Not because I think its a better service, or anything.  In the end, I think that Craigslist just has too much inertia, but, I suppose if anyone has the clout and mainstream awareness — and the corporate willingness to spend on advertising and marketing to make it a fair go of it, I think it would be eBay.

But that’s besides the point.

The reason why my vote is with eBay is because I would like nothing better than to see Jim Buckmaster and Craig Newmark challenged on their hippie ethos at Craigslist.  You know — the “we’re not in the business of maximizing revenues” approach to things?  The “People should go where they get the best service — even if its not us” tack on things?

All fine and good.

And easy when you’re the biggest kid on the block, whose very size makes it all but impossible for any real competitors to sink their teeth into you.

But now that eBay has put on the gloves?  I’m real interested now, because this has the real makings of a real fight.  Real competition.  Maybe forcing Craigslist to do some real innovating, or re-think their ideals.

That is to say, perhaps forcing them to answer an unanswered question many people are thinking: what *would* a company do, which has a “delightful communist” at the helm, which has stated that things like “advertising” and “marketing” and other capitalistic practices are antithetical to its values — if it were ever given serious competition?   What would happen if its market share dropped 10%?

… 20%?

… or how about 40%?

Would this cause Craig Newmark to sweat?  Would they start doing something about it?  Or would they happily put a sign up linking to Kijiji because — clearly — *some* people *do* find that they’re better at being Craigslist than Craiglist?

Call me cynical, but I’m a little bit skeptical of the whole Craigslist message.  Its fine and convenient to have when you have no real competition.  But when push comes to shove, will they still uphold these values?