eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar as a side hobby in 1995. It started as an online marketplace for the sale of collectibles but grew rapidly. The first item sold on eBay was a broken laser pointer for $14.83. eBay uses primary colors and overlapping letters in its logo. Unlike Amazon, eBay is an online auction site where individuals rather than eBay itself own and sell items. Features like instant sales, advanced search, and feedback systems help eBay stand out. The platform continues to grow with billions in annual sales and millions of users trading rare and unique items every day.