EBay, the auction website, has continued its acquisition spree with the purchase of two classifieds websites on Wednesday for an undisclosed sum.

EBay snapped up London-based Gumtree.com, which runs a simple but popular classifieds site listing flatshares, rental properties, and personal and job advertisements. Gumtree was founded in early 2000 and also has websites in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, although 90 per cent of its business is in the UK, where its staff of 10 is also based.