Unlike other stores that have set prices, eBay's basic function is as an auction site, allowing consumers to place bids on items that other people sell. Each item is its own auction, and each auction can last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. Over the course of an auction, potential buyers place bids on a desired item (the seller can establish a minimum bid amount), and at the end of the auction, the buyer with the highest bid gets the item for their bid amount. It's pretty simple, really, and can be a great resource for both buyers and sellers, featuring items from baseball gloves to automobiles and everything in between (with a few exceptions, like alcohol and pornography). Sellers can also set firm prices on eBay so that their products are bought and sold for a specific price, but where eBay really thrives is as an auction site.