eBay is currently the most popular and widely accessed online shopping destination for online shoppers around the world.

As a start up company founded in September 1995, eBay has started the trend of creating and organizing auctions for basically anything tradeable. The catch is, everything is done electronically or through the Internet.

To date eBay sells about 55 million hot items under up to 50,000 trade categories. This Internet-based marketplace is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no holidays. A person can shop for desired items anywhere he or she may be.

According to the company and other experts projections, there are currently about 157 million unique users to eBays services around the globe.

With so many people online, large number of items for sale, eBay assures that each user or client is accorded the fair and friendly treatment a generous shopper deserves.

Background

EBay is a major company listed in the United States under the small-capital index Nasdaq Stock Market.

As a company, eBay adheres to its own mission-vision statement, that is, to provide a platform globally where online users can practically buy or sell anything, at any given price. Deals should be done or transacted online.

A few years ago, the company used to allow online sellers to post their contact numbers through eBays Web site, so potential buyers can directly haggle the pricing.

But due to reported anomalous transactions and fraudulent activities arising from such arrangements, eBay recently implemented its own ruling that buyers and sellers will have to course everything online.

Buyers and sellers on eBay not can not arrange personal meetings. This way, identities and interests of both parties are protected and upheld.

Local sites

Because demand for eBays service has grown so rapidly over the years and around the world, eBay decided to put up local sites.

As of today, eBay has local Web sites operating in huge and lucrative markets in Austria, Australia, Canada, China, Belgium, Germany, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Poland, the Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Taiwan and of course, its base, the United States.

eBay also owns the Latin auctioneer site MercadoLibre.com, which is specifically designed and operated for Latin American users.

Added offerings

Today, eBay not only offers its current services of online auctioneering. The site has evolved significantly to currently offer broader variety of added features, educational tools and services that empowers online users to transact through the Web site safely, conveniently and quickly.

Not only that, eBay has also evolved rapidly as an online community for responsible and good online users, which can be called eBay citizens in their own rights.

A strong spirit and essence of camaraderie is exhibited every time eBay users help each other through the site. eBay being an online small community is based on the concept and idealization that the site will provide encouragement to users for honest and open communication.

The concept of eBay community is an outline of the community values eBay advocates in. They are: that basically people are good-natured; all people can contribute something individually for the benefit of all; the best in people will be extracted through open and honest dealings; recognition and respect for everybody; and application of the golden rule: treat others the way you want others to treat you.