"My point is that it is not the sniping that keeps final prices down, it is the failure of bidders to bid their maximum that keeps prices down.

Peter; I disagree. It is the clock that keeps the prices down. Who would want to bid their maximum? Most bidders want to pay LESS than their maximum and pick up a bargain and want the opportunity to know what amount the competition is bidding against them.

My reference to "bidding up front" in an earlier post was meant in reference to one's first bid .... not the snipe bid.

For the final time ..... for anyone who still does not understand it ..... ebay does not allow someone who wishes to increase his bid in response to the highest snipe bid that was placed at the last second on ebay .... period.

A live auction does provide for that re-considered bid .... a bid which may wind up being substantially more money than the bidder had originally planned on submitting.... and fairer to the seller. Nothing more, nothing less.