The exorbitant fees that eBay imposes upon sellers has nothing to do with overhead and everything to do market forces. eBay is no more inclined to pass on their losses than are to reduce their fees if they achieve higher efficiency.

eBay's Q1 revenues were something like 2 billion this year. They've known all along that eventually they'd be on the business end of a judgment and would have to clean house. They're big boys. They'll be just fine.

So what will the fines really accomplish? A better eBay experience for consumers and justice for the brand owners who have been wronged by eBay for years on end.