E-Bay is jacking up its rates. I guess owning the entire market gives you that kind of monopolistic leverage. The price boost is going to be between 28% -to-50% . You know what even Microsoft doesn’t pull stunts like that. If a phone company raised prices like that, well there will be opinion pieces written about it, and Senators would get involved. The It also highlights the big issue which never gets talked about – Silicon Valley jumps up and down, cries crocodile tears and laments the monopolies of Microsoft, Baby Bells, Cable Companies, US Government. I hope this is something blogsphere talks about. Not many references so far. Martin has a quick analysis.

I wonder if this will draw the attention of the Justice Department. Probably not since it is just a bunch of individual consumers and the prices get passed along anyway in higher prices to consumers. But I wouldn’t doubt if the states attorney Generals get involved here. E-Bay is setting itself up for regulation! This is a sad thing to see.

Also there could be another reason: slowing growth and unrealistic expectations are forcing E-Bay to jack up the prices. (Apparently they have pissed off the girl scouts as well!)