’s recently settled a lawsuit against eBay and several former executives over the 2019 stalking scandal in a case with First Amendment and press freedom implications. The lawsuit centered around eBay security personnel targeting the Steiners over the reporting and comments published on their site in as the e-commerce company tried to identify an anonymous source and commenter who had drawn the attention of top company executives.
Fidomaster/unsuckEBAY submitted news tips to the Steiners and provided subject matter expertise, data analysis and industry context for their coverage of eBay, while amplifying EcommerceBytes stories and other information on Twitter.
The campaign to uncover the anonymous source and commenter reached such heights as an eBay security employee traveled to Massachusetts in 2019 and wrote “Fidomaster” on the Steiners’ fence. A security director later used a fake disgruntled employee persona called “Marissa” in an effort to trick Fidomaster/unsuckEBAY into revealing identifying information, while other fake accounts were used to harass the Steiners and their sources.
The operation escalated into a direct harassment campaign against the Steiners involving threatening messages, disturbing deliveries, doxxing, surveillance and plans to install a GPS tracker on their vehicle.
How Did the eBay Stalking Case Shape EcommerceBytes’ Final Years?
Eventually, seven former eBay employees and contractors pleaded guilty to criminal charges stemming from the campaign. eBay itself admitted responsibility for six felony offenses in 2024 under a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice, paying a $3 million penalty and agreeing to three years of enhanced compliance monitoring.
The Steiner’s civil case finally ended in July with a $55.7 million settlement involving eBay and several former executives, resolving the lawsuit they filed in 2021.
In their farewell address, the Steiner’s noted “many people who relied on ecommerce platforms for their livelihood requested anonymity in communicating with EcommerceBytes about problems they encountered because they feared retaliation for speaking out publicly” in advocating for reporter shield laws such as one being considered in Massachusetts.