I bought quite a few items on ebay actually.. it is a great place to find rare items or even items that arent at stores anymore. the price is obiviously going to be a bit more pricey..but then again, you prob cant find it anywhere else anyways without ebay loll
fomr a buyer's point of view.. free shipping is very attractive, at least psychologically, but most of the time, the seller offers free shipping by increasing the item price.. so either way it doesnt make that much of a difference for ebay buyers.
i try to buy only from those who offer tracking number and a good rating, and only if its a figure i really want, because the wait for the shipment to come is agonizing!