From ABBA to Led Zeppelin: using music to teach economics
From ABBA to Led Zeppelin: using music to teach economics

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eBay - Weird Al Yankovic

JEL: a d     

A used ... pink bathrobe
A rare ... mint snowglobe
A Smurf ... TV tray
I bought on eBay
.
.
.
I'll buy ... your knick-knack
Just check ... my feedback
"A++!" they all say
They love me on eBay

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Assignment:

In this Weird Al parody of The BackStreet Boys' "I Want It That Way", he sings about buying and selling on eBay. In what way does eBay lower the transactions costs to buyers and sellers? eBay's feedback system allows buyers and sellers to rate each other. Why is this kind of information important to the functioning of the market? In other (non eBay) markets, how do buyers and sellers get this kind of information?

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