Welcome :: What is eBay?

What is eBay and what is it good for?

eBay's main purpose is to bring buyers and sellers together.  It allows sellers to list their merchandise online (for a fee that ranges between $0.30 and $3.00), and buyers can browse through it free of charge.

Buyers must register on eBay to bid on an item.  Registration is free and simple and is the first thing that people new to eBay (future buyers AND sellers) should do.

Once the object(s) has been sold, a final seller's fee is charged, and it ranges from 1.25% to 5% of the final sale price.  eBay then allows buyers and sellers to rate each other, so any buyer can see any seller's history before bidding on an item.

This easy to work with business model is what has allowed so many people to start making money with eBay.  And we're not only talking about a few bucks a month.  If you're interested, read more on starting an eBay business.

The history of the eBay online auction site

Pierre Omidyar and Jeff Skoll founded eBay in September of 1995 in Omidyar's living room in San Jose, California.  In 1998, after a good start with their online venture, the two founders brought Meg Whitman into the company.

It was she who helped bring some of the best qualities about that eBay has to offer; it is not meant to be merely a marketplace with profits in mind.  eBay's charm (which is partly a brilliant branding campaign) is that it brings people together online so they can interact together and buy or sell goods.

eBay is only a place to do your business.  The company doesn't get too involved, and the buyer and seller are responsible for all transactions. (Luckily, eBay also created PayPal to make this easier.)  The eBay online auction is not only a place to buy and sell antiques or collectibles.  You can buy cars, boats, or even houses on eBay!