1957 T-bird in mint condition. I had just been mugged by an eBay commercial. Online-auction services are not just about Beanie Babies anymore. Top auction categories include computer hardware and collectibles. As retailers increasingly use the medium for liquidation and new-product introduction, you'll see a spike in apparel, cars, professional services, sporting goods and travel.
Online auctions are about price.
They're about community and trust. Finally, they're fueled by word of mouth. People show off prizes from eBay the way they used to brag about bargains from outlets. Volume constitutes the underlying reason that eBay succeeds. This site has 5.6 million registered users and more than 2 million items for sale at any time.