In 1995 computer programmer, Pierre Omidyar created an auction web site called AuctionWeb. Today it is known as ebay and includes PayPal, Skype and Shopping.com. Profitable from almost the beginning ebay has an almost magical attraction. Starting out in San Jose, California it is now a world wide company.



With some 276 million registered users and about 1.3 million sellers ebay is massive. Auctions can be found in over 39 markets around the world. Evolving from just auctions to fixed-priced purchasing also ebay generates an astounding $2,039 in sales every second, 24 hours a day.Items includes pretty much anything you can think of.

Starting out auctioning used collectibles and goods, ebay's growth has grown to include all sorts of new products along with much unwanted goods. Ebay thieves on one mans garbage is another mans treasure. Whole businesses has grown out of ebay's auctions.

How quick can you get going?

With so many people using eBay one would reasonably assume that the site was easy to negotiate but, surprisingly, many users complain about the difficulty in using it. Here is a direct quote from a user on Webword.com which echoes the feelings of many of his fellow 'eBayers': "It is unfortunate that eBay has gotten more and more complicated than when I had first joined in 1999. I have to say, eBay.com was faster, more efficient, and was much easier to use back then. I've spent a lot of time on eBay and you would think that it would get easier and easier to use. However, because they keep adding features, it is actually getting more difficult to use. What a shame."

The site appears to be more complex to use from the seller's point of view which is natural since there is more responsibility involved in advertising and selling an item. One disgruntled seller suggests that the only reason that eBay is successful despite making the process so difficult is that, because they are making money rather than spending it, the user is more willing to accept the complexity of the site.

With all its complexity and features the buying side is still pretty simple to navigate. Step one is to register with ebay and they walk you through the step by step process. Next and maybe the most difficult part is choosing a product you want to purchase from the almost endless choices. After just a couple of auctions you can quickly become comfortable with the system. Then the fun begins.

Conclusion

eBay has been an extremely successful marketing concept which continues to flourish regardless of the fact that many sellers find the process difficult or tedious. If you are looking for a bargain on eBay it is important to remember that it is, in essence, simply a very big, online garage sale.

Have fun, enjoy the excitement of a live auction, just be careful not to get carried away. You want to purchase what you want, not be taken to the cleaners.