Wow, I had no idea you could 'buy your way to the top' on eBay. I guess I will add this to my (long) list of reasons to never do business on eBay.
I'm not saying the OP is doing anything wrong. I find it unethical that eBay allows such a situation to occur.
eBay has allowed the perception that a seller's rating is based on his or her own merit with regard to doing business with many different customers. That rating is then used by the shopper to evaluate the seller since they (the shopper) have very little else to make an informed judgment.
It would appear that I could be a dishonest seller, buy a very high ranking seller account, and then 'screw people over' until eBay steps in or my rating plummets.
Finally, as the person that built up that reputation, I would demand the new owner of the account change the name so that their decisions do not reflect upon me.
-P
BTW: Non-Competes are very, very difficult to uphold in court. In the state I live, its nearly impossible to have them enforced...
