My ebay rant for today:

Bidders identity are now kept secret, sometimes I can figure it out by the feedback number and the first and last letter. One used to be able to review the field, less snipers, very well. To protect bidders they said... sure buddy, I have a bridge for sale too. The winner is revealed, what's the logic there?

If one lives in the great state of California, where ebay is based, and you win a bid from a power seller who resides in California (might apply to all California sellers) ebay NOW will collect the sales tax for them at no cost to them, only the buyer. Just happened to me. In the future, discount California sellers bids by the sales tax hit.

Moral of the story, buy from out of state sellers. I don't know about other sales tax states when its an intrastate transaction.

ebay is building their demise, (or at least a crack to penetrate their armor) via the paypal obligation where they want the paypal way and make it difficult to ask for payment otherwise, can you say additional seller's fees any louder?

The conclusion, short ebay stock, just when the economy will push folk to selling that way for extra cash, they try and crank up the short tern revenue stream.

Oh, yeah, they now own 20% of craigslist.