BoingBoing pointed me to this journal entry from Teresa Nielsen Hayden, concerning buying hand-made Indian outfits to your size through eBay.

How cool is that?

I love the idea of some craftsperson across the globe being able to hook into the internet at a low startup cost and offer local handicrafts and work directly to the world, without markups from importers, and with the profits going directly to the artists and workers themselves.

We'll be able to get really cool stuff that we couldn't otherwise, or at least couldn't at a great price, and they get the benefit directly.

It's a great thing to be able to buy directly from an artist. You really have a better connection with the art you purchased, and it just feels more special.

The isn't quite as cool as being able to meet and talk to the artists directly, but this is pretty close.