The Journal. Can GameStop Really Buy eBay?
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May 8, 2026 
Lauren Thomas, deals and activism reporter at The Wall Street Journal, breaks down GameStop’s bold $56 billion bid for eBay. She explains Ryan Cohen’s rise and his vision to cut costs and turn eBay into an Amazon rival. Financing puzzles, eBay’s resistance, and the possibility of a larger conglomerate all get attention in crisp, fast-paced reporting.
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Cohen's Ambitious $56 Billion Vision
- Ryan Cohen proposed GameStop acquire eBay for about $56 billion despite GameStop being much smaller.
- Cohen argues he can scale eBay dramatically using his playbook and make it a legitimate Amazon competitor quickly.
Cohen Became The Meme Stock Figurehead
- Ryan Cohen built a cult following after acquiring a big stake in GameStop and pushing for management changes in 2020.
- Retail investors on Reddit drove GameStop shares from under $5 to near $500, making Cohen a meme-stock figure.
The GameStop Playbook Applied To eBay
- Cohen's core playbook is aggressive cost cuts and restructuring modeled on his GameStop turnaround.
- He believes overlapping areas like collectibles and combining stores with eBay's online reach create synergies to boost earnings.