What Was the First Item Ever Sold on Ebay
September
AuctionWeb is Born
After spending Labor Day weekend at home writing code on his personal computer, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar launches AuctionWeb, a site "dedicated to bringing together buyers and sellers in an honest and open marketplace."
Pierre's First Sale
Canadian Mark Fraser purchased the first item that eBay founder Pierre Omidyar listed on the site in 1995 -- a broken laser pointer.
Pez Dispenser Myth
A story is circulated that Pierre created eBay to help his wife collect Pez candy dispensers. Later, it's revealed that the story was a fabricated one.
June
Our First Employee
Pierre hires employee #1, Chris Agarpao, to help coordinate the fast-growing company's online operations. Over twenty years later, Chris is still an eBay employee.
$7.2 Million Worth of Goods Sold
The total value of merchandise sold on AuctionWeb reaches $7.2 million.
July
Our First President
Pierre quits his day job to devote himself fulltime to his innovative auction website and brings Jeff Skoll on board as President.
October
Our First Office
Pierre and Jeff rent a small suite (#250) at 1025 Hamilton Avenue in San Jose, CA, in what's now known as Building 6 (Music) on the current eBay campus.
May
Beanie Babies Craze
Beanie Babies, Ty Warner's line of cuddly stuffed animals, take the world by storm. $500 million worth are sold on eBay alone, representing more than 6% of our total volume.
QUARTER 2
Seller Feedback Introduced
We introduce Feedback Forum, allowing our members to rate their transactions and create a virtual community of openness and confidence.
Millionth Item Sold
We sell our millionth item! A Big Bird jack-in-the-box toy from PBS' Sesame Street.
September
eBay is Born
AuctionWeb is officially renamed eBay.
February
Meg Whitman Joins eBay
Business leader Meg Whitman joins as President and CEO.
May
My eBay
The launch of "My eBay" customizes the eBay experience.
July
One of the First Acquisitions
We make an early acquisition, adding Jump Inc. and its person-to-person online trading site, Up4Sale.
September
eBay Goes Public
After a successful Initial Public Offering (IPO) in September, we list shares on NASDAQ under the symbol EBAY. Expected to trade for $18, our shares shatter expectations and reach $53.50 in just one day.
December
eBay Foundation Established
The eBay Foundation becomes the first corporate foundation to be endowed with pre-IPO stock. Since then, it has given over $30 million to nonprofit organizations worldwide.
June
Site Outage and Lessons Learned
On June 10, 1999, the site goes down. In the middle of the night, CEO Meg Whitman rallies more than 50 engineers from eBay and SunMicrosystems to fix the problem. Less than 20 hours later since the outage began, eBay is back up and open for business.
July
Global Expansion
We launch sites in Germany, Australia and the U.K. As of today, eBay is available in 180 countries.
January
eBay Office Expands
We continue growing in the U.S. and around the world! In San Jose, the company moves into additional buildings at our current headquarters, then known as eBay Park.
April
Introducing eBay Motors
We launch eBay Motors, the online automotive marketplace. In 2006, eBay Motors sold its 2 millionth passenger vehicle.
June
Opening eBay University
We hold our first eBay University course, teaching users how to become master sellers. The format proves to be a huge success, and eBay University classes continue to be offered around the world today.
July
Half.com joins eBay
We announce we will buy Half.com, making it easier than ever to sell your movies, music, books and games online.
November
Introducing "Buy It Now"
We introduce a new fixed-price feature, "Buy It Now," which allows users to buy an item instantly at a set price.
The eBay API
Our first Application Programming Interface (API) goes live. Now developers across the world can harness the power of eBay by building their own custom interfaces with unique functionality.
QUARTER 2
Auctioning Very Old Levi's
The oldest known pair of Levi's sells on eBay for more than $46,000 to Levi Strauss & Co., making fashion history.
June
Introducing eBay Stores
eBay Stores, a new online storefront directory, launches as a way for people to have their own customized online businesses for just a few dollars a month.
QUARTER 3
A Jet Sells for Millions
A Gulfstream jet sells for $4.9 million, setting a new price record for eBay.
September
Auction for America
We unveil Auction for America, enabling more than 100,000 users to raise over $10 million for the victims of September 11 and their families. To date, our Giving Works program has supported over 30,000 charities.
