With all due respect, I know you've got alot of common sense. But you're arguing the wrong idea here.

We all agree that you put in the highest bid you are willing to pay, and that's that. If you get it, good, if not, better luck next time.

I, and nobody else will argue that point.

What you're missing is the concept of paying less.

How about this idea. We want to buy a new widget for Brenda's birthday. The price for this widget is $500.00. (hey, she has expensive taste in widgets) Ok...so you are off to the mall to buy this widget for $500.00 at "Widget's R Us". Ok...as you hobble across the mall, you see a sign in the store for this very same widget on sale for $200.00. Are you going to buy it here?? Sure you are. Were you willing to pay $500 for Brenda's special widget?? Of course you were. Would you have gotten screwed by paying $500 for this widget (hell yes, everbody knows you can buy the cheap knock-off widgets for $400.

But all kidding aside, do you get the idea of the savings side of it?

Ebay has the feature of entering your top bid. Nobody wants to pay the top bid they enter, whether we are willing to pay it or not.....we all hope to get it for much less. We all hope all the other potential buyers are getting all sloppy drunk and are distracted by watching the ceiling fan go round and round.

There's a reason Ebay and every other auction site both online and real has rules against shill bidding.