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Quote:George Lieb got nervous when he learned of a notice that he might have to get an auctioneer's license for his eBay assist-to-sell store.

It's hard enough to sell an 1800s antique elephant ivory nine dragon temple. Without eBay, it would be even harder.

The hand-carved temple, priced at one time at $15,000 on eBay, was one of many unique and exciting pieces Lieb works with through his iSOLD It eBay store in Daytona Beach.

But the notice from Cliff Shuler of Auctioneers & Liquidators of Titusville about the state requiring eBay stores to become licensed auctioneers was premature...

Quote: The eBay community is thriving, and so are the businesses that sell stuff for people on the popular auction Web site.

Now add Florida to the growing list of states deciding how to classify and regulate those enterprises. No one can seem to agree whether they are auctioneers, pawnbrokers, secondhand shops or something else.

The quarterly newsletter of one state board said recently that the businesses must be treated as auctioneers, requiring their owners to be licensed.

"It's just common sense," said Fred Dietrich III, chairman of the five-member Board of Auctioneers. "If you are going to hire someone to sell your merchandise, you need someone that is reputable and licensed."...