Here is the AuctionBytes online-auction news roundup for Monday, January 24, 2005.

Industry News & Trends

Wall Street Journal reports that Yahoo Japan will "tie up in Internet banking operations, in a move that paves the way for Yahoo Japan to enter the banking business."
"Yahoo Japan, Aozora to Tie Up In Internet Banking Operations," By KAZUHIRO SHIMAMURA (DOW JONES NEWSWIRES), Wall Street Journal, 1/21/05
Paid registration required.
http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110621702663431227,00.html?mod=e%2Dcommerce%5Fprimary%5Fhs

"eBay Briefing Riles Outside Traders," By Kevin Kelleher, TheStreet.com, 1/21/05
http://digbig.com/4cmpf

"EBAY'S FEE HIKE IRKS "POWER SELLERS,"" by Enid Burns, New York Post, 1/23/05
http://www.nypost.com/business/39048.htm

"eBay sellers protest planned fee increase" (Washington Post), Monterey County Herald, 1/21/05
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/living/10699567.htm

"Sold on eBay site: Online flea market reaches specialty buyers," By RENITA FENNICK, TimesLeader.com, 1/23/05
http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/10712720.htm

"On eBay, sellers bid to be a success: Collections, hobbies become real business; a few caveats," By Kelli B. Grant, CBS.MarketWatch.com, 1/23/05
http://digbig.com/4cmtq

"eBay-preneurs: Online auction site provides deals, second incomes and jobs," By Abe Aamidor, 1/21/05
http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/211053-7880-047.html

Weird, Unusual, Celebrity or Charity Auctions

"Scud missile for sale," DeHavilland, 1/23/05 (Note, editor is unfamiliar with this UK site)
http://digbig.com/4cmtr

Fraud, Privacy, Security Issues

"Local eBay seller has money, ID stolen online," by Portsia Smith, Fredericksburg.com, 1/22/05
http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2005/012005/01222005/1614881

"Find it all on eBay! 3 accused of online fencing: Radios stolen from dealerships show up on site," by Donna Iacoboni, Plain Dealer, 1/23/05
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1106476215223710.xml

"Steroid dealers use ruse to sell wares on eBay: Illegal drugs listed as books to evade detection, MSNBC.com finds," By Mike Brunker, MSnbc, 1/20/05
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6809149

Miscellaneous

"PU alumnus' $5.5 million gift to fund Whitman College dorm," by David Campbell, Princeton Packet, 1/21/05
http://digbig.com/4cmpg

"A Newspaper's Clandestine Response to Craigslist Coming to Town," Poynter Online Weblog Posted by Steve Outing, 1/22/05
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31:http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31