```json
{
    "title": "eBay still in trouble",
    "url": "https://performancezen.com/2005/02/18/ebay-still-in-trouble/",
    "datePublished": "2005-02-18",
    "dateModified": "2005-02-18",
    "language": "en-US",
    "description": "Looks like eBay is still seeing extreme fallout from their fee hike decision. [here and here] Now the SFGate/SF Chronicle story does remind us about eBay Seller whining over the…",
    "author": "spierzchala",
    "publisher": "Performance Zen"
}
```

# eBay still in trouble

Looks like eBay is still seeing extreme fallout from their fee hike decision. [[here](http://sapventures.typepad.com/main/2005/02/ebay_sellers_ri.html) and [here](http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/18/BUGVOBCC3O67.DTL)]
Now the SFGate/SF Chronicle story does remind us about eBay Seller whining over the years, but this is still a business whose entire existence depends on keeping their sellers and the sellers' buyers happy. eBay is an intermediary; and intermediaries can and have been replaced before.
I am not saying that eBay will fall soon. However, imagine if Google decided that it could provide an auction clearing/payment system at a much lower cost? Or Microsoft? Or someone else?
eBay has the benefit of a near monopoly position. This makes the battleship slow to turn around when nimbler competitors appear.