eBay
eBay is a global online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers across 190+ countries via auctions and fixed-price listings, with strategic focus on authenticated collectibles, trading cards, and fashion resale through subsidiaries including Goldin and pending acquisition Depop.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What eBay does
eBay is a global online marketplace operator connecting buyers and sellers across more than 190 countries, founded in 1995 in San Jose, California and publicly traded on NASDAQ under ticker EBAY since 1998. Its core platform supports both auction-style listings and fixed-price transactions spanning categories including collectibles, trading cards, luxury and pre-loved fashion, refurbished electronics, auto parts, and niche inventory. Under CEO Jamie Iannone, who took the role in April 2020, the company has executed a strategic repositioning toward focus categories — particularly authenticated collectibles, fashion resale, and authenticated luxury items — supported by in-house capabilities such as Certilogo digital product identification, eBay Live livestream commerce, and Authenticity Guarantee services for watches and trading cards. Recent acquisitions include Goldin (trading cards, 2024), Certilogo (fashion authentication, 2023), myFitment (auto parts, 2022), and the pending $1.2 billion acquisition of Depop from Etsy (Gen Z fashion resale, announced February 2026, pending regulatory approval).
The business model is primarily transaction-fee based, with eBay charging final value fees on completed marketplace sales and maintaining gross profit margins above 70%. A growing first-party advertising business (promoted listings) generated approximately $555 million in a single quarter, up 23-28% year-over-year. New monetization layers include Managed Shipping (US, effective June 2026) and Pay by Bank in the UK via Open Banking. Revenue scaled from $11.1 billion in FY2025 (+7.9% YoY) to $3.09 billion in Q1 2026 (+19.5% YoY), with Q4 2025 GMV of $21.2 billion (+10% YoY). The platform serves a highly distributed base of individual consumers, casual sellers, and SMB resellers, with selected power sellers in trading cards generating over $100 million annually. Customers primarily access the platform via web and mobile applications, supplemented by livestream commerce events and authentication touchpoints.
eBay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- eBay
- Legal name
- eBay Inc.
- Website
- https://ebay.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- eBay is a global online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers across 190+ countries via auctions and fixed-price listings, with strategic focus on authenticated collectibles, trading cards, and fashion resale through subsidiaries including Goldin and pending acquisition Depop.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
eBay industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Marketplace
- NAICS
- General Merchandise Retailers (455), Used Merchandise Retailers (4595)
- SIC
- Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Online Collectibles Marketplaces & Auction Retail (CRALAGAO)
Keywords
Where eBay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
eBay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Marketplace Transaction Fees: eBay charges sellers final value fees on transactions completed through the platform. The company maintains gross profit margins above 70% while pursuing aggressive investment in AI, eBay Live, and managed shipping.
- First-Party Advertising: eBay generates advertising revenue through promoted listings and first-party advertising solutions. First-party advertising expanded 23% year-over-year, reaching $555 million quarterly.
- Managed Shipping Services: eBay is introducing managed shipping for certain US sellers, requiring them to use eBay-provided shipping labels with coverage limited to $200 for loss or damage.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard marketplace seller fees |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Promoted Listings advertising |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
eBay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
eBay operates a two-sided global online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers across 190-plus countries through auction-style and fixed-price listings across categories including collectibles, refurbished goods, electronics, fashion, luxury, sneakers, watches, trading cards, and auto parts. The platform provides authentication services, managed shipping, advertising solutions, and livestream commerce, with revenue generated primarily from seller transaction fees and first-party advertising.
