Confessions from an eBay addict

By molly schneider

Hello. My name is Molly. I am an eBay addict.

It started out innocently enough. I was just a curious teenager, casually checking out the Web site, looking at vintage posters and cheap CDs. Yet I never bid.

That all changed when I made my first buy at age 15. I was trying to impress my boyfriend, so I bought five vintage X-Men comic books from a guy in Miami. They weren’t exactly primo stuff, but I was too green to know the difference.

I was too naive to see it coming. I sent the money order to the guy, and then patiently waited. And waited. Two weeks. A month. Two months. I tried contacting the seller, but no response. And no merchandise. I had been burned on my first attempt to buy. The seller had seen me for the newbie mark I was, so he took the money and ran.

That first experience spooked me enough to keep me away from eBay for a while. But once I got to college, so many things became more accessible to me. I could go online any time I wanted without having to look over my shoulder to see if my parents were around. I began to feel that curious tug again, so one night when I was bored I went to the site that had burned me before.

I started off small, buying a couple Jeff Buckley guitar picks that I swear were for someone else. PayPal, which could be described as a gateway site, made payment faster and easier. I received the picks a couple days later, and I ran up to my room to inspect the goods. Ripping into that box felt so good.

I began using eBay more and more, fueled by positive feedback scores and the rush of a fresh package. I tried different kinds of auctions, finally deciding I had a soft spot for the jewelry auctions, of course the most dangerous and addictive kind. Sterling Silver Ring Set with Peridot and London Topaz. Click. Tanzanite and Diamond Pendant in 14k White Gold. Click.

I soon knew all the lingo and how to tell the good stuff from the bad stuff. I came to know the price by weight of different quality merchandise. I got to know the sellers. I was a regular. I got to the point where I was using eBay at least once a day, and when I wasn’t using, I was thinking about using.

I eventually started pushing eBay to my friends. If they were going to the store, I’d say, “Don’t! You can get that on eBay!” or “It’s much cheaper on eBay, I swear!” I kept telling myself I could quit anytime I wanted, but every time I tried, I always came back for one more fix.

I finally had a wake-up call when I had to decide between eBay and dinner. I chose eBay. As I sat in the glow of my computer screen, my stomach rumbling, a tear ran down my face. I decided then and there that enough was enough.

I am happy to say that I am two months eBay-free, and it feels great.

Molly Schneider is a Communication junior. She can be reached at [email protected]