International Institute of Professional Studies

ASSIGNMENT ON EBAY

SUBMITTED TO: - SUBMITTED BY:-

SURIENDER MALVIYA SIR ADITI GOLECHA

IM2K-704
EBay Inc.-one of the safest places to trade online

eBay Inc. is an American Internet company that manages eBay.com, an online auction and
shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and
services worldwide.

The History of eBay

eBay was founded in Pierre Omidyar's San Jose living room back in September 1995. It was
from the start meant to be a marketplace for the sale of goods and services for individuals.

In 1998, Pierre and his cofounder Jeff Skoll brought in Meg Whitman to sustain the success.
Meg had studied at the Harvard Business School and had learned the importance of branding at
companies such as Hasbro.

Meg culled her senior staff from companies such as Pepsico and Disney, created an experienced
management team with an average of 20 years of business experience and built a strong vision
for the company -- that eBay is a company that's in the business of connecting people, not selling
them things.

They quickly shed the image of only auctioning collectibles and moved into an array of upscale
markets where the average sale price (ASP) is higher. ASP is a key metric in determining eBay's
transaction fees, so increasing the ASP became an important item. By forging partnerships with
namebrands such as GM, Disney and Sun, eBay has managed to do exactly that. Sun has sold
$10 million worth of equipment and it now lists between 20 and 150 items per day.
In addition to its original U.S. website, eBay has established localized websites in thirty other
countries. Ebay Inc. also owns PayPal, Stub Hub, Kijiji, and other businesses. Decor, appliances,
computers, furnishings, equipment, vehicles, and other miscellaneous items are listed, bought, or
sold daily. In 2005, eBay launched its Business & Industrial category, breaking into the
industrial surplus business. Some items are rare and valuable, while many others are dusty
gizmos that would have been discarded if not for the thousands of eager bidders worldwide.
Anything may be offered for sale as long as it is not illegal and does not violate the eBay
Prohibited and Restricted Items policy.[16] Services and intangibles can be sold, too. Large
international companies, such as IBM, sell their newest products and offer services on eBay
using competitive auctions and fixed-priced storefronts. Separate eBay sites such as eBay US
and eBay UK allow the users to trade using the local currency. Software developers can create
applications that integrate with eBay through the eBay API by joining the eBay Developers
Program.[17] In June 2005, there were more than 15,000 members in the eBay Developers
Program, comprising a broad range of companies creating software applications to support eBay
buyers and sellers as well as eBay Affiliates.

Controversy has arisen over certain items put up for bid. For instance, in late 1999, a man offered
one of his kidneys for auction on eBay, attempting to profit from the potentially lucrative (and, in
the United States, illegal) market for transplantable human organs. On other occasions, people
and even entire towns have been listed, often as a joke or to garner free publicity. In general, the
company removes auctions that violate its terms of service agreement. decor, appliances,
computers, furnishings, equipment, vehicles, and other miscellaneous items are listed, bought, or
sold daily. In 2005, eBay launched its Business & Industrial category, breaking into the
industrial surplus business. Some items are rare and valuable, while many others are dusty
gizmos that would have been discarded if not for the thousands of eager bidders worldwide.
Anything may be offered for sale as long as it is not illegal and does not violate the eBay
Prohibited and Restricted Items policy.[16] Services and intangibles can be sold, too. Large
international companies, such as IBM, sell their newest products and offer services on eBay
using competitive auctions and fixed-priced storefronts. Separate eBay sites such as eBay US
and eBay UK allow the users to trade using the local currency. Software developers can create
applications that integrate with eBay through the eBay API by joining the eBay Developers
Program. In June 2005, there were more than 15,000 members in the eBay Developers Program,
comprising a broad range of companies creating software applications to support eBay buyers
and sellers as well as eBay Affiliates.

There is something for everyone. You can buy practically anything at great prices. Whether
you're looking for the latest electronics, designer fashion, rare antiques, your favourite toy,
furniture for your home or even a new car, eBay has something for you.

