The world's biggest online auction house eBay launched an Irish website yesterday, promising to change the culture of buying and selling in Ireland.

EBay.ie will enable people to sell a diverse range of new and used goods - from cars to electronics - on its global marketplace, which currently has about 147 million users worldwide.

Popular items currently listed on eBay.ie are tickets to the upcoming U2 concerts in Croke Park, which are selling at up to €300 a pair. A diverse range of collectables such as stamps, coins and antiques are also listed.

Mr David Jesse, managing director eBay Ireland, said the firm had decided to launch an Irish-specific website because so many people here were already using other eBay websites.

"There are about 200,000 registered Irish users who sell on eBay," he said. "We want to offer them a better user experience through an Irish website."

People who use eBay to sell items pay fees for listing and auctioning on its website. Postage and packaging can either be paid by the seller or buyer of an item. EBay, one of the world's biggest e-commerce firms, generating $1.03 billion (€0.85 billion) in sales in the first quarter 2005, is seeking to expand throughout Europe and Asia. Earlier this year the firm launched in Poland and Sweden. It is also planning to aggressively expand in China.

Its launch in the Republic will increase competition for online advertising of second-hand and new products. The online arm of the magazine Buy and Sell and eBid, an Irish owned and operated rival of eBay, already offer similar services to consumers.

As part of its launch eBay is currently holding a sponsored celebrity bungee jump to raise money for charity. People can bid for a celebrity to take the plunge at www.ebay.ie.