Auction site eBay started from humble beginnings as a software programmer's hobby, but has since grown into one of the world's biggest e-commerce firms and this month celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Computer programmer Pierre Omidyar began the business as a sole trader in 1995, listing a broken laser pointer pen as his first item for sale - and being stunned to find a buyer.
Pierre Omidyar, founder and chairman of eBay
The US-headquartered giant now boasts around 25 million sellers and 157 million buyers and has a stock market value of more than $32bn.
eBay celebrated it's 20th Birthday by floating a 6m high cake, taller than a double decker bus, with 20 candles on top, down the River Thames in London from Greenwich to Battersea. It passed famous London landmarks such as Tower Bridge, the O2, The London Eye, The Walkie Talkie Building, The Shard and Battersea Power Station
eBay is hosting a big anniversary bash starting this Thursday, September 10. While the party—a two day summit held at the San Jose Convention Center—is focused on eBay sellers,
those who use eBay strictly for purchasing purposes aren’t being left
out of the festivities.
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