Thanks Bob, you are specific about one point, and ignore the rest. If I read you right, you think that everyone who ever sells on eBay should be held to the same high standard of "expert"? Well, I'm glad that 15 million eBay users don't feel the same way, and that we are allowed to stray outside our "expert" areas from time to time and offer items we're not fully familiar with, without having any recourse against being victimized by "experts" who want to gain from some poor guys mistake.

Jim, yes, according to eBay rules, he is committed to sellng the chip to the high bidder. If he does not, your recourse is to leave him negative feedback, or sue him for specific performance under the appropriate jurisdiction. You can do either, or both. It's apparent he was following the spirit of the eBay rules, but did not follow the "letter" of the rules.

Now, do you really want to take a $400.00 chip from him for $100+, because the poor guy was ignorant and misinformed? If he was your next door neighbor, or a friend or coworker, or your son, would you feel the same?

This is just another reason why I feel strongly that these threads that discuss a seller behind his back are wrong. If he had been informed of this thread at the beginning, he might have had a chance to become informed of the proper procedure to extricate himself from a bad situation. He did what he thought was right, and emailed the bidders and told them honestly what was going on, and why he was going to end the auciton early, which was his right.

Unfortunately, he committed a technical violation, and now faces negative feedback, or the loss of approximatly $300. But at least he wins a sarcastic "Auctioneer of the Year" award from the chippers!

Welcome to eBay, Mr. Seller!