It's more than just buying and selling.

Ebay is a magnet for creative people who list, because here you can be sure that your painting will be seen, your poem will be read, your idea will be considered by at least one person.

Ebay offers unique entertainment for those surfing the site - who doesn't love to find an auction so unusual that you have to holler "Hey Honey, come and look at this!"  Even Jay Leno can't resist showing wierd things he's found on ebay.  The out of the ordinary auction keeps 'em coming back for more.

But of course, we want to buy and sell too.

Buyers are looking for honest sellers who describe their merchandise correctly and are open for dialog with them.  Making questions and responses visable on the auction page encourages even more questions and can lead to an interesting "mini-blog" that helps build trust in the seller as a person.  And by being open with your buyers,  you also become a better seller, learning what it is that makes a good listing.

Go ahead, tell your story about that quilt, clock or piece of vintage jewelry.  You may find you have more talent than you thought.  It happened to me!

Some artists need a canvas or a publisher to inspire productivity.  I say,  just give me a good ebay auction.