I disagree, with certain provisions: If you're comparing purchasing something directly from a website and paying by check, versus purchasing something through eBay and paying via Paypal, you're correct. However, if you're comparing purchasing something directly from a website and paying by credit card, versus purchasing something through eBay and paying via Paypal, I feel that you're far better off purchasing the item directly from the website. I receive far better buyers protection when purchasing something directly with a credit card, than when purchasing the item paying by Paypal (regardless of how I fund Paypal).