I’m an eBay girl. I’ve spent many hours browsing and often finding a great deal on something I really needed or wanted. Since I’ve decided to start my own online business, I’ve been trying to find out all the secrets, and in the process coming across some strange things.

I’ve heard stories about people selling toast with a picture of Elvis on it, and a woman finding disgarded artificial limbs and putting them up for sale. I believe she earned $100 for two of them.

Recently, people auctioned parts of their bodies. To the highest bidder, a man was willing to tattoo the name of a business on his forehead. A woman in Dyersburg tried to legally change her name for the right price. She wanted to donate the proceeds to Hurricane Katrina victims. Now all of this seems completely wacky to me, but harmless. That unfortunately isn’t always the case.

EBay has sites all over the world. Each site has lists of things that can’t be auctioned, because of laws in the country. Naturally, people will try to get around the restrictions. Most of the time they’re caught and the auction ended. I’m glad that happened this time.

Eachnet, whose parent company is eBay, is China’s online marketplace. Sunday, an ad was placed offering babies for sale. Baby boys cost $3500 and girls went for $1500, emphasizing the importance of boys in China. Delivery was promised within 100 days of payment. Thankfully the ad shut down within hours of being placed. All information was turned over to the authorities, which are investigating.

China has a large blackmarket for babies, who are bought or kidnapped and sold to people who want a child. Although Chinese law allows the death penalty for the sale of infants, it didn’t serve as a determent in this case.

I’m an optimist, so I’d like to think the people behind the ad had good intentions, bringing unwanted babies and childless couples together. I wish that was so, but probably not. The motivator was the almighty dollar. The depths to which people will sink is apparently limitless.