June
First eBay Live! Conference
Anaheim, California hosts the first eBay Live! Conference, bringing together sellers, buyers, journalists, developers, and lovers of all things eBay for action-packed days of learning and networking.
July
eBay Acquires PayPal
We purchase PayPal, unifying the web's largest marketplace and an innovative system for secure and hassle-free payment. Being part of eBay Inc. for more than a decade enabled PayPal's strong growth and global leadership position in digital payments. Together, PayPal and eBay's strong synergies benefit both businesses for years. PayPal is spun off 13 years later into an independent company in July 2015.
2003
eBay Giving Works: $500 Million
Since 2003, eBay Giving Works has raised over $500 million for charities.
June
PayPal Buyer Protection
eBay transactions become even more secure as PayPal's Buyer Protection services are implemented for all transactions on the site.
Weird Al Premieres "eBay" Song
Weird Al performs his new song "eBay" at eBay Live! in Orlando, FL. The song goes on to become a major hit.
"eBay Bible" Published
The Official eBay Bible by Jim Griffith, Employee #11, is published.
QUARTER 3
Fortune's List: 8th Fastest Growing Company
We grab some worldwide recognition by claiming the 8th spot on Fortune's list of Fastest Growing Companies.
February
Dream Big, Save Big
We launch the Dream Big, Save Big campaign to support small business buying on eBay.
October
The Power of All of Us
We launch our North America brand campaign, The Power of All of Us, celebrating the power of e-commerce and built on the idea that people are basically good.
December
Jeff Jordan Named PayPal President
Jeff Jordan, Senior Vice President and general manager of eBay North America, is named President of PayPal.
Rent.com joins eBay
We announce our agreement to acquire Rent.com, the leading website for rental housing in the U.S. In 2012, we sell Rent.com to Primedia.
February
We welcome John Donahoe as eBay Marketplaces President
John Donahoe is named President of eBay Marketplaces. He goes on to serve as President and CEO of eBay from 2008-2015.
March
eBay Creates Kijiji
We launch a local classified advertising site called Kijiji. Named for the Swahili word for "village," Kijiji connects users with their neighbors in search of goods and services in almost a dozen countries. Kijiji is now a part of eBay Classifieds.
May
eBay Acquires Gumtree
Expanding our classifieds presence, we purchase Gumtree, a leading global classified-listing site.
September
10 years and counting!
We celebrate our 10th birthday!
Main Street Launches
Our Main Street program launches as a grassroots community of e-commerce advocates interested in how public policy may affect their ability to buy and sell online. Today, the global network numbers over 275,000 members!
OCTOBER
eBay Acquires Skype
We complete our acquisition of pioneering Internet communications company Skype. In 2009, we sell Skype to a group of investors while retaining a 30% stake in the company.
January
United Nations Global Compact
We join the United Nations Global Compact, the largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative in the world, demonstrating our belief in the power of business to drive positive social and environmental impact.
February
Gigayacht: Most Expensive Item Sold on eBay
A Frank Mulder designed gigayacht becomes the most expensive item ever sold on eBay, auctioning off for $168 million, according to news reports.
MARCH
PayPal Goes Mobile
PayPal debuts its first mobile application, allowing millions of PayPal users to send money on the go. In 2008, PayPal launches a mobile app for iOS, making it one of the first apps to launch in the Apple app store for the iPhone.
July
Rajiv Dutta Named PayPal President
Rajiv Dutta is the new President of PayPal. He previously served as President of Skype.
January
eBay Acquires StubHub
We purchase StubHub and become the world's largest online marketplace for tickets.
July
eBay Green Team
The eBay Green Team starts with 40 passionate San Jose based employees. Since then, Green Teams have taken root with thousands of employees who promote sustainable business practices, inspire environmentally conscious actions and volunteer for green projects in their communities.
January
New PayPal President: Scott Thompson
PayPal's Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President, Scott Thompson, is named President.
March
John Donahoe Named eBay Inc. CEO
John Donahoe, business leader and President of eBay Marketplaces, succeeds Meg Whitman to become President and CEO of eBay Inc. He's named the #1 Internet CEO by Institutional Investor magazine.
Top 100 Best Companies to Work For
Celebrated for our supportive work environment, eBay Inc. lands a coveted spot on Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For (and again in 2009).
