Amazon vs. EBay: Who's the Online Sales King?

It's a tale of two online sellers -- and two fourth-quarter earnings reports.

When Amazon reported earnings at the end of last month, it showed why it's about the only recession bright spot in retail, as its investments in the buying experience, customer service and smart fourth-quarter promotions have paid off.

The week prior, eBay told a different story, even though a recession should arguably be its time to shine. It's lost affiliates and failed to build out a unified experience and direct e-commerce platform. Now, fear some analysts, it may be too late.