Coworking with Blair Ethington

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Blair Ethington is VP of buyer, seller and C2C at eBay.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I spend my days making eBay feel more magical for both buyers and sellers. My team of product managers works at the intersection of customer needs, technology, and business strategy. We focus on understanding what customers are trying to do, finding ways to improve the experience, and partnering with engineering to turn ideas into products. A great example is Magical Listing, our AI-powered selling experience that helps sellers create listings faster and with less effort. At the end of the day, I get to create opportunities for people on both sides of our marketplace—and I love that.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? Whenever I tell people I work in “product,” they usually assume I’m talking about something you’d find on a store shelf. In reality, my job is about building the technology that powers the customer experience. My team and I are responsible for everything from how people discover items to how they buy, sell, and engage on the platform. I spent part of my career helping introduce product management to a traditional retailer, where I often explained that the “product” wasn’t the merchandise—it was the entire customer experience behind it.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? I’ve always been drawn to problems that don’t have obvious answers and require some exploration. When you’re building products, you need to be living and breathing them in order to understand the customer journey. My favorite project right now has been working on agentic experiences for the eBay platform. What makes it so exciting is that we’re not just improving search—we’re reimagining it. We’re exploring how AI can better understand customer intent and help people navigate decisions in a way that feels far more natural and personal.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? Recommerce. It’s one of the rare trends where economic and environmental incentives are aligned. Every time a pre-loved item finds a new owner, we’re creating value for both people and the planet. Recommerce makes products more affordable, helps people generate income from things they no longer use, and extends the life of goods that might otherwise go to waste.

What’s your go-to coffee order? An oat milk latte. It’s become somewhat of a ritual that keeps me grounded no matter what time zone I find myself in these days, and I always love finding the best local coffee shops.

Worst piece of advice you’ve received? “Don’t go to bed until your inbox is empty.” For a while, I followed that advice. Then I realized I was spending too much time reacting to everyone else’s priorities instead of being intentional about my own. Now, I’m much more deliberate about how I spend my time. The truth is, inspiration rarely arrives as an email. And productivity isn’t about responding to everything—it’s about making time for the things that matter most.

What was your favorite retail product when you were 15, and what’s your favorite retail product now? When I was 15, it was my bright yellow Sony Sports Discman. I just seemed indestructible and it got me through some of my toughest times and longest runs in the ’90s. Today, it’s my AirPods. The technology has changed dramatically, but the purpose hasn’t. For me, it’s always been about creating a space to think, recharge, and be outside. Running is still one of my favorite ways to clear my head, and a good podcast or playlist is an essential part of getting me in the right mindset.