Ryan Cohen Questions eBay’s $2.4B Marketing Spend

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen criticized eBay’s $2.4 billion fiscal 2025 marketing spend after a job posting for a Senior Manager of Marketing Effectiveness prompted questions about where marketing dollars go. Cohen wrote on X in response to a seller thread about account access and platform support: “a company with $2.4 billion in marketing spend should be able to handle basic platform functions.” He also quote-tweeted the job listing.

The listing identifies a Toronto-based Senior Manager of Marketing Effectiveness, job code R0074539, in eBay’s Marketing & Communications division. The role reports to the Head of Marketing Efficiency and lists responsibilities including tracing where marketing dollars are spent. eBay reported $2.4 billion in sales and marketing spend for fiscal 2025.

The comments are part of a public dispute that began when GameStop proposed a $56 billion acquisition of eBay, offering $125 per share in cash and stock. GameStop included a financing commitment letter from TD Securities backing up to $20 billion. eBay’s board reviewed the proposal with independent advisors and rejected the proposal as neither credible nor attractive.

eBay later permanently suspended Cohen’s seller account, stating the activity “posed a risk to its community.” Cohen had listed GameStop-branded items on the platform, including store signs and a square of branded carpet. The suspension drew public attention and followed the takeover exchanges between the two companies.

With the acquisition bid rejected and his seller account banned, Cohen has continued to publicly scrutinize parts of eBay’s operations, focusing on the company’s marketing spend and hires. Neither eBay nor Cohen provided additional comment beyond their posts and eBay’s explanation for the suspension.