Just wanted to jump in here, as it was my auction. No, there's no conspiracy to drive up a price in any of my auctions. Actually, nearly all of my stuff is listed with a Buy It Now option that matches the reserve. You sell something to earn money for it. Why play games with the system just to drive up the price to manipulate the market or "set a stage" for future high sales? I know people do it, but I don't understand it. It's stupid. You just create that "scam" atmosphere you're all talking about and make things harder for everyone. Not to mention, you're not being paid for anything because you're too busy playing games. You risk not selling your item at all doing that. I don't have time for that crap and even less interest in it. Second chance offers are offered, and permitted, by eBay. This option has not always been available. It actually started because of dead-beat bidders, like this 0-feedback guy that just nailed me. I don't see how starting over with a fresh listing would prove or validate my honesty. Why do that, when eBay has intentionally set up a sytem to extend the offer to the next bidder? Why do another 5-day auction when you have another bidder right there who wanted the figure? I have to tell you, if you think buyers are the only ones that get screwed on eBay, you're dead WRONG. There are a ton of ways to scam people on there and there are just as many aimed at sellers. Someone (a member of this board) recently put forth the idea that a lot of dead-beat bidders are other customizers trying to throw a wrench into your auctions to somehow benefit themselves in some way. I don't really see how that works or what the goal is. Wouldn't surprise me, though and sad if it's true. I'm not what you think of when you hear the word "customizer". Most of them are guys trying to get as much money as possible as easily as possible to afford more stuff for their own collection. I don't even collect, not even my own figures. I get more enjoyment out of seeing someone else own it than I would watching it collect dust on some shelf in my studio. I'm a professional free-lance artist and sculptor. It's what I do, and I take a lot of pride in the stuff I make. A large part of that pride comes from seeing other people appreciate my work, especially when they were willing to spend their hard-earned money on it. After all my years doing this, that's the one extremely humbling compliment I'll never get over; someone was willing to pay money for something I made with my own hands. I don't play any of the games, it's a waste of time to even bother learning how to play them. I'd rather spend my time making stuff. I make cool stuff, and I sell it for the money that puts a roof over my kids' heads and the personal satisfaction that keeps me going. Simple as that.
Cheers,
Shawn
