The Company, Angel Fans

Apple’s angel fans were quirky by nature. So was Apple, in its interface and attitude. Many of these fans became graphic designers, creative directors, and advertising executives, and Apple retained their loyalty with an evolved positioning that stayed connected to that group. Both were still quirky, just more grown up. Apple continued its off thebeaten path positioning by bringing out a line of brightly colored computers in 1998, which delighted its fans and allowed them to express their individuality and pride in being different.

eBay Angels Both Aerosmith’s and Apple’s angel fans invested time and energy in supporting their passion, and in turn, claimed partial responsibility for its success-and that’s what happened at eBay, as well. Call them fanatical, innovative, or just plain weird, eBay’s angel fans, known as the eBay Army, are a faithful bunch who live and breathe eBay, so much so that 5,500 of them showed up at the first company convention, held in June 2002.

There they met people they had traded with online, got autographs from CEO and idol Meg Whitman, and communed with other devoted eBay fans, telling stories of their virgin eBay trades and staking their own claims on the overall success of the company.

But not all was sweetness and light at the convention. As the company pushed to increase large corporate sales, courting giants such as Sears and IBM to sell their wares through the eBay channel, some mom and pop sellers felt a bit betrayed. eBay’s angel fans-the early collectors and traders who helped build the company from day one-wanted their role in the early success of the company to be recognized and valued. They not only watched the company go from $7.1 million net income in 1997 to $90.4 million in 2001, they traded on, talked about, and cheered for the company along the way. In this instance, the first mover advantage belongs not only to the unique company, but to the avid fans who were there from the beginning and have enjoyed the ride to corporate stardom.