Part 2/10:
On February 1, 1999, Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, received an alarming email from his assistant. The email contained a link to a German website that looked strikingly similar to eBay. As he delved into it, excitement and shock intertwined; it was indeed a clone, with auctions, product descriptions, and seller reviews much like his popular platform. The underlying premise was simple yet powerful—why not replicate a successful business model in an emerging market? Omidyar wasted no time and traveled to Berlin, where he met the Samwer brothers—Mark, Alex, and Oliver. Their innovative approach to technology and business left him both surprised and impressed.