Web Solutions - Portal Development
eBay: Shopping Website
Beginning of the Saga!
If you are an online shopaholic, you certainly would have heard about the exclusive online marketplace – eBay! Like Google and Hi5, eBay doesn’t have a grand launch to boast about, it is indeed the efficient marketing strategies and unique selling propositions that earned eBay popularity in the global level! The online auction web site was founded in San Jose, California on September 3, 1995 by computer programmer Pierre Omidyar. It is said that Omidyar wrote and programmed the site in one weekend. The very first item sold on eBay was a broken laser pointer for $14.83! eBay went public in 1998, and the creators became instant billionaires! Yes, all that it takes it to succeed in the World Wide Web is a passion for success together with well-planned business strategies.
Features
- eBay Express- This option is designed to make eBay work like a standard Internet shopping site to consumers with United States addresses (eBay Express). Selected eBay items are mirrored on eBay Express where buyers uses a shopping cart to purchase from multiple sellers
- eBay Blogs and the eBay Community Wiki- This includes the discussion boards, groups, answer center, chat rooms and reviews & guides.
- eBay Mobile- With this feature buyers and sellers can enjoy SMS alerts and various other features
Achievements
eBay has an unending list of achievements and awards to its credit. Here go the year-wise achievements of the site:
1998
In July, eBay acquires Cincinnati, Ohio based online auction site Up4Sale.com
1999
eBay acquires the auction house Alando for $43 million, which changed then to eBay Germany
2000
In June, eBay acquires Half.com for $318 million, which was later integrated with the eBay Marketplace. In December, eBay acquires the Precision Buying Service portion of Deja.com
2001
In August, eBay acquires Mercado Libre and Lokau, Latin American auction sites apart from iBazar, a French auction site
2002
In July, eBay acquires PayPal, for $1.5 billion in stock
2003
In January, 2003, eBay acquires CARad.com, an auction management service for car dealers. In July, 2003 eBay Inc. acquires EachNet, a leading eCommerce company in China, paying approximately $150 million in cash.
2004
In June, eBay acquires all outstanding shares of Baazee.com, an Indian auction site for approximately US $50 million in cash, plus acquisition costs. Baazee.com subsequently became eBay India. In August, eBay takes a 25% stake in Craigslist by buying out an existing shareholder who was once a Craigslist employee. In September, eBay moves forward on its acquisition of Korean rival Internet Auction Co. (IAC), buying nearly 3 million shares of the Korean online trading company for 125,000 Korean won (about US$109) per share. In November, eBay acquires Marktplaats.nl for €225 million and Rent.com for $415 million in cash in December.
2005
IIn September, eBay acquires Skype, a VoIP company, for $2.6 billion in stock and cash.
2006
In April, eBay spends $2 million in the Meetup social networking site. In April, eBay acquires Tradera.com, Sweden's leading online auction-style marketplace for $48 Million.
2007
In February, eBay buys online ticket marketplace Stubhub for $307 million and StumbleUpon for approximately $75 million in May
Current Status: - Active