... as I sent to JB by email and am posting here:

As for my reticence regarding reserve auctions, there are three points I should make:

1) I should clarify that my position in that regard probably wouldn't apply to high end stuff.

2) On the other hand, as an eBay (in particular) bidder, I am like most other buyers. I'm trying to find the cheapest price I can for the chips I want. Therefore, I don't want to add to the "bidding excitement", which can run up the price, by adding a bid or bids which turn out to be below the reserve. If I'm prepared to pay the reserve price (once I know it), I will simply bid that much (or more) and get it up there without a bunch of intermediate bids. And maybe put in a knockout punch at the same time.

3) I bid on a lot of eBay auctions. Sometimes I'll have 6 or 8 bids pending simultaneously. But, I don't necessarily want to win all 6 or 8, sometimes because I can't afford them all <g> and sometimes because I'm looking (as always) for some good deals. So, I don't necessarily put in my best bid on a particular lot. Of course, if it's something I especially want, I will, but if I'd really just like to win the 3 or 4 on which I can get the best deal, regardless of which lots they are, then I'll put in bids which are somewhat less than I'm really willing to pay on each lot. Then, I will up the bids only on the lots which don't get run up by other bidders. Obviously, this doesn't work well on reserve price auctions, as less than top bids will usually be under the reserve and a complete waste of time and energy. Keeping in mind that most of the chips will show up again at some other time and, with luck, won't get run up the next go round and I'll get them at a better price. [Which is why I put in #1 above; the really good stuff may NOT show up again, at least not any time soon, so some flexibility is probably in order on those lots.]

Hope that provides some logical reason that makes sense.

>> BTW -- I didn't enjoy the thread one bit. <<

Well, I can certainly understand that. <g> It had a lot of long, difficult messages (mostly mine!) and probably was pretty dry reading for anyone who wasn't emotionally involved. I won't apologize for starting it, though, as I do have an objective in mind and I am still moving in that direction. After the survey results have stopped dribbling in, I will make my point.

----- jim o\-S