http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/Overview/
this in particular caught my eye:
http://pages.ebay.com/sell/August2008Update/Payments/
Beginning late October 2008, all items listed on eBay.com must be paid for using one of the following approved payment options:
* Direct credit or debit card payment via a merchant credit card account
* PayPal
* ProPay
* Payment on pick-up
Paper payment methods such as checks and money orders will no longer be accepted on eBay.com.
i am sure many of you remember the days before paypal, when everything on ebay was purchased with some sort of paper currency. i used to make multiple trips to the post office each week, just to buy money orders for all of the junk i was buying off of ebay. not that i use those any more, but i do still accept them for almost every auction, and i think it is sad that they are taking away that option. i know some people who do not have any type of credit or debit card, and these people would not be open to setting up a paypal account (mostly because they are not techno-savvy, but also because they are still unsure of sending money electronically). so, ebay is thus alienating these people from buying on ebay.
of course, i am sure that ebay has done extensive research and has concluded that this group of people are very unlikely to use ebay... but still!