Adobe AIR Showcase

eBay Desktop

eBay uses Adobe® AIR™ to extend its global marketplace beyond the web browser, delivering a powerful version of eBay for the desktop.

• Download eBay Desktop

eBay, the world's largest online marketplace, provides customers with one of the world's most dynamic web sites. As eBay continually looks to improve customer experiences, the company has been exploring ways to deliver e-commerce services where and when customers want them. With the advent of the new eBay Desktop application built on Adobe AIR, the company is expanding its services to include a powerful, easy-to-use desktop application that provides customers with next-generation online shopping experiences.

The result: people can experience the world's largest online marketplace and engage with eBay services using a compact, intuitive desktop application. The eBay desktop experience—available as a free download at desktop.ebay.com—delivers enhanced capabilities not available in standard web browsers.

"Based on feedback from our customers, we have sought a desktop presence for a long time," says Alan Lewis, product manager for eBay Desktop. "Previously, our team agreed it was too expensive to build our own desktop application and therefore couldn't be done. Then along came Adobe AIR."

Adobe AIR has provided the means for eBay developers to meet the company's goal to bring eBay anywhere. "Our vision is to take eBay beyond a destination web site and create an agnostic platform that extends to everyone anytime, anywhere," says Lewis. "The new Adobe AIR application delivers superior engagement because its capabilities match those typically associated with desktop applications, while providing an easy-to-use interface and integrating seamlessly with real-time web services."

Enhanced Capabilities for Desktop Users

As buyers and sellers know, trading on eBay is a time sensitive activity that requires constant attention. Rather than continuously watching bidding activity on the eBay website or a third-party site, or constantly monitoring their email, users can now receive alerts via their eBay Desktop application whenever a change is made to a specified item. "The instant a bid comes in, you are notified without having to check your email or open a browser," says Lewis.

Even better is the ability for buyers to set up searches and feeds for favorite types of items. For example, if someone likes vintage t-shirts, he can set up a feed and have all auction detail that matches his search criteria sent directly to his desktop.

Touch Points for Successful Development

Lewis and his team worked with the developers at the Denver-based firm Effective UI to create eBay Desktop. With programming expertise deeply rooted in Adobe Flex and Adobe Flash, the Effective UI team executed the hands-on development under guidance from the eBay product team.

Rather than draft a long list of desired features at the outset of the project, the teams approached the project with a set of criteria to ensure the application had a highly branded visual and tactile identity. "The developers leveraged their knowledge of Adobe technology to build a great interface to an experience with superior behaviors," says Lewis.

Lewis notes that the new AIR application has sparked keen interest across eBay. "As other groups within eBay seek new desktop solutions, the eBay Desktop application proves that Adobe AIR would be an ideal choice for creating those experiences."