eBay's had a rough year. It suffered through an embarrassingly public lawsuit with craigslist, a boycott by angry Power Sellers, accusations of auctioning counterfeit goods, and the quiet death of its TV advertising marketplace, for which it had high hopes.

In hopes of competing with niche online marketplaces, like Etsy.com or Silkfair, which have become popular amongst consumers it may have alienated over the years, eBay has launched WorldofGood.com, a site that sells environmentally-sustainable products.

The six-month-old site was developed in tandem with World of Good, Inc., a site focused on "ethical supply chains" behind products, reports the Associated Press. World of Good gets a cut of the revenue.

Sellers pay fees to list items, with eBay receiving a commission for successful sales. But, shying away from an auction model, all items are fixed-priced. Each also boasts some tie back to the environment or socially positive benefit.

General Manager Robert Chatwani of WorldofGood.com says he hopes consumers will be able to match their social values to the website's offerings. Citing the Natural Marketing Institute, Chatwani said the market for products emphasizing social and environmental savvy will hit $420 billion by 2010.

WorldofGood.com will be cross-listed on eBay's homepage. Its products will also be blended into its search functionality, enabling the site to benefit from eBay's existing user base of 84.5 million.