May
Greenest Building in San Jose
The PayPal campus becomes the greenest building in San Jose with the opening of the city's first LEED® Gold-certified building. At the time of opening, the campus was also home to San Jose's largest commercial solar installation to date.
June
PayPal's 10th Anniversary
Happy 10th birthday, PayPal! By its first decade, PayPal has 150 million accounts across 190 countries, with a total payment volume exceeding $60 billion.
eBay becomes an App
eBay is one of the first companies to launch an iPhone application and is featured during the Apple app store launch. Today, the app is available on other operating systems including Android.
July
Lorrie Norrington Named eBay President
Lorrie Norrington becomes the new President of eBay Marketplaces.
September
National Medal of Technology & Innovation
eBay becomes the first Internet company to be awarded America's highest honor for technological achievement, the National Medal of Technology & Innovation. The award recognizes our outstanding contributions to entrepreneurship worldwide.
October
eBay Adds Bill Me Later
We bring in the leading web-based payment platform Bill Me Later, offering buyers even greater flexibility in their online purchasing. Soon after, eBay and PayPal team up to offer customers a "Bill Me Later" option during checkout. Today, the service is known as PayPal Credit, joining PayPal Working Capital to offer consumers and businesses a powerful range of flexible credit solutions.
November
Jack Sheng Sets Record
Jack Sheng of eForcity Inc. sets an eBay Marketplaces record, becoming the first seller to receive a feedback score of 1,000,000. In honor of this, we named a conference room after him.
January
Women's Initiative Network (WIN)
We launch the WIN program to support women in building lasting, successful careers in the company. WIN also provides opportunities for women at all levels to learn, grow, and develop.
July
Top-Rated Seller Status
We begin recognizing outstanding sellers with our new Top-Rated Seller status, helping buyers find the eBay sellers who most consistently deliver exceptional customer service.
November
eBay Promotes Deals
eBay launches its Deals app, offering buyers and sellers great deals every day.
July
eBay comes to the iPad
eBay is on the iPad during its launch! Our new iPad app takes advantage of the tablet's stunning visuals to build a beautiful and easily shoppable venue. The app is one of the first featured at the Apple keynote debuting the iPad.
December
eBay Adds Milo.com
We acquire Milo.com, a leader in web-based local product search, helping launch local products on eBay.
March
The Opportunity Project Opens
Advancing our Social Innovation commitments, the eBay Foundation launches The Opportunity Project. Our signature grant-making program supports entrepreneurial solutions to expand economic opportunity in impoverished communities in the U.S. and emerging markets.
eBay Adds GSI Commerce (eBay Enterprise)
We announce the acquisition of ecommerce specialist GSI Commerce, now known as eBay Enterprise. eBay Enterprise provides commerce technologies, omni-channel operations and marketing solutions to brands and retailers of all sizes.
Ethisphere: World's Most Ethical Companies
We're honored to be named one of the world's most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute, a leading business ethics think tank. We will go on to receive this designation for four years straight.
April
Major Stake in GittiGidiyor
We announce that we will purchase a majority stake in Turkey's principal online marketplace, GittiGidiyor.
June
eBay Acquires Magento
To facilitate even stronger open platforms, we announce we will acquire Magento, a leading toolset for open-source ecommerce.
July
eBay Acquires Zong
We expand our mobile capabilities and announce our acquisition of Zong, a leading mobile carrier billing-based payments platform.
September
eBay Welcomes Devin Wenig
Former Thomson Reuters Markets CEO Devin Wenig joins as President of eBay Marketplaces.
March
PayPal Here Announced
PayPal announces PayPal Here, the first mobile payment solution that allows small businesses to accept nearly any form of payment, no matter their size.
April
PayPal Welcomes David Marcus
Entrepreneur David Marcus, who came to eBay via the Zong acquisition, is named President of PayPal.
June
$3+ Million Power Lunch with Warren Buffett
The annual charity auction for a power lunch with Warren Buffett goes for a record $3.46 million.
August
Global Shipping Program Launched
We launch a Global Shipping Program, helping U.S. sellers grow their businesses by more easily shipping to international buyers.
September
PayPal's Working Capital Initiative
PayPal pilots its Working Capital initiative, a new loan program for Small Business. By the end of the year, Working Capital enables thousands of SMBs to borrow tens of millions of dollars. In 2014, the program expands to Australia and the U.K.
