Ebay in the beginning, (and through the early 2000s), was a deal the likes of which we haven't seen since the RE deal we made with the Indians.
What's happened since was predictable since we live in a free-market system that is competitive and based on greed where everyone (including corporations and government) want their taste. Not saying that greed is even bad in this instance, but the lesson is to get in anything while the getting is good. I know of a guy who was making ~14k @ month on eBay w/ zero investment back in '02/'03. Probably tax-free as well, unless he was unusually honest or paranoid.
