Thanks Peter.

I guess the difference in philosophies are based upon the difference between a Club member who also sells on eBay, and an eBay seller who has a Club membership. I think it's commendable that some of you would tell a bidder he bid too much, and only accept what you personally consider to be a "fair" price, but this is my business, this is a big part of the reason why I can support my family without having to "work" anymore, and I treat it like a business, not a charity.

I've been going to live auctions steadily since I was a teenager, and made a lot of money in my college years by buying low and selling high. I've seen items "worth" $10.00 go for hundreds, and I've seen items worth thousands go for less than $100.00. It's a bidder driven system, and I never question the decisions bidders make.

To me, auctions are a money game, just like poker. If I have the nut hand, and you raise me with the second nut hand, I WILL keep reraising. I will never decide you've "paid" enough, I will never decide that to take more money from you is "unethical". As long as you're willing to keep raising, I will keep raising you back, and it would never occur to me that some might consider this unethical.

Same thing with check-raising. I will check-raise your ass every chance I get, and if you think check-raising is unethical and don't do it when you should, I will slowly eat your lunch.

If two bidders want to push one of my auctions through the roof, more power to them. I will congratulate the winner and tell him where to send his check.

Likewise, if I list a valuable item for a small amount of money with no reserve,
and I get creamed on it because of lack or bidding activtiy, or an eBay outage, or whatever, I will congratulate the winner and tell him where to send his check.