Is eBay a Buy?

The search is on for sticky sites, and that is what makes eBay a wise investment for America Online. A sticky site is one that holds a user_s attention for an extended period of time. According to Media Metrix, eBay is one of the stickiest sites on the Web. In December, the average eBay user spent 27 minutes each day they visited the site, while a typical Web site holds visitors for an average of approximately five minutes per page. Add that to the fact that the auction house has 16 million users, and is one of the small minority of Internet companies that is actually turning a profit, and you can see why AOL is interested. Should the individual investor also be interested? Well, it is tough to recommend any stock that has a ridiculous price/earnings ratio of 3,900, but if you must invest in Internet stocks, stick to the sticky sites, and big brand names like eBay. If you want to know where to put your money in the future, you might want to pay attention to what the kids like. Sports, sex, and stocks are supposed to the big three on the Internet, but for college students, it looks like it is schoolwork, sports and online shopping. Market research firm Student Monitor released a survey Wednesday that reported that 95 percent of college students use the Web, and that e-commerce behemoth Amazon.com is a popular destination. School-related research is, not surprisingly, the top use for college students, but a variety of big-name sites are also popular. ESPN.com is the most visited of the well-known sites. 14% of the students polled said the sports heavyweight is the site they frequent the most. Second on that list is Amazon.com at 7%.