Researchers at the University of Essex have found that the internet auction site eBay has rapidly increased the speed at which collecting enthusiasts build collections.

The finding is just one of the conclusions of the first in-depth academic study of the social phenomenon of eBay. The researchers, from the University’s Institute for Social and Technical Innovation and Research investigated how the site has changed collecting behaviour, its sense of community and the relationship between participation on the site and the expression of social identities.

Dr Rebecca Ellis, who led the study, also explained why the site has been so successful: ‘E-commerce sites need to be what we call ’sticky’ to attract and engage users. eBay’s stickiness is such that competitor sites are unable to gain the critical mass to compete, and an increasingly growing community of buyers and sellers is creating an almost ’self-perpetuating cycle’ of stickiness.

‘Its ever-changing content is also crucial as it means there is always something ‘fresh’ for users to look at. Collectors therefore look at eBay obsessively, always hoping that the missing piece for their collection will appear, as part of an intense consumption experience.’

Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the project used a multi-method approach including focus groups of eBay users, interviews and ethnographic work with collectors, and Blogs, to record people’s everyday experiences of eBay.

The results also reveal some changes to collecting practices and rituals as a result of the internet site, including a preference for collecting ‘via the arm chair’ rather than in person. A sense of community was found to be a contentious issue with some users rejecting the idea of an eBay community because of its commercial angle.

Dr Ellis also looked at how users choose and create identities for their online activities, with results showing that those who feel they are part of a wider community opt for a creative username that communicates something about themselves. Others however prefer to use their username as a mask.

University of Essex news release.