The Point
I believe most have missed the point here and this thread has gotten ugly. Every one has a valid point and voiced there opinion. I can personally tell you and most of you will have to agree, that if you do your best to be a straight up no BS person who represents his stuff to the best of his ability and something happens where you feel wronged, it aint about money, it is all about the PRINCIPAL. It is the point of right and wrong and we all have the right to defend ourselves when we feel wronged. And as I have said before, a deal is a deal and your word is your word. Some people need to have a whole lot more character and cash the checks their mouths write.
I also believe as bad as eBay has gotten, there is some value to having a good rating as it shows another part of your business dealings. It certainly does not hurt to consider all possible references