Ebay, the romance is over.

I remember when people were buying stuff off this brand new place online called Ebay. The idea of this crazy wild west kind of yard sale in the cyber sky was daunting to me when I was not particularly proficient at the computer back when.
When curiosity got the best of me and I meandered over, it seemed like a lot of fuss over overhyped chatchkas. Until I stumbled across Betsy McCall paper dolls. Whole sheets from old McCall's magazines that instantly brought back hours of my childhood. My Mom's subscription to McCall's - how I would wait for her to let me have the paper doll sheet - they came with a story and a paper doll of Betsy and two outfits - the story was just as important as the dolls (which I collected in an old Christmas tie box for years).
Besides my Betsys, I purchased old books, vintage jewelery, crazy birthday gifts for the kids, some unique fun stuff like old metal robot toys, and a kick I was on for awhile - cast iron dogs. I was nothing compared to heavy hitters I knew who bought wardrobes of clothes, gifts galore, - even two women I knew who outfitted an entire store with antique furniture found there.
But now, it's no fun. Invaded by commercial stores, you have to sift through miles of unappealing, you can find it anywhere including the dollar stores kind of junk, then it's Palpay or nothing half the time, and I have my issues with Palpay. Take my credit card or say goodbye sellers. If you do make a purchase? Then they bombard you with review things - not the old reviews of yore where you just flung a compliment about fast shipping at your seller. Now they highlight in red how you didn't say enough, that you need to mention this and that - if I had that much to say about a three dollar cd from a ten year old movie, Ebay, I would be in sorry shape.
Now buying online is more the norm for me than buying from a store, especially the holidays. Everyone has an online site. If I want a tag sale thrill, I can go to Craigslist. If I want to find something unique and special, I go to Etsy. I cannot see any reason to go to Ebay anymore except when Half.com boots me over there for a second hand cd or book. They took the funky and wild out of it and left it boring and commercial. Sorry, Ebay. I no longer love you. I don't even think we are in like anymore.