eBay customers have vented their anger at the company’s Chief Executive, despite the company revealing that his and other top executives’ pay fell sharply in 2009.

As a result of the e-commerce company issuing smaller stock and option bonuses, John Donahoe’s total package, including salary, bonus, stock and option awards and other items, fell to $10.13million in 2009 from just over $24million the previous year, according to figures filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Donahoe’s salary rose more than six per cent to $934,615, due in part to an extra pay period included in 2009, and to an increase received when he became CEO on March 31, 2008, Reuters reported.

eBay is due to hold its annual shareholders meeting in San Jose, California, on April 29.

The company’s shares soared nearly 69 per cent during 2009 and have climbed another 16.7 per cent since the beginning of 2010.

But revelations about the top man’s pay provoked some angry comment when it was posted on the Reuters website.

One poster, ‘RicRoe’, said Donahoe had “failed buyers, sellers and eBay.

“His entire management team can be credited with alienating thousands of sellers as well as making it harder for buyers to find what they are looking for,” he added.

The comment accused eBay of switching its emphasis to selling new goods over second-hand, and this had backfired as “buyers would have flocked to eBay seeking bargains an slightly used goods in order to offset the impact of the recession on their wallets.

“There was plenty of room for both new and used goods on eBay, however, Mr Donahoe chose to eradicate the ‘flea market’ image.

“In so doing, he alienated a significant base of buyers and sellers, and destroyed eBay’s once broad market appeal.”

Another commenter, ‘horsemama’, put it more succinctly: “Donahoe doesn’t deserve fifty cents after what he’s done to all the small sellers on eBay. He’s been rude and condescending to eBay’s own customers.”