I can't believe someone used Elance as an example of a solution to Ebay's problem. Elance is wrought with it's own issues of underbidding and serious off-shore dominance of almost every available web project. What was once a great way for freelancers to pick up new work, is now just a project farm for offshore companies looking for American work.

Don't get me wrong, I've used outsourcing firms myself and have no issues with it, it's just Elance is no longer a reasonable venue for small domestic firms.