Note 14 - Loans and Interest Receivable, Net (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Line Items]
Weighted average consumer FICO score	697
Percentage of loans and interest receivable, prime	60.20%	63.60%
Consumer FICO credit score, prime	680
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Stages of delinquency, high	180
Days loans are past due to trigger charge-off	180
Bankruptcy charge off timing	60
Percentage of loans and interest receivable, current	90.00%
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member]
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 42,340
Charge-offs	(55,211)
Recoveries	(5,084)
Provisions	58,745
Balance at end of period	$ 50,958

Bankrupt accounts are charged off within 60 days of receiving notification from the bankruptcy courts.

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- Definition

The consumer FICO credit score considered prime by the consumer credit industry.

+ Details

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- Definition

We charge off loans and interest receivable in the month in which the customer becomes 180 days past due.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of increase during the period to the allowance account representing the reversal of previous write offs due to unexpected collections of receivables against which losses had been provided.

+ Details

Name:	ebay_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossRecoveries
Namespace Prefix:	ebay
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percenatge of loans and interest receivable that is current.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ebay
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of our loans and interest receivable balance due from customers with FICO credit scores greater than 680.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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- Definition

The high stage of delinquency of loans and interest receivable balances.

+ Details

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- Definition

The weighted average consumer FICO score

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ebay
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

A valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11B

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953423-111524

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

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- Definition

Charge to expense for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ Details

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- Definition

Reduction to the allowance for credit losses related to financing receivables deemed uncollectible.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration