Pierre Omidyar is a graduate of Tufts University, with
a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Prior to his success
with eBay, Mr. Omidyar was a developer for a subsidiary
of Apple Computer, as well as other software development
companies, and an engineer with General Magic (a mobile
communications company). He also co-founded Ink Development
Corp. where he was a software engineer (3).
From the start eBay was meant to be an arena for the sale
of goods and services and largely, by word of mouth, grew
into the phenomenon we know today (1). In fact, by the middle
of 1997 eBay reported nearly 800,000 auctions a day (1).
Adding to its power and prestige the company accumulated
significant financial backers, acquired Butterfields and
Butterfields (an upscale auction house), bought out several
other online sellers/auction sites, and established peer
reviews, ratings, chat rooms, and bulletin boards to create
a "cyber community" for its patrons (1).
In 2001 eBay reached Europe with the purchase of a French
Internet auction firm and also found its way into Ireland,
New Zealand, and Switzerland. By 2002 eBay joined with the
renowned Sotheby's and moved Sotheby's "entire online
business into the eBay website, further proving the company
to be the premiere connection in both the low and high-end
merchandise scenes."
Although eBay's success has flourished in a time when other
online businesses have struggled, the company has not been
without its share of problems. In fact, as competition in
the online auction arena stiffened, eBay was confronted
with the loss of the large Japanese market to Yahoo, experienced
technical malfunctions, and was exposed to auction hoaxes
(1).
In just a few short years, what started as a hobby in the
San Jose living room of Pierre Omidyar, has become one of
the biggest and most profitable online businesses. At just
34 years old, Mr. Omidyar has been listed as one of the
World's richest people (3). His talent and vision facilitated
with ease the exploration, sale, and purchase of goods online,
thereby making it possible to sell such items as nude photos
of Marilyn Monroe or to purchase Bob Dylan's boyhood home
(2).
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