Ebay Case Study

Why eBay? It 's not just beanie babies and Pez dispensers. There are 157 million users of eBay worldwide, make that 157 million and one, I am the internet powerhouse 's newest recruit. With an unexpected sense of anticipation I scroll down the web page, I spot what I am looking for "One pair of brand new Prada heels, Authentic!" excitedly I click on the link and read the short novella the seller has written for my benefit. She swears she paid $580 for these on a recent trip to New York but alas they no longer fit and she 's never worn them! Nice story, though I 'm not sure if I believe it. However as I peruse the half dozen or so pictures provided of the shoes and their authenticity card I am convinced that at these are the bargain of the century. Hesitantly I click the "buy it now" option. I surprise myself by closing my eyes, as if when I open them the shoes will magically appear. Well one week latter I am the proud owner of a beautiful pair of heels all for the relative bargain basement price of $95 (plus postage and handling…) .Finally I have found a store that will let me shop in my pyjamas, I have entered the wonderful world of eBay!
Mr eBay, a master entrepreneur?
To the uninitiated the concept of trusting a complete stranger to deliver a product after money has left your hands seems ludicrous. You might be honest but this is the internet! The user that claims to be a little old woman could just as well been a bikie named Bob. Those designer shoes you 're looking at could be imported via the Russian mafia from some obscure Baltic country! However those in the know bid with confidence thanks to the ingenious safety and credibility checks eBay provides to its users. These users have founder Peirre Omidyar to thank. He wrote the computer code for an online auction house, originally called Auction Web one lazy summer day in Silicon Valley in 1995. Hoping that it might be a useful tool for computer buffs to exchange parts he launched the auction house it on

References: Aldridge A , 2004, ‘eBay to emerge as the new channel to market ' Marketing , pg 15 Available from; Proquest 5000 [25 Sept 2005]. Bedell D, 2001, ‘Expanding universe of eBay Auction site a social, economic force ' Denver Post. Jan 8, pg. E.01, Available from Proquest 5000 [24 Sept 2005]. Bunnell, D, 2001 ‘The eBay Phenomenon ' Wiley, Sydney Business Daily News, 2004, ‘EBay to Increase Investment in China 's Each net Cohen A, 2005, ‘Pierre Omidyar 's Perfect Store Turns 10 ' [Editorial]. New York Times., Sept 7 . pg. A.24 Available from; Proquest 5000 [30 Sept 2005]. Financial Wire , 2005 ‘EBay Buys Skype ', 13 September 2005 Available from Proquest 5000 [25 Sept 2005]. Flynn L , 2005, ‘EBay, With a Global Boost, Beats Wall Street Expectations ' ,New York Times. Jul 21, pg. C.4, Available from; Proquest 5000 [24 Sept 2005]. Harrison J , 2002, ‘Asian advances, and a retreat, for online auctioneer eBay ' Mergers and Acquisitions. .Vol.37, Iss. 4; pg. 22, Available from; Proquest 5000 [27Sept 2005]. Hiawatha B, ‘5 HABITS OF SUCCESSFUL INTERNET COMPANIES Infobahn 's top players mix strategy, grit in survival game ', 1999, Boston Globe , May 9,. pg. C.1, Available from; Proquest 5000 [24 Sept 2005]. ‘How to Sell ' 2005 available form www.ebay.com.au Latin America World, 2003, ‘eBay and MercadoLibre Join Forces in Latin London: ' pg Lucas P, 2003, ‘eBay puts its mark on Paypal '. Credit Card Management New York: April, Vol.16, Iss. 1, pg. 34, Available from; Proquest 5000 [28Sept 2005]. Matlack C, 2000, ‘EBay Steams into Europe; France is its latest port of call in Paris ' Business Week. November 6 Iss. 3706; pg. 116 Available from; Proquest 5000 [30 Sept 2005]. Mendez-Wilson D, 2000, ‘eBay expands wireless reach ', Wireless Week, May 29, Available from; Proquest 5000 [24 Sept 2005]. Plummer R , 2005 ‘eBay 's 10 year rise to world fame ' BBC online , 3 September, available from Proquest 5000 [25 sept 2005]. Ramstack T, 2005, ‘Entrepreneurs profit on eBay ', Knight Ridder Tribune Business News ': Aug 2, . pg. 1 Available from; Proquest 5000 [24 Sept 2005]. Roth D, 2000 , ‘Meet eBay 's worst nightmare ' Fortune, Jun 26, 2000.Vol.142, Iss. 1; pg. 199, Available from; Proquest 5000 [27Spet 2005]. Snyder J, 2000, ‘Online auction fraud: Are the auction houses doing all they should or could to stop online fraud? ' Federal Communications Law Journal. , Vol.52, Iss. 2, pg. 453, Available from Proquest 5000 [25 Sept 2005]. Thorold B, 2002 , ‘EBay ponders next move after rout in Japan ' , Financial Times. Jan 11, 2002. pg. 19 , Available from; Proquest 5000 [28Sept 2005]. Van Munching P , 2005, ‘eBay Outbids Common Sense '. Brandweek. New York: Sep 19, .Vol.46, Iss. 33; pg. 21, Available from Proquest 5000 [25 Sept 2005]. Wall Street Journal , 2001 ‘EBay to Buy iBazar In $100 Million Deal ', Feb 22, pg. B.8 Available from; Proquest 5000 [30 Sept 2005]. White D, 2005 ‘eBay empties classified pool ‘ The Daily Telegraph , 6September Available from; Proquest 5000 [25 Sept 2005]. Wingfield N, 2002, ‘EBay, Conceding Missteps, Will Close Its Site in Japan ' Wall Street Journal ,Feb 27,pg. B.4, Available from; Proquest 5000 [27Sept 2005].