My
Success With eBay
by
John Jakubik
eBAY LAUNCHES IN JAPAN
TOKYO February 28, 2000 — eBay® (NASDAQ: EBAY; http://www.ebay.com/), the world's leading person-to-person online trading community, today announced the launch of its Japanese site (www.ebayjapan.co.jp). The site, up and running today, is in Japanese, lists items in yen and offers users over 800 merchandise categories, ranging from local favorites such as "Hello Kitty", Pokemon and pottery, to popular international categories including computers, electronics and Asian antiques.
"We feel that the launch of eBay Japan is a milestone in the company's international expansion, bringing the excitement and fun of the online auction format to the world's second biggest Internet market," said Merle Okawara, president of eBay Japan K.K. "eBay Japan is an unique service, providing Japanese consumers with access to a global community of active online buyers and sellers, whether they be in Tokyo, Osaka, London or New York."
eBay Japan follows the tried and trusted eBay business model, with the company charging a nominal fee for listing an item on the site and receiving a percentage of the final sale price. In Japan there will be a 30 to 240 yen charge for listing an item and a 1.25% to 5% transaction fee on all completed sales, depending on price point. As well as seeing items listed in Japan, eBay's Japanese customers can view merchandise listed around the world and see prices in yen as well as U.S. dollars.
eBay Japan is also debuting Supershops, a new merchant-to-person area that allows individual users to bid on items being listed by companies. Selling a wide range of merchandise - from real estate and refurbished computers to kimonos and jewelry -companies participating in the Supershops program include: Mitsui Real Estate, Sofmap, Aucnet, Kinkou, Culture Convenience Club, @Venture, Murauchi, and Marubeni Corporation.
To kick-start eBay's entry into the Japanese market, the company recently announced a joint venture agreement with NEC and its BIGLOBE Internet service provider. The agreement with NEC brings together eBay's unrivalled trading presence and one of the world's most innovative technology companies. As part of the agreement, NEC will take an equity stake in eBay Japan K.K. and promote the site through both on and offline marketing campaigns.
About eBay
eBay (www.ebay.com),
the world's personal trading communityTM, pioneered person-to-person online trading.
Founded in 1995, eBay has developed an efficient and entertaining trading
site on the Web that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. eBay
has more than 10 million registered users. Currently, there are more than
4 million items listed for sale. On www.ebay.com, more than 450,000 items
are added daily in more than 4,200 categories, including: automobiles,
antiques; books, movies and music; coins and stamps; collectibles; computers;
dolls and figures; jewelry and gemstones; photo and electronics; pottery
and glass; sports memorabilia; and toys.
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