eBay and autonomy

There really isn't anything wrong with the way eBay works and I often see it as a positive tool for rare items or bottom dollar deals. What is definitely interesting is how people are able to take items that before needed to be taken to specific markets (conventions, trade shows, etc.) could be collected onto one market. Sites have definitely turned toward this way of facilitating user auctions where Amazon could be an example. The format of which you purchase items is pretty basic as Epley's article traces it back to English auctions, but what is new to this is eBay's use of liberal structure for creating a market community. The way they are doing this is through feedback options that act as a form of surveillance for all users.

What I see working within eBay is a form of control against bad consumer behavior. They use the feedback system to try and discourage people from cheating others and to provide a place where people can feel confident in buying and selling. It then becomes a matter of "personal responsibility" of each user to dictate their buying or selling actions. eBay works as a mediator for buyers and sellers which gives the idea of a community rather than an online store you'd purchase items from. I tend to question if buyer and seller's actions on eBay are fully autonomous, that they are without constraint or guidelines. I think people may act solely out of a fear for negative feedback. I remember someone I was speaking to told me that they were given feedback that was negative for giving a seller negative feedback for not packaging the item correctly. He did everything right in terms of exchange, but the seller gave him negative feedback only because he was upset with his purchase. I think that the idea of this being a fully independent market is effective for the majority of the users, but I think it may be impossible for all users to consent to these community values no matter how fair they seem.