Gotta disagree here...
eBAY has become much less transparent over time, each initiative they come up with is fuel for more malfeasance.
eBay isn't reputation based ..at least not in whole. They are only a vehicle for millions of individual sellers...believe it or not, there are millions of users and sellers who have no interest in Sports Cards
As far as Auction Houses that specialize in Sports Cards...they have a pretty finite audience. Obviously, the way they conduct their business directly affects their limited client base. Auction houses have long been the topic of heated discussion on this board. (Maybe even on the CU board) I don't need to remind most of our readers here.
Accusations and shady dealings surely must have hurt those AH that you see in the headlines, but an honest, reputable AH big or small seems to be doing well in this marketplace.
I qualify that statement in that I cannot afford to bid in the bigger AH auctions anyway, but based on what I have seen, I won't be doing so even if I have a windfall.
Reputation that is deserved by the actual customer-focused business practices... not by shiniest catalog/biggest website, that's what wins out for my dollar.
eBay is my least favorite place to acquire cards for my collection. I'm not being hypocritical, because I use eBay due to Sports Card addiction.