Product overview
eBay operates a two-sided online marketplace platform connecting global buyers and sellers across 190+ countries, offering both auction-style listings and fixed-price commerce. The platform has evolved under CEO Jamie Iannone's leadership since April 2020 with strategic focus on fashion verticals (luxury, streetwear, pre-loved clothing), collectibles, and authentication services. The core eBay Marketplace is complemented by specialized sub-products including eBay Live for livestream shopping, Authenticity Guarantee services for watches and trading cards, and Pay by Bank payment integration. eBay has expanded its portfolio through acquisitions including Depop (Gen Z fashion resale, pending regulatory approval), Goldin (trading cards), Certilogo (fashion authentication), KnownOrigin (NFTs), and myFitment (auto parts fitment). The company also operates the eBay Circular Fashion Fund investment program supporting textile recycling innovation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- eBay Marketplace eBay's core two-sided online marketplace connecting global buyers and sellers across 190-plus countries, enabling both auction-style listings and fixed-price offers across categories including collectibles, refurbished goods, electronics, fashion, and specialty items.
- eBay Live eBay's livestream shopping platform enabling real-time auctions and product showcases. The platform hosts events featuring celebrities, athletes, and influencers who debate and auction memorabilia in real-time streams targeted at UK and US audiences.
- Depop A Gen Z-focused C2C fashion marketplace acquired by eBay from Etsy for $1.2 billion. Depop is a mobile-first secondhand fashion platform with approximately $1 billion in annual gross merchandise sales, 7 million active buyers, and over 3 million active sellers.
- Goldin An auction platform for sports and trading cards acquired by eBay in 2024. Goldin provides auction services for sports and trading cards, complementing eBay's existing collectibles marketplace and partnership with PSA grading service.
- Authenticity Guarantee - Trading Cards eBay's authentication service for trading cards, launched in the UK with PSA verification for single cards priced £500 and above, providing buyer confidence in the collectibles category.
- Authenticity Guarantee - Watches eBay's authentication service for luxury watches, expanded to include Enquirus stolen watch screening across UK, US, and Germany. Watches are verified against the world's largest lost and stolen watch database.
- Certilogo
Quantifiable outcome
- Revenue up 19.5% YoY in Q1 2026 to $3.09 billion
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use eBay
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
eBay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability8 records
Feature4 records
eBay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- OpenAIminoreBay joined OpenAI's partner network for companies that build, sell and deploy AI services, with OpenAI investing $150 million in the programme targeting systems integrators, consultancies, and technology firms.
- CTIAminorCTIA published updated Wireless Device Grading Standards with collaboration from major D2C e-commerce platforms including Amazon Renewed, eBay, and Swappa, as well as OEMs and carriers to establish industry standards for pre-owned device conditions.
- Australian Fashion WeekminoreBay launched eBay Live in Australia at Australian Fashion Week as part of live commerce expansion, with Dentsu launching the platform as the media playbook partner.
- DepopcoreeBay agreed to acquire Depop from Etsy for approximately $1.2 billion in cash. Depop is a mobile-first, community-powered C2C fashion marketplace with $1 billion in annual gross merchandise sales, 7 million active buyers (90% under age 34), and over 3 million active sellers. Expected to close Q2 2026 pending regulatory approval.
- GoldincoreeBay acquired Goldin (trading card auction platform) and partnered with PSA (grading service) to strengthen its trading card business, enabling Korean sellers to rank 3rd globally on the platform.
- CertilogocoreeBay acquired Certilogo, an Italian technology company specializing in digital product identification for fashion items. The deal allows eBay to integrate Certilogo's digital authentication technology to enhance brand authenticity and circular services for consumers.
- myFitmentcoreeBay acquired myFitment group of companies including myFitment LLC and Illumaware LLC to enhance its auto parts and accessories category. The technology improves seller listings, reduces returns, and increases buyer confidence.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
eBay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Amazon: Amazon operates the world's largest 1P+3P marketplace and competes directly with eBay across collectibles, refurbished electronics (Amazon Renewed), fashion, and general merchandise. Amazon's scale, Prime logistics, and search dominance make it eBay's most consequential competitor even though its marketplace is broader and less focused on auction-style C2C.
- Facebook Marketplace: Meta's Facebook Marketplace is a major C2C listing destination in the US and globally, particularly strong in local general-merchandise resale and used goods. It competes with eBay for casual sellers and secondhand listings and is one of eBay's largest competitive threats given Meta's distribution scale.
