Hi Gang!  I just wanted to write some thoughts during the holiday season concerning what I see happening with E-bay,the world economy and us.

Sometimes, I must admit, I honestly get a little nervous at times. Today,I was surfing around e-bay and found myself in the scuba diving equipment.

Years ago, I was an avid diver, living some 5 minutes from Oceanside Harbor,in Oceanside,California. Like all other divers, I started by taking a class,getting certified, and buying my equipment locally. Rather than going on shop sponsored trips around the So. Cal. area, I owned a commercial fishing boat at the time and going diving was a relatively simple task for me then. I just piled in my diving gear, grabbed the wife and kids and motored out of the harbor to my favorite spot, dove in, and pulled out lobsters,abolone, fish and whatever else I could salvage from the sea.

 Now, years later, I have moved to Crockett,Texas,a good 200 miles from the beach and no prospects of diving for a long time. Looking over several bags of dive gear stored away in my garage, I jumped on E-bay  thinking I could sell my gear to a newcomer for at least part of what I had invested. Wow! I was in for quite a shock! Tons and tons of good,quality dive gear served up at a fraction of its original cost with little or no bids on most of it. Which leads me to discuss what I feel is happening to Ebay and quite litterly, the world economy today.

 You see, I view Ebay as a sort of cyber swap-meet. Years ago, in So.Cal.,we had drive-in movie theaters that on the weekends were turned into swap-meets or flea markets for garage sellers. This was a great way of turning your unwanted or unneeded items into some quick cash for the family. Only problem was,after youve been there a few times, everyone knew what you had and quickly passed by your spot,not even looking at your stuff! Then came the computer and E-bay! Wow! Great! Now I have an audience that is Nation or Worldwide and I can sell my swap meet stuff Globally! Or can I?

Whenever I plan to sell stuff on E-bay, I go to the area that sells what Iam selling, and look at my competition.Lately, I have found that there is an over abundance or glut if you will of products and goods, and that it is totally a buyers market and that the seller has to take a huge slash in prices just to unload his stuff. Even then, the buyer has to consider the shipping costs, and sometimes it still isnt a very good deal for him either if he has to pay exhorbidant shipping because he isnt near you. Sooo.... What the heck is going on??

I think we have manufactured ourselves into a corner. Just like the gum commercial,where the company made the gum so it would never lose it's flavor, we have manufactured goods to the point where we have wherehouses full of product, with little or no buyers. ITs getting where you can't give the stuff away. Also, there is always some hawker, that in order to outsell you, he is willing to take a loss in order to steal your customers.

 With rising fuel costs, for right now, I have decided to tighten my belt and hold on to my items and not let anything go right now. It just isnt the right time. Also, I guess in a way, I'm going to add to the problem I have just been talking about. Since it is a buyer's market- I'm going to buy. But buy real shrewdly. Just like the guys have done to me, I'm going to do to them. Bid real low, and demand a lot for my dollar.

You see, I told you I just wanted to write down my feelings on the issues. I didnt promise I had any solution to the problem, because I don't. In fact, I think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

There are lots of great deals on Ebay. In fact, I dont know how people can afford to sell their merchandise for so cheap. I can't. I guess I 'm just going to have a lot of stuff around my house for a few years.

To all my friends on E-bay and the world,good luck and have a safe holiday season and stay warm. God Bless, Mikey Daniels