We saw that when we focused some attention on the topic, and more importantly supported the Hawaiiana collectors who are out there, the section just took off, and we had hundreds of new items being listed. EBay's strategy is to divide its communities into ever-smaller segments, each of which, the company hopes, will develop its own sense of community. New message boards and auction categories are being added constantly as eBay experiments with how to divide the market without confusing its users. If eBay succeeds, each new slice should enhance the feeling of personal interaction, which collectors crave. Of course, the most obvious lesson eBay has learned is that there is great value in helping individuals sell things to each other.
Most businesses still try to organize communities solely so they can sell things to members.
With more than two million items listed for auction on any given day, it has become the place to buy and trade just about everything from Barbie dolls to used tires. Because the company has so greatly reduced the difficulty of finding buyers or sellers of particular items, and the hidden costs in dealing with them, the company has also created unusual loyalty. But the overwhelming majority of eBay's customers were amazingly willing to forgive and forget. Even the knife seller intended to keep listing his wares on eBay. But, beyond that, there's a community of people on eBay helping each other without expecting anything in return.