eBay's Not Playing Around

One sign of power may very well be the ability to never have to say you're sorry, but ultimate power is a very difficult thing to achieve. While eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) isn't known for admitting it's wrong, one might wonder whether there's a fair amount of concessions these days. Is a "treasure hunt" really a hunt for missing growth?

Yesterday, it came to light that this longtime Motley Fool Stock Advisor pick is running a contest where eBay users can win money by scouring the site. According to CNET, eBay will give away a total of $200,000 in cash in a virtual treasure hunt. Cash prizes will be hidden among eBay listings. The article pointed out that the promotion is timed concurrent with the President's Day weekend -- a fairly traditional time for sales.

Sure, it's cute and definitely promotional. However, it's likely not lost on many investors that in recent weeks, eBay no longer seemed immune to typical concerns that haunt so many companies. Indeed, the mighty juggernaut has lost some of its steam after its most recent earnings announcement.

Not to mention competitive concerns regarding upstarts such as Motley Fool Rule Breakers pick Overstock.com (NASDAQ:OSTK), a company that some say is underappreciated and has taken a high-profile stance and wants to take some of the wind out of eBay's sails. Fool Seth Jayson recently let his opinion be known that, contrary to long-standing conventional wisdom, maybe eBay can't do whatever it wants.

Although I penned a love/hate piece about eBay in December, investors' view of eBay has certainly changed since its quarterly stumble in January. On our Motley Fool Radio Show on NPR, we talked to Meg Whitman about her views on the stock and signs of slowing growth (click here for this exclusive coverage).

It's understandable for investors to have all sorts of mixed thoughts about eBay right now, some of them negative. Although it may very well be becoming apparent that eBay isn't invincible after all, it's still quite possible that the current situation is just a temporary one. Given eBay's exemplary history and business smarts, this recent reversal of fortunes could be the time many investors think back on as one of the rare times eBay shares became the equivalent of buried treasure.

For more on eBay, check out the following Foolish pieces:

• Has eBay shown its hand?
• eBay just might have feet of clay.
• eBay gets hammered.

eBay is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor pick. Overstock.com is a Motley Fool Rule Breakers pick. Check out our suite of newsletters for stock picks from many investing philosophies.

Alyce Lomax does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned.