i've only bought a few things on ebay, but this is the first time i've made an offer. this is a reputable seller i've bought from before and they took my offer, but only if i deal direct w/ them and pay w/ paypal. if not, i can go through ebay and pay more to cover their ebay fees. either way i'd pay w/ paypal. i guess my question is if i deal directly w/ the seller, do i still have some protection since i'm using paypal? thanks!