CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 273,538	$ 403,505
Less: Discontinued operations, net of tax	(22,346)	137,629
Net income from continuing operations	295,884	265,876
Adjustments to reconcile net income from continuing operations to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation of property and equipment, including internal-use software and website development	116,854	97,627
Amortization of stock-based compensation	48,910	39,334
Amortization of intangible assets	21,527	17,312
Deferred income taxes	16,219	8,746
Foreign exchange (gain) loss on cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, net	(18,348)	18,494
Realized loss on foreign currency forwards	8,511	8,117
Other	17,495	9,823
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:
Accounts receivable	(192,105)	(82,523)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,253	(31,595)
Accounts payable, merchant	290,809	193,010
Accounts payable, other, accrued expenses and other current liabilities	204,345	78,122
Deferred merchant bookings	634,764	396,480
Deferred revenue	7,790	(125)
Net cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations	1,453,908	1,018,698
Investing activities:
Capital expenditures, including internal-use software and website development	(176,980)	(157,867)
Purchases of investments	(1,530,749)	(1,179,555)
Sales and maturities of investments	1,244,065	1,046,395
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(198,398)	(8,076)
Net settlement of foreign currency forwards	(8,511)	(8,117)
Other, net	(2,203)	1,039
Net cash used in investing activities from continuing operations	(672,776)	(306,181)
Financing activities:
Treasury stock activity	(366,037)	(208,693)
Payment of dividends to stockholders	(42,470)	(57,732)
Proceeds from exercise of equity awards	232,658	23,127
Sales (purchases) of additional interests in controlled subsidiaries, net	(2,015)	70,626
Excess tax benefit on equity awards	28,433	5,241
Changes in restricted cash and cash equivalents	(2,752)	(4,011)
Other, net	(1,744)	2,182
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities from continuing operations	(153,927)	(169,260)
Net cash provided by continuing operations	627,205	543,257
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operations	(7,607)	114,412
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	5,996	(13,279)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	625,594	644,390
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	689,134	621,199
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,314,728	1,265,589
Supplemental cash flow information
Cash paid for interest from continuing operations	85,255	86,907
Income tax payments (refunds), net from continuing operations	$ (584)	$ 16,237