The Globalization of Ebay

Running head: THE GLOBALIZATION OF EBAY

The Globalization of eBay

Columbia Southern University

Abstract

eBay was founded launched in 1995 as a peer-to-peer auction website. Since its founding, eBay has become the world’s largest place to buy and sell, a community of hundreds of millions of people, small businesses and even large businesses from each of the seven continents. Over the years, very small changes in business policy have allowed eBay to keep its hold as the number one peer-to-peer auction website, and in some markets, the number one shopping website, on the internet.

The Globalization of eBay

eBay was founded launched on labor day in 1995 as a peer-to-peer auction website. Since its founding, eBay has become the world’s largest place to buy and sell, a community of hundreds of millions of people, small businesses and even large businesses from each of the seven continents (Hsiao, unk). Over the years, very small changes in business policy have allowed eBay to keep its hold as the number one peer-to-peer auction website, and in some markets, the number one shopping website, on the internet. eBay’s main strength lies in the simplicity of its core competency. eBay’s core competency is its ability to develop and improve an infrastructure shell that allows for the creation of a safe and secure online trading community (Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan. 2007). From this core competency, eBay has created the following mission statement: “We help people trade practically anything on earth. We will continue to enhance the online trading experiences of all-collectors, dealers, small businesses, unique item seekers, bargain hunters, opportunity sellers and browsers (Keller, Kotler. 2009)”. This mission statement has allowed them to develop a strategy to allow users to develop the system, on the platform provided, to best meet their own needs to buy and sell on eBay no matter what they are buying or selling, or where they are located....