Braintree Acquisition
To strengthen PayPal's online payment capabilities, we add an innovative payment platform, Braintree.
November
Digital Storefronts Unveiled
Pointing the way to the physical storefront of the future, we unveil three connected storefronts at San Francisco's Westfield Shopping Mall. Customers can browse items in a virtual window, pay using PayPal, and arrange for free home delivery.
March
Machine Translation Tools
Our path-breaking Machine Translation Tools help drive cross-border commerce, enabling the company to reach consumers in markets like Russia and Latin America.
June
PayPal Available in 203 Countries
PayPal announces 10 new international markets and is now accessible in 203 countries.
July
eBay Joins with Sotheby's
Proving that art isn't only for the super rich, we join forces with Sotheby's to offer mid-priced works of art in a virtual live-auction format.
August
Superman Comic Sold for $3.2 Million
A well-preserved copy of Superman #1 is sold for $3.2 million on eBay. It's the most expensive comic book ever sold.
September
eBay and PayPal to Become Two New Companies
eBay and PayPal announce plans to become independent companies in 2015, enabling both to sharpen their strategic focus and hone in on innovative growth opportunities in their respective markets.
Welcoming Dan Schulman
Consumer brands expert Dan Schulman is named as PayPal's President and CEO designee.
July
eBay Spins Off PayPal
eBay and PayPal trade as separate companies on Nasdaq stock exchange.
Devin Wenig is eBay's Fourth CEO
Tapped as our CEO Designee in 2014, Devin Wenig takes over as eBay CEO.
September
November
eBay Inc. Completes Sale of eBay Enterprise
eBay Inc. completes the sale of eBay Enterprise to a consortium of businesses for $925 million.
April
Partnering with BigCommerce to Streamline Online Selling
The partnership allows BigCommerce merchants to seamlessly list their products and manage their inventory on eBay, opening up access to more than 169 million customers around the world .
May
eBay acquires Expertmaker
In an effort to advance our structured data initiative, eBay acquired Expertmaker, a leading artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics firm.
The Future of Shopping
eBay and Australian retailer Myer partner to launch the first-ever virtual reality department store.
June
Record bidding matched for Power Lunch with Warren Buffett
$3,456,789 israised for GLIDE in Power Lunch auction with Warren Buffett benefitting San Francisco's poor, homeless, and most vulnerable residents.
eBay unveils its "Gateway to the Future"
"Main Street," the newest addition to eBay's San Jose headquarters, officially opens. The building now serves as a central meeting place and welcome center for visitors and guests.
July
Stubhub acquires Ticketbis
The largest ticket marketplace in the U.S. continues to grow by expanding into the Latin American, European, and Asia Pacific markets.
August
Seller Hub Launches
eBay debuts the Seller Hub, a powerful tool that simplifies and streamlines the selling experience and helps sellers scale their businesses.
October
Say Hello to eBay ShopBot
As shopping habits evolve, eBay is staying ahead of the trend, by launching a smart, personal shopping assistant that you can converse with, powered by AI and running on Facebook Messenger.
eBay acquires Corrigon
We purchase Corrigon, a pioneer of visual search technologies. The acquisition bolsters our structured data efforts and improves image recognition capabilities.
December
eBay Signs White House Equal Pay Pledge
We are proud to join with the White House in pledging to close the gender wage gap. Based on a 2016 internal study on gender pay equity, we determined that in the U.S., women employees earn 100% of what men make in the same role.
eBay Teams Up with Steph Curry
After the devastating Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire in Oakland, CA, eBay and Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry team up to raise $45,201 in a charitable auction. 100 percent of the proceeds go to benefit the Oakland Fire Relief Fund.
March
eBay's Personalized New Homepage Launched
Powered by structured data and designed to drive highly personalized shopping experiences, the new homepage makes it easy for customers to find that perfect item and get inspired by products that match your style and interests.
eBay Announces Guaranteed Delivery
The move allows shoppers to filter their search results by shipping times, and guarantees delivery in 3 days or less on 20 million items, with no membership required!
June
New Brand Platform "Fill Your Cart With Color" Launches
eBay's latest brand activation goes live, celebrating individuality and self-expression and challenging uninspired, 'beige' shopping habits.
