That seems to be a very fair policy, regarding the
bidder now having an idea as to where the reserve
range may be, but the extra charge of $1.00 isn't.

I received an interesting note from eBay a few weeks
ago for the following reason:

Usually, after the close of an auction, and when I
have duplicates of a lot, I'll contact the winning
high-bidder and one or two of the underbidders
explaining that I would be more than happy to
discount the winner's bid to the chosen bidders
level at which he was willing to pay when he bid if
he's still interested. Usually, the underbidders
respond with "Hey, you bet I will" or "Great, thanks
a lot. The check is in the mail." Once in a while I
do get a "I'll pass" reply. Anyway, eBay's message
considered my message to the underbidders as "spam!"
I guess my message to the "I'll pass" guy was
traumatic for him to forward it on to eBay. Which,
of course, leads be to believe that eBay could care
less about spam, and cares a lot more about the
$$$$$! By the way: I once received a response from
the winning high-bidder saying that he thinks it's
unfair that the underbidders now have a chance to
buy the lot.

JB