Enforcement Of Old Law May Put Online Auctioneers Out Of Business Reported by: Scott Hershberger
Monday, Nov 26, 2007 @04:28pm EST
NBC25 NEWS - The Monday after Thanksgiving is known as Cyber Monday, with many Americans spending parts of the day glued to their computer screens in search of great deals.

But those who use the popular website Ebay to offer those great deals may soon run into problems with the law.

Cyber Monday is the first business day after Thanksgiving and Black Friday when Americans hoping to avoid the chaos found at shopping malls and department stores look to find great deals online from the comfort of their own home.

"Ebay's internet online auction world has changed a lot of the way that people do business as far as buying antiques and collectibles," explains Kim Hines of Greencastle Online Auctions.

Hines and her husband Peter sell a variety of items on Ebay, providing a resource to community members who can't sell them on their own.

Until now it hasn't been a problem. But that might soon change.

The state of Pennsylvania is hoping to enforce an old law that requires all auctioneers to be licensed.

Hines explains, "The current law dates back to 1983. Obviously, there's quite a lot of technical advances that have been made since 1983."

Hines says the law is more than two decades old and applies to the traditional, fast-talking, gavel-holding auctioneer. She says that's not what they do here at Greencastle Online Auctions, and that's why the law shouldn't affect them.

"The big thing is there's a huge difference in what we do and a huge difference in what they do," Hines says.

State lawmakers are working on a bill that would protect Ebay auctioneers from the law.

Hines hopes it passes so she doesn't have to resort to Plan B.

She says, "The other option is essentially just to close."

It can take up to eight months to receive an auctioneer's license.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Auctioneer Examiners could not be reached for comment.