The following tidbit regarding "ebay" was written by one of my co-workers [Rob Roberge]. I wanted to share it with you all. Enjoy!

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I can't wait to get off this plane, run to a cab, and get to the hotel so I can log into ebay and see if my most recent bid is a winner. They say the first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem. Well, with over 100 transactions under my belt and a collection of "stuff" that I can't even remember why I thought I needed most of it, I admit I may have an issue. But I have bought some things I needed (like these Bose QuietComfort headphones that prevent you from hearing the snores of the person seated next to you). Luckily, I've got some great deals and haven't run across any fakes or fraud. This I contribute to my rules. I'll share my rules with you, but with the understanding that I cannot be held legally responsible should you also become an ebay addict.

Rule No. 1 - Never bid or buy an item from a person that does not have at least 10 positive feedback points. Avoid them if they have any negative feedback at all. You should also read the feedback (you can learn a lot about the quality of their merchandise and shipping habits).

Rule No. 2 - Set a maximum amount you are willing to spend for an item (this should be something less than your annual salary) and NEVER EVER bid more than that amount. Sounds easy, but during the heat of battle you will be tempted to bid more just to win!

Rule No. 3 - Never bid on an item from a seller that will not accept online payments (Bidpay.com, Paypal.com, etc.). These online services go through a verification process and you can be reasonably sure of the seller's name and address. If they don't want to use one these payment services they most likely have something to hide or they don't know how to use a computer and you should avoid them in either case.

Rule No. 4 - Learn the art of "sniping". When you can "snipe" an item with a last second bid, you have mastered the surprise attack and will be victorious on more than your fair share of auctions. A really good sniper uses probing bids to discover the actual high bid of their competition but this is a topic for the advanced ebayer and not covered in my introductory course. Just understand that by placing your final bid at the very last possible moment, you prevent them from retaliating with a counter bid -- there is no "going once... going twice... sold" on ebay. When the auction clock has expired, it's over and the high bidder wins.

With our busy schedules, finding the time to shop in a real store can be tough. Online purchasing can really help, it can be fun, and best of all, you don't have to talk to a salesperson. But you do have to be careful of scams and the less than honest individuals who want your hard earned money. Well, I need to go surf and try to find a 12 step program to cure me of this addiction. Good luck and happy bidding!