EBay devotes considerable resources to preventing, detecting and pursuing fraudulent activity,
both on our website and in other online locations. This is a core function of our business, and we
simply could not carry it out without real-time, reliable access to Whois data. Combating
phishing provides a good example.
 In the past year or two, a new online scam has emerged, which seeks to solicit sensitive
financial information such as credit card and bank account numbers, from unwary victims.
“Phishing” involves sending unsolicited email that appears to come from trustworthy, reputable
websites, such as EBay. Victims are then directed to false or “spoofed” websites, which, for all
intents and purposes, appear to be the website of the trustworthy company. On those websites,
victims are asked to divulge personal financial information such as their social security, credit
card, and bank account numbers.

EBay is deeply committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of the tens of millions of
individuals who make up our online community. We are proud of our leading role in the
development of online privacy policies, and of the fact that many consumer surveys, including
one released just a few weeks ago, have identified us as the most trusted e-commerce website

The openness and transparency of the inforamtion system at EBay are the very pillars that
support the safety and privacy of the marketplace. We do not believe that the current system of
unrestricted public access to Whois data constitutes a significant threat to the privacy of our
millions of users worldwide. To the contrary, we think the current system, as used responsibly
by Ebay and other e-commerce businesses, is a powerful tool in protecting the privacy of these
millions of individuals, as well as their freedom from fraud, identity theft, and other harms, as
they buy, sell, shop and browse online.

There are many ways to buy, so you can choose the format that is best for you.

Experience the thrill of placing the winning bid on an auction-style item.

• If you know what you want to pay and you want it instantly, look for items that offer Buy
It Now.

Let Sellers know what you want, just post a Want It Now.

Prohibited or restricted items

In its earliest days, eBay was essentially unregulated. However, as the site grew, it became
necessary to restrict or forbid auctions for various items. Note that some of the restrictions relate
to eBay.com (the U.S. site), while other restrictions apply to specific European sites (such as
Nazi paraphernalia). Regional laws and regulations may apply to the seller or the buyer.
Generally, if the sale or ownership of an item is regulated or prohibited by one or more states,
eBay will not permit its listing.Among the hundred or so banned or restricted categories:

• Tobacco (tobacco-related items and collectibles are accepted.)

• Alcohol (alcohol-related collectibles, including sealed containers, as well as some wine
sales by licensed sellers are allowed)
• Drugs and drug paraphernalia
• Nazi paraphernalia
• Bootleg recordings
• Firearms and ammunition, including any parts that could be used to assemble a firearm as
well as (as of July 30, 2007) any firearm part that is required for the firing of a gun,
including bullet tips, brass casings and shells, barrels, slides, cylinders, magazines, firing
pins, trigger assemblies, etc. Crossbows and various types of knives are also forbidden.
• Police and Emergency Service vehicular warning equipment such as red or blue lights
and sirens (antique or collectible items are exempt)
• Used underwear (see Panty fetishism) and dirty used clothing
• Forged, Illegal, Stolen, or Confidential Documents which include Passports, Social
Security Cards, Drivers Licenses, Voter Registration Cards, Birth Certificates, School
Documents, Medical Records, Financial Information, Government License Plates,
Government Classified Information, or CarFax documents. Any Item which is used to
modify documents are restricted as well.
• Human parts and remains (with an exception for skeletons and skulls for scientific study,
provided they are not Native American in origin)
• Live animals (with certain exceptions)
• Certain copyrighted works or trademarked items
• Lock-picking tools, accessories, and practice locks fall into the category of burglar tools
• Lottery tickets, sweepstakes tickets, or any other gambling items.
• Military hardware such as working weapons or explosives.