Direct peers
- Etsy: Etsy runs a C2C/B2C marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique goods, directly overlapping eBay's collectibles, vintage, and pre-loved fashion categories. Etsy is the seller of Depop to eBay for $1.2B, and operates Reverb (musical instruments), making it eBay's closest comparable in marketplace DNA and product mix.
- Mercari: Mercari is a US/Japan C2C marketplace for secondhand goods across apparel, electronics, and collectibles, competing head-to-head with eBay in the recommerce category. Like eBay, it has invested in authentication (trading cards, luxury sneakers) and livestream commerce (Mercari Live).
- Poshmark: Poshmark (owned by Naver) is a social-commerce fashion resale marketplace in North America focused on apparel, accessories, and home goods. It directly overlaps eBay's fashion resale segment, which is the strategic rationale behind the $1.2B Depop acquisition to defend share against Poshmark and similar platforms.
- Vinted: Vinted is a leading European C2C fashion resale marketplace with strong Gen Z and millennial penetration. Vinted competes with eBay's fashion/luxury and pre-loved verticals in Europe and is one of the drivers behind eBay's fashion-resale M&A push (Depop, Tise, Caramel).
- StockX: StockX is a leading authenticated resale marketplace for sneakers, streetwear, collectibles, and luxury goods, competing directly with eBay's Authenticity Guarantee categories. StockX's authentication-led model is the strategic benchmark for eBay's collectibles and luxury authentication stack.
- Sotheby's: Sotheby's is a global auction house for fine art, luxury goods, watches, and collectibles — directly comparable to eBay's higher-end auction and authentication business, especially as eBay builds out watch and luxury authentication services. Sotheby's benchmark signals where eBay's authenticated luxury and collectibles verticals could head at the high end.
Regional players
- Carousell Group: Carousell is a leading C2C marketplace in Southeast Asia (Singapore HQ) spanning fashion, electronics, cars, and collectibles. It is comparable to eBay as a horizontal mobile-first recommerce marketplace and is a relevant peer for eBay's APAC expansion strategy including Singapore and Korea operations.
Others
- Shopify: Shopify is a merchant infrastructure platform powering independent online stores and increasingly enabling SMB sellers who might otherwise list on eBay. It is comparable as a peer for the seller-side economics and tools ecosystem, and is a structural alternative to eBay for brands choosing direct-to-consumer over marketplace distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
eBay social profiles
Digital presenceeBay compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
eBay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
eBay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
eBay subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
eBay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
eBay M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A76 records
Investments55 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about eBay
What does eBay do?
eBay operates a two-sided global online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers across 190-plus countries through auction-style and fixed-price listings across categories including collectibles, refurbished goods, electronics, fashion, luxury, sneakers, watches, trading cards, and auto parts. The platform provides authentication services, managed shipping, advertising solutions, and livestream commerce, with revenue generated primarily from seller transaction fees and first-party advertising.
Is eBay a public or private company?
eBay is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was eBay founded?
eBay was founded in 1995. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is eBay based?
eBay is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does eBay make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Marketplace Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are first-Party Advertising and managed Shipping Services.
Who are eBay's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Amazon and Facebook Marketplace. Direct peers are Etsy, Mercari, Poshmark, Vinted, StockX and Sotheby's. Carousell Group is listed as a regional player. Shopify is listed as an others.
Does eBay have an API?
Yes. eBay provides marketplace data to third-party platforms. TCG Price Lookup launched a real-time price API covering over 300,000 trading cards across eight major trading card games, with live market prices sourced from TCGplayer and eBay through a single REST endpoint with data refreshed daily. The API provides per-condition valuations from Near Mint to Damaged, and graded card values from PSA, BGS, and CGC. Developer documentation is at www.tcgplayer.com.
What industry is eBay in?
eBay's product category is Online Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAAAC, Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces, with a secondary code of CRALAGAO, Online Collectibles Marketplaces & Auction Retail. Its NAICS code is 455 and its SIC code is 5961.