Abstract

From its humble origins as one man's hobby, eBay is morphing into something entirely new -- and a lot bigger than most people realize. There are around 150 million eBay users all over the world. Around five lakh entrepreneurs earn a full-time living selling a variety of items on eBay. More than a corporation, eBay has become an economy in its own right. The eBay community is increasingly influencing the course of the firm. eBay now faces various challenges in maintaining a delicate balance between the company and the community. The role of the eBay community in making eBay a successful dotcom. eBay's challenge in balancing the needs of big corporate vendors with small players and remodeling the site to attract newcomers. eBay's efforts to make shopping on eBay safe and easy. eBay's challenge in maintaining a delicate balance between the corporate and the community.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

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Keywords

eBay, Meg Whitman, Pierre Omidyar, PayPal, Online marketplace, Internet auctions, Internet fraud, Dotcom, Online auction, eBay economy and eBay community