eBay is the world's online marketplace. You can trade here almost anything!


Pierre Omidyar, eBay's founder, reflects the founding values that continue to guide eBay today.

Pierre M. Omidyar (born 1967-06-21) is an Iranian French American entrepreneur, philanthropist, economist, and the founder of the eBay auction site. Omidyar and his wife Pam are well-known philanthropists who founded Omidyar Network in order to expand their efforts beyond non-profits to include for-profits and public policy. Pierre Omidyar was just 28 when he sat down over a long holiday weekend to write the original computer code for what eventually became an Internet superbrand - the auction site eBay.

I launched eBay on Labor Day, 1995. Since then, this site has become more popular than I ever expected, and I began to realize that this was indeed a grand experiment in Internet commerce.

By creating an open market that encourages honest dealings, I hope to make it easier to conduct business with strangers over the Internet.

Most people are honest. And they mean well. Some people go out of their way to make things right. I've heard great stories about the honesty of people here. Occasionally you may meet people who are not honest. It's a fact of life.

Here, those people can't hide. We'll drive them away. Protect others from them. And this depends on your active participation. Become a registered member. Use eBay's Feedback Forum. Give praise where it's due — make complaints where appropriate. Let everyone know what a joy it was to deal with someone.

Above all, conduct yourself in a professional manner. Deal with others the way you would have them deal with you. And remember: at eBay, you're usually dealing with individuals, just like yourself. People sometimes make mistakes. That's just human. We can live with that. We can deal with that. We can still make deals with that.

Thanks for participating. Good luck and good business! Regards, Pierre.

Tips for New eBay Users. Although eBay is a great place for buyers and sellers to come together and trade almost anything, eBay can be a bit scary to new users who aren't used to buying items online from strangers or buying at auctions. Here are a few tips for making your eBay experience a good one:

- Learn how to effectively search and browse. eBay includes thousands and thousands of items, which can be sometimes overwhelming when you’re trying to find what you're looking for. Learning when to search and when to browse can be helpful.

- Before buying an item, review the feedback that members have left for a seller, and learn about PayPal, eBay's preferred way to pay. Learning about a seller's past trading experiences will help you decide if this is a person you feel you can trust. Learning about PayPal before you buy will make your PayPal buying experience easier.

- Review eBay's rules and policies. To create a safe and fair trading environment for all eBay members, eBay includes rules and policies for all members. Learn more about why eBay has these rules and policies in place and what happens if you violate them.

- Use the powerful tools in My eBay. My eBay can help you track and manage all your eBay buying, selling, messaging, account information, preferences, and more.

- Learn how to get the help you need when you need it. eBay includes many tools for getting help including online help, eBay Learning Center, Community Help Boards, glossary and more.

- Stay in touch with the eBay Community. eBay includes Community resources to help you stay informed about the latest eBay events, programs, and news; use eBay; and connect with other eBay members.

- Read more useful info on eBay website!

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