I would like to know the average and median value of an item sold on
e-bay, excluding the value of motor vehicles, boats, and real estate.

Many goods are sold on e-bay, including motor vehilces, boats and real
estate.  Of the millions of items sold on e-bay, I would like to know
the average and the median value of items sold, excluding the value of
any sales of motor vehicles, boats, and real estate.

Dear Brand Builder, 

Naturally, even if you deduct the "expensive" categories, it is still
a problem. There are many items that sell in no more than a small
margin above the minimum listing price. However, there are rare items,
especially in arts and collectibles, which lift the average way up. As
some wise man said (Mark Twain, actually), there are three types of
lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.

According to a report written by I-SearchEngineMarketing.com, "eBay?s
average selling price is approximately $45, and with one of its
largest GMS categories being Books, Music, and Video products, a
significant number of sales on eBay are at prices well below the $45
average. eBay?s fee structure is straightforward. " (SOURCE: Online
Advertising Report No. 29,
<http://www.i-searchenginemarketing.com/Online_Advertising/online_advertising_report92.htm>).

Other sources, who rely on a New York Times article, claim that the
average stands on $40: "When the stakes are small -- the average eBay
sale is about $40 -- the harm may be minimal, certainly too small for
prosecutors to bother with. " (SOURCE: JUDITH H. DOBRZYNSKI "E-bay
fraud: In Online Auctions, Rings of Bidders", originally published in
the New York Times <http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/06/biztech/articles/02ebay.html>).
The article, written by JUDITH H. DOBRZYNSKI, does not indicate the
source of this information.

Interestigly enough, comparing sales and pricing of used items on eBay
is becoming more popular in determining pricing.

Further Information: 
Jannett Highfill, "An Economist Looks at eBay "
<http://www.nssa.us/nssajrnl/22-1/pdf/06.pdf>

I hope this answers your question. I searched the web to find relevant
information. My experience with eBay helped, as well.

Please contact me if you need any further clarification on this answer
before you rate it.