Case Study: Paypal

Founded in 1998, PayPal, an eBay Company, enables any individual or business with an email address to securely, easily and quickly send and receive payments online. PayPal’s service builds on the existing financial infrastructure of bank accounts and credit cards and utilizes the world’s most advanced proprietary fraud prevention systems to create a safe, global, real-time payment solution. PayPal has quickly become a global leader in online payment solutions with 64 million account members worldwide. Available in 45 countries around the world, buyers and sellers on eBay, online retailers, online businesses, as well as traditional offline businesses are transacting with PayPal. [Source: PayPal, March 2005]

Things to read:

Questions to consider:

  • What does PayPal do?
  • What are the core components of the PayPal business?
  • How does PayPal make money?
  • What are the ethical issues raise in how PayPal collects and disburses funds?
  • What are the complaints brought by some PayPal users about the service?
  • Is the claim that the company is acting in an unethical manner fair?
  • In what ways could PayPal improve the management of its service?

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Selected trademark applications and registrations:

Selected patents

  • Search real-time for new U.S. patents granted to PayPal.