Price Match Guarantee Launches
Including more than 50,000 deals in the United States and quickly expanding to Germany and the UK, eBay guarantees that an eligible deal will be the best price online, or we'll will match the lower price of a competitor.
October
eBay Authenticate Launches
Powered by industry experts and our proprietary verification methods, the eBay Authenticate program guarantees the authenticity of luxury bags sold on eBay. The program has plans to expand to other luxury categories in the near future.
Find It On eBay and Image Search Go Live
These features allow shoppers to use pictures instead of words to search eBay's 1.1 billion listings, spanning the new and truly unique. Enabled by artificial intelligence and machine learning, these innovative ways to shop help you quickly find the things you love, making the entire internet shoppable on your mobile device.
November
Kiva Marketplace debuts on eBay
In an effort to continue to increase the opportunities available to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, eBay partners with Kiva.org, the microlending platform, to help expand their reach on our global platform.
January
'Retail Revival' Launches in Akron, Ohio
In partnership with the city of Akron and local small business owners, the programhelps educate and empower local entrepreneurs to grow and scale their business online, through integrating inventory onto eBay's global marketplace.
eBay to Intermediate Payments on our Marketplace
In partnership with Adyen, a global payments processor, eBay will beginmanaging the payments flow within the marketplace, simplifying the end-to-end experience for buyers and sellers. The transition will be a multi-year journey.
February
eBay Acquires Giosis
We reach an agreement toacquire Giosis' business in Japan. The acquisition expands our footprint in Asia, and bolsters the strength of the Qoo10.jp platform to offer more inventory to our Japanese consumers from all over the world.
March
eBay Leverages AR to Simplify Shipping
eBay unveils a clever solution using Augmented Reality (AR) that enables millions of sellers to quickly select the best USPS flat rate box for items they need to ship.
September
eBay Introduces eBay@Home
eBay introduces eBay@Home, the company's first formal work from home program within the Global Customer Experience organization.
eBay Begins Intermediating Payments on its Marketplace Platform in the US
Introduction of eBay's new managed payments experience in the US marks a significant milestone in the company's payments journey.
October
eBay Launches Instant Selling
eBay introduces new program for consumers to sell their smartphones in a matter of minutes.
December
eBay Authenticate Expands to Jewelry
Initially launched in the luxury handbags and watches categories, eBay's Authenticate service now includes listings for necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets.
January
eBay Raises $102 Million for Charity in 2018
eBay raised a record amount in 2018 by connecting buyers and sellers to the causes they care about most.
eBay's Retail Revival Expands Operations to include the U.S., UK, and Canada
Now live in 3 countries, Retail Revival enables small businesses to harness the power of ecommerce and global trade.
March
April
Yaroslavl Becomes First Eastern European City to Join Retail Revival
With eBay's support, entrepreneurs in Yaroslavl are working to make its unique offerings accessible to the global market.
May
Baton Rouge and eBay Announce Economic Development Initiatives
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, becomes the fourth U.S. city to join eBay's Retail Revival program and eBay launches eBay@Home Baton Rouge, bringing 40 full-time customer-service jobs to the area.
Advocacy Day 2019: eBay Releases Small Business Report
The eBay Government Relations' Advocacy & Policy Programs Team publishes a new report highlighting how eBay is driving small business trade and balanced and inclusive growth across the United States.
Annual Charity Auction with Warren Buffet Breaks Record
GLIDE's 20th annual eBay for Charity Power Lunch with Warren Buffet is sold for a record-breaking $4,567,888. The auction has provided over $30 million to support San Francisco's most vulnerable residents.
July
Top-Rated Workplaces in 2019
eBay lands a no. 8 spot in Indeed's 2019 Top-Rated Workplaces list, up from our fifteenth ranking in 2018.
September
November
February
eBay Completes Sale of StubHub
We completed the sale of StubHub to viagogo for $4.05 billion in cash.
April
Jamie Iannone becomes eBay's CEO
A highly accomplished leader, Jamie Iannone takes over as eBay CEO in April 2020.
July
eBay Announces Sale of Classifieds Business
eBay enters into a definitive agreement to transfer its Classifieds business to Adevinta for a total consideration valued at approximately $9.2 billion.
September
What Was the First Item Ever Sold on Ebay
Source: https://www.ebayinc.com/company/our-history/