I read one lady's comments on being ripped off on Ikea rugs in e-bay.  Well - the thing about e-bay really is that the buyer has to be aware - ask questions, look at the goods in the photos and ask for more photos if you cannot see - I have found this out the hard way.  However, as regards prices - before I bid on e-bay for named brands, I look on the store websites and think about the time and effort (plus petrol) to get to the store.  I factor that in when I make my bid on e-bay and do not go above what I am willing to pay considering in most instance I only need to click a few buttons to pay via paypal and the items are shipped to my house.  I do not have to go anywhere.  It is the same concept of purchasing your goods directly from the regular store and having the pay for postage.

So long and short of it - look, ask questions, check prices and for the most part e-bay is great tool in modern life.