eBay Heads for Sweden

eBay (EBAY Quote) acquired Tradera.com, the leading online auction-style marketplace in Sweden, for $48 million.

San Jose, Calif.-based eBay said the move would help it to expand online trading in Sweden and bring more opportunities to Swedish buyers and sellers.

Launched in 1999, Tradera.com enables auction-style trading for buyers and sellers throughout Sweden. Tradera.com has more than 750,000 listings at any given time and offers a venue where buyers and sellers can trade across an array of categories, from collectibles and home decor to antiques and electronics. eBay Sweden, focused on both auction-style and fixed-price trading, was launched in April 2005.

"Tradera.com has built an impressive business in Sweden," said Philipp Justus, senior vice president and general manager of eBay Europe. "An e-commerce pioneer with a strong community focus, Tradera is a natural fit with eBay."

eBay does not expect the acquisition to have a material impact on its financial guidance as issued in connection with its first quarter earnings release on April 19.