On 3 Feb 2007 09:00:00 -0800, "Roadie" wrote:

On Feb 2, 7:55 pm, "Brenda Ann" wrote:
"Roadie" wrote in message

oups.com...

You are giving the perfect description of someone who really doesn't
know or care to know what the value of an item is.

Value is subjective. It is based almost solely upon a persons desire to
have the item. For instance, a specific bit of origami is made from less
than a penny's worth of paper. However, if a person wants that bit of
origami very badly, they may wish to bid hundreds of dollars to get it. This
is that bit's value to that person, whereas to me it may not be worth as
much as the paper it was made from.

"True Market Value" is an artificial construct.

Well, sure you and I likely value items differently. But the point
remains that some of us know the value we assign to an item and others
do not. Those that snipe and otherwise get caught up in auction fever
bidding are more focused on getting the item than they are on what it
is worth.

It is not a truism that sniping implies "getting caught up in auction
fever". I approach eBay, as I do antiquing, as "last chance shopping."
If there is a item for bid that I want, it is because I can't just run
down to the local mall and buy it. Manufacturers seem to be in love
with change for change sake, not necessarily for true improvement.

eBay presents occasional products that I know to be truly worthwhile.
Monitoring an auction without advertising my participation as a
bidding competitor allows me to make a last minute determination to
outbid what I think any snipers out there are likely to bid in the
final moments. If bidding exceeds my limit, so what, I'll wait for
another auction. (I'm successful about 80% of the time with a sale
price I'm truly happy with.)