The economy according to eBay

[spinbaby]

n 2003, the nation finally felt worn out. That's the conclusion when looking at the year through the unique lens of eBay, the gigantic, freewheeling online marketplace where one can buy anything from a Beanie Baby to a backhoe.
(snip)
At the beginning of 2003, BMWs, Gucci and Prada reigned supreme on eBay (EBAY). All were among the 10 most-searched terms. Last year, the No. 1 search was for Gucci.

Here at the end of 2003, the most-searched items have shifted to Fords, anything pink (forget which designer), and gold (the kind you store in a wall safe as a hedge against geopolitical or economic disaster).
(snip)
Though government numbers show the economy is rebounding after more than two years of doldrums, the eBay economy suggests something different. In fact, it seems to show a lag effect. People and companies downshifted as 2003 wore on.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=711&e=16&u=/usatoday/theeconomyaccordingtoebay

[dodgerartful]

1. I make my living from selling on

ebay, old guitars I have restored. I am getting by...barely....

[mmm]

2. that's a tough crowd

good for you.
The world needs more guitars,
and more guitar players.

[Robb]

3. Indeed! nt

[Hamlette]

4. beauty salons and bookstores

beauty salons generally have a boom over Christmas. Not this year. They all said it was dead. They do very well in good years. This year was the worst some of them had every seen.

Bookstores (small independents at least) usually do well when everyone else is doing poorly. It was a good year for the independent bookstores. (I think it is because people don't want to be frivolous when times are tough. Books are not "stuff".)

[grasswire]

5. probably...

...people buying survivalist books. Or other kinds of how-to.

[cryofan]

6. I cannot understand why people buy books these days!

You can download more books on Usenet or Kazaa in a month than you can read in a lifetime. And that is using a $10/month dialup and there is no chance of being sued or whatever.

[jbm]

7. true...

from a practical standpoint,but there is something special about the book itself that can't be reproduced on a printer. Plus,I love going into independent little bookstores and browsing,and then I always wind up spending a little money there,even though I could read the same thing on the net for free. Course these days I spend very little money on non-necessities,and I am always realizing that lots of things I had thought were necessities...really aren't.

[Shadder]

8. Hever had any desire to download a book.

Lots of other things, but not a book. I love to read as does my entire family and it's a joy for us to go to a bookstore and just get lost for a bit.

[ozone_man]

10. I prefer to support authors.

I don't have a problem with downloading software, particularly if it is Microsoft. But authors/musicians/artists need all the support they can get.

[Bandit]

9. I have been seeing a lot of heavy-duty advertising for EBAY

Things can't be that good for them.