• Any items of a sexual nature must be listed in the Adult Only category, which prohibits:[
o Child Pornography
o Obscene Materials including bestiality, necrophilia, rape, coprophilia, and incest
o Pre-owned sex toys
o Services including any sexual activity
o Links to sites that contain prohibited items
o Adult products that are delivered digitally

• Virtual items from massively multiplayer online games, restrictions which vary by
country[53][54]
• Non-physical items no longer can be sold through eBay. They can only be advertised
through classified ads on eBay and do not get feedback
• Ivory products.
• Teachers' edition textbooks
• Knives, other than cutlery, are prohibited in the UK following media pressure about the
sale of items assessed by police to be 'illegal'
• Many other items are either wholly prohibited or restricted in some manner. Unusual
sale items

• In May 2006, the remains of U.S. Fort Montgomery, a stone fortification in upstate New
York built in 1844, were put up for auction on eBay. The first auction ended on June 5,
2006, with a winning bid of $5,000,310. However, the sale was not completed, and the
fort and lands surrounding it remain for sale and have been relisted on the site several
times since.
• In January 2006, a British man named Leigh Knight sold an unwanted Brussels sprout left
over from his Christmas dinner for £1550 in aid of cancer research.[64][65]
• In May 2006, a Chinese businessman named Zhang Cheng bought a former Czech Air
Force MIG-21 fighter jet from a seller in the United States for $24,730. The seller,
"inkgirle", refused to ship it. It is not known whether he was refunded.[66][67]
• In June 2005, the wife of Tim Shaw, a British radio DJ on Kerrang! 105.2, sold Tim's
Lotus Esprit sports car with a Buy It Now price of 50 pence after she heard him flirting
with model Jodie Marsh on air. The car was sold within 5 minutes, and it was requested
that the buyer pick it up the same day.[68]
• In May 2005, a Volkswagen Golf that had previously been registered to Joseph Ratzinger
(then a cardinal, who had since been elected pope and chose the regnal name Benedict
XVI on April 19, 2005) was sold on eBay's German site for €188,938.88 ($277,171.12
USD). The winning bid was made by the GoldenPalace.com online casino, known for
their outrageous eBay purchases.[69]
• A seaworthy 16,000-ton aircraft carrier, formerly the British HMS Vengeance, was listed
early in 2004. The auction was removed when eBay determined that the vessel qualified as
ordnance, even though all weapons systems had been removed.[70]
• Water that was said to have been left in a cup Elvis Presley once drank from was sold for
$455. The few tablespoons came from a plastic cup Presley sipped at a concert in North
Carolina in 1977.[71]
• Coventry University student Bill Bennett got £1.20 for a single cornflake.
• A man from Brisbane, Australia, attempted to sell New Zealand at a starting price of
$0.01AUD. The price had risen to $3,000 before eBay closed the auction
• An Australian newspaper reported in December 2004 that a single piece of the Kellogg's
breakfast cereal Nutri-Grain sold on eBay for AUD$1,035 because it happened to bear a
slight resemblance to the character E.T. from the Steven Spielberg movie. Apparently the
seller went on to make even more money in relation to the sale for his appearance on a
nationally televised current affairs program.
• One of the tunnel boring machines involved in the construction of the Channel Tunnel was
auctioned on eBay in 2004
• A group of four men from Australia auctioned themselves to spend the weekend with the
promise of "beers, snacks, good conversation and a hell of a lot of laughs" for AU$1,300
• Disney sold a retired Monorail Red (Mark IV Monorail) for $20,000[77]
• The German Language Association sold the German language to call attention to the
growing influence of English in modern German.[78]
• In late November 2005, the original Hollywood Sign was sold on eBay for $450,400.[79][80]
• In February 2007, after Britney Spears shaved all of her hair off in a Los Angeles salon, it
was listed on eBay for 1 million USD before it was taken down.
• In September 2004, the Indiana Firebirds arena football team was auctioned off, first in a
regular auction that failed to reach the reserve price,[82] and again as a "Buy it Now" item
for $3.9 million.
• Bridgeville, California (pop. 25) was the first town to be sold on eBay in 2002, and has
been up for sale 3 times since
• In April 2005, American entrepreneur Matt Rouse sold the right to choose a new middle
name for him. After receiving an $8,000 "Buy It Now" bid, the Utah courts refused to
allow the name change. He currently still has his original middle name "Jean"
• In 2004, a partially eaten, 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich said to bear the image of
the Virgin Mary sold on eBay for $28,000.
• In January 2008, four golf balls were auctioned on eBay after being surgically removed
from the carpet python which had inadvertently swallowed them whilst raiding eggs in a
chicken enclosure. The story attracted considerable international attention and the balls
eventually sold for more that AUD$1,400. The python recovered and was released.
• In May 2008, Paul Osborn of the UK listed his wife Sharon for sale on eBay, alleging that
she had an affair with a coworker.
• In June 2008, Ian Usher put up his "entire life" on auction. The auction included his house
in Perth, belongings, introduction to his friends, and a trial at his job. When bidding
closed, his "life" sold for $384,000.
• In August 2008, Dr Richard Harrington, Vice President of the UK Royal Entomological
Society, announced that a fossilized aphid he bought for £20 from a seller in Lithuania,
was a previously unknown species. It has been named Mindarus harringtoni after Dr
Harrington. He had wanted to name it Mindarus ebayi, but this name was disallowed as
being too flippant. The 45-million-year-old aphid, preserved in a piece of Baltic amber, is
now housed in the Natural History Museum in London.
• In October 2008, amidst the 2008–2009 Icelandic financial crisis one seller had put up
Iceland for sale. Auction started with 99 pence but had reached 10 million pounds (US
$17.28 million).
• In November 2008, a Swedish man put a digitally hand-drawn picture of a 7-legged spider
onto eBay. The picture stemmed from an article on the site 27bslash6.com wherein David
Thorne claims to have attempted to pay a chiropractor's bill with a picture of a 7-legged
spider, which he valued at $233.95. On eBay, the bidding price started at $233.95, with
bidding ended at a sale price of US$10,000. Both the e-mail exchange and the picture have
become internet hits.
• In July 2009 Dornoch Capital Advisors placed England's Coca Cola League One Side
Tranmere Rovers F.C. on eBay without permission for them to do so from owner and
chairman Peter Johnson. This led to Johnson issuing a statement on the team's website
saying that the team was not for sale and that he had contacted eBay to have the listing
removed
• In August 2009, a mother of six from South Arkansas auctioned off the legal rights to
name her unborn child.
• In December 2009, a woman auctioned the copyright for a never before seen four-minute
home video of Marilyn Monroe smoking a joint
•

