eBay

eBay is an American multinational e-commerce platform that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales. It was founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar as AuctionWeb and renamed eBay in 1997. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, and operates marketplaces in many countries through localized sites.

Users list items for sale through auction-style bidding or fixed-price formats, and buyers bid or purchase directly. The platform supports a wide range of categories, including electronics, fashion, collectibles, toys, and automotive parts. eBay generates revenue primarily through listing and final value fees charged to sellers, along with optional fees for features such as highlighted listings and authentication services.

Historically reliant on PayPal for payments, eBay transitioned to its own managed payments system beginning in the late 2010s, gradually expanding to cover more regions and payment methods, with PayPal becoming a separate company after its 2015 spin-off. The move to managed payments aimed to streamline checkout and expand payment options for buyers.

eBay operates globally with regional marketplaces and consumer protection policies intended to safeguard buyers and sellers. The platform emphasizes seller performance metrics, buyer feedback, and dispute resolution processes. In the competitive online retail market, eBay differentiates itself through auction-style listings and access to unique or hard-to-find items, as well as a large, active marketplace community.