The First eBay Sale Was… WHAT?!

When you think of eBay today, you probably picture sneakers, electronics, or maybe even a car. But the very first item ever sold on eBay? A broken laser pointer.

Yes, you read that right.

Back in 1995, eBay (then called AuctionWeb) was launched by Pierre Omidyar as a side project. To test the site, Omidyar listed a broken laser pointer. He didn’t expect anyone to buy it — after all, who wants something that doesn’t even work?

But to his surprise, the item sold for $14.83. Curious, Omidyar reached out to the buyer to make sure they understood it was broken. The response?

“I’m a collector of broken laser pointers.”

That bizarre sale confirmed two things:

1. People will buy just about anything online.

2. The internet had just unlocked a whole new way of connecting buyers and sellers — no matter how niche the demand.

From that single broken gadget, eBay went on to become one of the largest online marketplaces in the world, processing billions in sales each year.

The takeaway: Sometimes innovation doesn’t start with a grand plan — it starts with a quirky experiment… and a broken laser pointer.