I ran across a case study this morning that discusses the opportunities and threats of online auctions, and it specifically focuses on the online auction site, eBid.
The author is Khurram Memon of DeMontfort University. I believe that as you continue to wrap your head around what is currently happening with the eBay marketplace and what you can expect with other eCommerce channels in the future, this will be an interesting case study for you to read.
Related blog posts, case studies, and presentations:
"What is a ‘Market for Lemons’?" blog post
"What’s Wrong With eBay? It’s Simple Economics" blog post
"buySAFE. Creating and Profiting from the Bonded Seller Advantage " case study by Dr. Eric Clemons, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
"Building Buyer Confidence: The Economics of Information Asymmetry & Signaling" presentation at 2006 MIVA Small Business Conference
"Everyone’s a Critic. Not So Fast" blog post by Jeff Grass, buySAFE