Ebay wars: The fight for the perfect leopard-print coat

Because I've been at this eBay game for a while (myfirst "eBay Obsessed" blog post was two years ago, almost to the day. Anniversary! Woo!), I often get annoyed at how the site has changed, at how the prices are steeper, the competition is fiercer and the selection is not always as good. Take, for example, my current odyssey with vintage leopard print coats.

In 2007, I would type in "vintage leopard coat" and find possibly a zillion good options all priced around $19.99. But, because we're living in 2009's eBay economy, there are just 70, many with a starting bid of more than $200! How can one sell a non-designer, non-pristine vintage coat for that kind of dough? It boggles the mind.

The news isn't all bad, though. Of the 70, I found this, this, this and this(and, if you're not feeling risky, Buy It Now this), and while the bidding is pretty heated, I'd guess you could declare victory on each for less than $100. It's not ideal, but better than the quality/price you'd get in a regular store, and that, my friends, is ultimately (still) eBay's greatest charm.