Consumer's How To: Buying & Selling Online

I've never really felt like buying from Ebay, though I look at some things occassionally. I know some friends that sell online and seem to enjoy it. I'm enjoying looking at Etsy, the jewelry is great. I don't know if I would buy, but I would be more inclined to buy from it than Ebay, I think.
For me, Craigslist is probably not something I would use.
I did use PayPal once to pay for an item. It makes me feel better that you don't have to give your credit info to every Tom, Dick or Harry when you want to buy something online. I haven't used it since, but would use it if I needed to.

Online Safety

I try not to use any identifying information about myself. When I sign up for websites, I will use initials and my last name, which is fairly common. If I have to give an email address or snail address, I have multiple accounts and one or two that I use for possible junk mail and I use a PO box if they require a street address.
I don't like the idea of putting much info about myself out there. Other blogs I have I keep private and every so often check to make sure they don't show up on a search. Same with my Flickr account. Only a few public type photos are out for everyone. Most are restricted to friends/family.
If I talk about work or people I know, I use initials or made up names just in case someone finds my account.
I see alot of kids putting up all kinds of info and wonder how much is going to come back to haunt them.
If I am helping someone register or get email or whatever, I will usually suggest using initials instead of first names, etc. Also, if someone is setting up an email for resume or business purposes, I will suggest that what they choose for an email name is not too weird or off the wall that might put a business off from hiring them.
Back to the original - I do try to be very careful about what I put online.