Here is the AuctionBytes online-auction news roundup for Tuesday, December 7, 2004.

Industry News & Trends

"QXL rebels call for EGM over buyout," By Andrew Dewson, The Independent, 12/7/04 http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/story.jsp?story=590489

"EBay at a Crossroads: Can `Buy Now' Share Space With `Bid Now'?" by Lisa Guernsey, New York Times, 12/7/04
Free registration required.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/07/business/businessspecial/07GUER.html

"Amazon positions itself as virtual shopping mall," By Chris Gaither (Los Angeles Times), Sun-Sentinel, 12/5/04
http://digbig.com/4cfrd

"Likely Rate Hike to Impact Billion Dollar Postal Industry," The Business Ledger, 11/29/04 http://www.thebusinessledger.com/Articles.asp?artId=668&isuID=31

Weird, Unusual, Celebrity or Charity Auctions

"Reserve a Motel Online Today for Only $2.5 Million," by John Hielscher, The Ledger, 12/4/04
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041204/NEWS/412040349/1004

"eBay offer is out of this world," BBC, 12/5/04
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4069567.stm

"Attention eBay bidders: Zionist flavor cafe for sale," By Galit Yamini, HaaretzDaily.com, 12/7/04
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/510969.html

"Playstation fans turn to eBay," by Claire Woffenden, Web User, 12/6/04
http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/60027.html

"Nirvana star up for auction," Ireland On-Line, 12/5/04
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=126396592&p=yz6397z98

Fraud, Privacy, Security Issues

"eBay is fence of the young: Internet auction fraud on rise," by Demorris Lee, The News & Observer, 12/4/04
http://newsobserver.com/news/story/1899135p-8235660c.html

"Judge Criticises eBay over Fraud," By Jacqui Walls, PA, The Scotsman, 12/6/04
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3848524

Miscellaneous

"Love, Honour and eBay," Sunday Herald, 12/5/04
http://www.sundayherald.com/46379

NOTE: This is a speculative Blog posting, not a news story; eBay has NOT announced plans to acquire remaining shares of Craigslist. It's interesting because it demonstrates the interest publishers have shown in ecommerce sites like eBay.
"eBay and Craig's List Will Merge in 2005 to Create a P2P Media Giant" Micro Persuasion Blog, posted by Steve Rubel on 12/3/04
http://www.micropersuasion.com/2004/12/ebay_and_craigs.html

"It's Not Exclusive, but It's Lucrative: Why Luxe Went Online," by Cathy Horyn, New York Times, 12/7/04
Free registration required.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/07/business/businessspecial/07HORY.html