• On any given day, there are more than 12 million items listed on eBay across 18,000
categories. In a year, eBay members transact $14.87 billion in annualized gross
merchandise sales (GMS, the value of goods sold on eBay).

• People come to the eBay marketplace to buy and sell items across multiple categories,
including antiques and art, books, business & industrial, cars & other vehicles, clothing &
accessories, coins, collectibles, crafts, dolls & bears, electronics & computers, home
furnishings, jewelry & watches, movies & DVDs, music, musical instruments, pottery &
 glass, real estate, sporting goods & memorabilia, stamps, tickets, toys & hobbies and
travel.

• Members from all over the world buy and sell on eBay. Currently, eBay has local sites
that serve Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Korea,
the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the
United Kingdom. In addition, eBay has a presence in Latin America and China through its
investments in MercadoLibre.com and EachNet, respectively.

• eBay offers a wide variety of features and services that enable members to buy and sell on
the site quickly and conveniently. Buyers have the option to purchase items in auction-
style format or items can be purchased at fixed price through a feature called Buy-It-Now.
In addition, items at fixed price are also available Half.com, an eBay company.

We are committed to making your experience on eBay safe and fun. Millions of items are sold
every day and our community and Trust and Safety teams work together to provide a great way
to complete your purchase or sale. There are many programs and policies in place to help you
trade with peace of mind.

• Feedback system
• PayPal Buyer Protection
• PayPal Seller Protection
• Dispute resolution services

Things rarely go wrong but should something happen, eBay is there to help.

Making money on eBay is simple. Millions of people just like you sell on eBay everyday for lots
of reasons:

• Make some extra money

• Clear up clutter around the house
• Start your own business
• Jump start holiday savings

With millions of buyers and a safe and easy system eBay is a great place to sell.