eBay bidders not always rational! Film at 11

File this under "Duh!"

Yeah, I've bought a few things via eBay. The most expensive item was my current surround sound receiver that I bought via "Buy it now." I had previously bid on a used one of the very same item, but stopped when the item's bid price exceeded the no-risk price of the new item I actually bought. In truth I stopped well short of the fixed new-item price, since the thing was used. But I did see the final sales price.

Gad. Didn't these people look around to see what an Onkyo TX-SR 601 sold for new? Apparently not.

I have also bid on TVs and the like, but you have to read the "fine print" on the shipping. I thought it obvious that you would include the shipping when determining your maximum price, but once again, this most obvious rule doesn't hold. I could not believe that someone would bid up an item--a used item--to the point where its final, delivered price was on par with the street price of the new item.

Only once or twice have I ever bid beyond my initial set maximum price. And then only very slightly. So I guess my predetermined maximum isn't as hard-and-fast as I thought. I mean, if you had set $18 as the max, wouldn't you go to $18.25 if that meant you could get the item? But do I then change my mind and decide that I could afford to go as high as $25? No. Either it's worth $25, or it isn't. If you are willing to pay $25, then set that as your maximum bid.

I guess it's a game for some folks, a "beat the other guy" sort of thing. That's OK, I guess. When you have more money than brains.