Europeans are now my only eBay customers.

[Elwood P Dowd]

Ten years ago it was 90% Americans. We are now broke, and the only ones bidding on my stuff are from Germany, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, and Denmark. They are happier than a hog in slop thanks to our worthless dollar.

THANK YOU GEORGE. WE ARE FUCKED!

[marmar]

1. A friend of mine who's a big eBayer said the same thing....

.... if it wasn't for Europeans, he wouldn't be moving anything on eBay.

[Middle finga]

2. yep that's what happens when the criteria for choosing a president

is who you would like to have a beer with.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. It will get worst

but I know what you mean

[Warpy]

4. At least you've still got customers!

Consider the people in bricks and mortar stores. They are stuck right here, hoping somebody with money comes through the door. Around here, they're starting to give up and go out of business.

The plastic fueled party is finally over. Now all they have to do is pay it all off. The hangover is going to be miserable.

[marmar]

7. "The plastic fueled party is finally over."

Exactly. The awakening is going to be very rude.

[CoffeeCat]

13. You are so right...

People have maxed out their plastic. Home-equity loans are harder to get, so people can't as easily
use their homes as ATM machines. Also, the mortgage crisis is going to be a disaster. The US economy
has yet to feel 5 percent of the damage from that. I heard today that 1 in 10 Americans are either in
foreclosure, have foreclosed or are likely to be foreclosed upon.

That....is...utterly...mindblowing. That's millions of Americans who will lose their homes and be starting
over in their parent's basement or in a small apartment. We're not talking about people living in poverty.
Many of these people are middle- and upper-middle class.

This will, I believe, obliterate our economy. These people won't be taking vacations, or seeing movies, or
getting expensive haircuts or paying landscapers or buying new carpet, furniture or granite countertops. So many
levels of our economy and industries will be affected. Businesses that rely on people spending discretionary
income will surely suffer. This could change our entire economy. I predict that malls could go the way
of the dinosaur.

This is all confounded by the skyrocketing cost of food, and gas--which is supposed to be $4 a gallon by this summer.

[tachyon]

5. Can you get paid in Euros?

How does that work?

[Elwood P Dowd]

11. I get paid through PayPal.

.

[villager]

6. hmmm... so people in countries with actual, bona fide, viable currencies are still bidding, eh?

I hope you have them pay you in Euros!

[Warpy]

8. Real currencies and real healthcare

and if you watched "Sicko," you know what a difference that makes.

The French couple talking about their monthly bills made me downright nauseated with envy: just rent, phone and other utilities, and food. No copays, no deductions out of their paychecks for separate insurance and Medicare and worker's comp. Just a nice lifestyle without the cold fear those of us who are uninsurable face every day that something will happen and we'll be devastated financially unless we choose to die.

[villager]

10. "Choose to die." Yes, our "leaders" do seem to be prodding us toward that, aren't they?

n/t

[Subdivisions]

9. As a fellow struggling online entrepreneur, can you tell

me what percentage of your business you've lost and what effect has it had on your life?

[Elwood P Dowd]

12. I'm not a big Power Seller

with 10,000 feedback ratings. Mostly I sell various books, magazines, CDs, albums, and electronic components. Much of what I sell comes from friends and relatives. I give them 50% of whatever I get.

The biggest problem is that the prices are dropping for both new and used stuff. Also, the shipping charges are almost double what they were a few years ago. The Europeans have discovered the $11.00 Priority Flat Rate thing through the USPS, so most of their purchases are done that way unless it's a large item.