I wonder what percentage of total ebay revenue is through powersellers or other large volume sellers, versus what percentage through mom and pop sellers, people clearing out their attics and garages, people unloading a recently deceased aunt's accumulated rubbish, etc. In any case, I doubt one needs to interview a powerseller to get to the core of the issues, it's mostly common sense, isn't it, or stuff you can see pundited in the newspapers and Businessweek and so forth.
There was a fascinating German TV documentary on ebay powersellers in Germany, from which the impression I got was that it simply affords a very easy path to a retailing business--you don't have to set up and maintain your own website (to say nothing of leasing a commercial space and setting up a physical store), you don't have to advertise, all you need is a garage or spare room, a large lot of cheap sneakers from China or doodads from yard sales and estate sales you frequent on the weekends, or whatever, and plenty cardboard and packing tape--presto, your own business. These Germans extolled the relative freedom of online selling, not having to maintain a physical store. All pretty obvious.
Incidentally I'm curious about the differences between book retailing on ebay and the huge abebooks bookselling engine. I'm curious why there are (or seem to be--I am just guessing based on my own experience) so many more booksellers on abebooks than on ebay, and I doubt it has to do with fees alone. I wonder how this market of bookselling will look in 5 or 10 years when the dust settles.
And that's my rambling for today.....