Has anyone really studied ebay?

I never got ebay. a couple of times I have looked at it but never saw the point. At one time I looked up a brand of graphic “collectible” sweaters. They sold at retail for abt $60 but on ebay they were going for lt $20. So on the one hand it looks like a giant clutter exchange.

Then there are resellers of “new” (last year’s) products that depend on trust and offer little or no service. Then there are used vehicle sales which are the iffy-est transactions on earth and often when done on ebay require traveling long distance.

As for sellers, if the average person put the time and resources into a regular job or business, even a flea market vendor, would produce a steadier income. I suspect there is way too much sharp dealing when one is not held accountable for their actions.

I would be interested if anyone knows of independent research as well as the opinions of ebay users.