It's a beautiful day in the eBay Neighborhood

SAN JOSE, Calif. eBay today announced the launch of a new feature on eBay.com that enables members to connect through common interests.

eBay Neighborhoods (neighborhoods.ebay.com), according to eBay, is a collection of micro-communities that are built on the shared passions of eBay users. The service features Neighborhood-specific message boards, member-uploaded photos, and social mapping tools to visualize the interconnections between people and their common interests.

At launch there are more than 600 neighborhoods covering a diversity of interests from Beyonce and Battlestar Galactica, to Webkinz and Weddings. The company expects the number of neighborhoods to grow and evolve based on continuous community feedback.

"On eBay, people who are passionate about certain brands, trends, celebrities or products have been discovering and trading with one another for years," said Jamie Iannone, vp of the buyer experience at eBay Inc. "We hope that eBay Neighborhoods makes this even easier by combining commerce, communication, and community in a way that enhances traditional online buying and selling."