Buying "Time" on eBay: Cybertime, Nostalgia, and Currency in Online Auctions

This article explores closely how eBay structures time for both buyers and sellers, serving as an example of what Lance Strate calls "cybertime," or time that is variably structured in computer environments. First is a discussion of communications technologies and time, leading to a discussion of online auctions as media that represent an expression of cybertime. The temporal aspects of eBay are detailed from both the buyer and seller perspective and mapped to Strate's model of cybertime. The following section discusses some cultural uses of items that can be found through online auctions, focusing on nostalgia and the recycling of cultural material. The penultimate section discusses the tri-faceted nature of the term currency as it applies to online auctions, after which is a summary conclusion. In sum, the article shows how varying experiences of time are fundamental to online auctions, thus showing eBay to be an exemplar of cybertime. The author has bought and sold vintage items on eBay for more than 9 years and has more than 500 positive feedbacks with a rating of 100% satisfaction from trading partners. Participant observation and critical analysis are the modes employed.