I was just looking at brushes on the bay and saw one I was going to put on my watch list,. Noticed that there was only 35 sec left to bid. Yep, sniped it with 3 sec to go. Sweet!

I think you guys have covered almost all of my peeves, except global shipping. Honestly, it is slightly higher shipping than Express mail, and comes with a 22% brokerage fee, and that is the brokerage fee, and has nothing to do with actual fees paid to customs at the delivery country. Since that started I have bought almost everything from the UK or Australia.

About the only thing on the list that really hacks me off is inflated shipping. Everything else I chalk up to either caveat emptor, free market, or basic human ineptitude, none of which are really annoying to me anymore.

Yeah, I tend to agree with this. Inflated shipping has kept me from buying a lot of things over the years. The funny thing is, if they'd put the extra few dollars in the price, I probably would've bought it. But since they snuck it into shipping, it hacked me off enough to skip it.

Oh, that'll buff out.

Have done that, too. Figured if they're trying to (pardon the euphemism) screw me on shipping, there's probably something wrong with their description. Pass!

Please send to me ASAP this miracle polishing cloth you're using!

Don't understand how? I've fallen victim to many snipers and was amazed to watch the final bids skyrocket within the last 2 seconds.

True. With the advent of sniping apps, the last 5 seconds of any auction is the most exhilarating...

Or appalling, as you watch yourself get outbid by $100 over what you thought would be a reasonable max!

Inflated shipping is annoying, when it is WAY above the real cost of postage. Slightly above the real cost may include the cost of packing materials. Some sellers seriously inflate shipping, to get around auction fees, since they are based on the sale price, NOT including shipping.

Yeah, I don't mind paying a couple of dollars over the shipping price. If you're not selling 100's of items a week you're probably not buying bulk supplies, and I don't mind someone putting a dollar on there for their time. It's when I see the razor (or whatever) that I know is going to be sent in a small bubble envelope with a $8.95 shipping price that makes me cringe.

I've actually never really understood the anti-sniping feelings. Especially in a situation like that where you got outbid with a $100 for what you would have paid.
I put in my max that I'm comfortable paying and let it be

I have no problem with sniping really...it's just when you're SURE you've got an auction locked up, and then you don't. My sour grapes is all it is.

I put in my max too. If I lose it, I don't care so much.

Those last seconds are Crunch Time! It's not unusual for half dozen bids made in the closing seconds.

The sellers are there to make money. One would hope that they are always above board, but sadly this is not always the case. Caveat emptor!

The blurry pictures, incorrect or scant descriptions could be scamming, but could also be an uniformed seller. In both cases, the "I am not familiar with this type of item" is CYA. We all know that eBay is a crap shoot. Sometimes one will wind up saying "Shoot, this is crap!" You are right in stating all the game playing, poor descriptions and photos, evasive nonsense and other shenanigans are annoying, and that is putting it mildly.

Here's one I forgot about..and just recently experienced as a Seller: Buyers who disregard shipping limitations placed on items for sale (Shipping to US only, for example).
They win the auction, they live in France, and now don't wish to pay the extra $$ to ship it overseas. The transaction gets cancelled (after numerous emails back & forth and ebay protocol) and the item must then be relisted.

Not just eBay, but when you're selling something and get "price advisories" from someone who can purchase the item somewhere else for slightly less. Geez. I Don't need to know about it, go buy it! I already have one.

I would echo many people of these. I just find it preposterous that anyone thinks a hair covered blade from 1954 is worth anything.

I got started on this hobby about seven months ago, and like many of my hobbies, I am OCD and methodical. I have bought and sold quite a few. I would add from buying and selling standpoint:

- Buyers that don't pay and instead of just sending me note that they made a mistake, or let the moment get the best of them, they drop the off the planet. I always let them off the hook if they just tell me.
- Sellers who way over value their item. More power to you if someone pays, but if anyone saw the "rare" 56 toggle for $3K that relisted 5-6 times, its laughable
- eBay global shipping, especially to Canada, UK, and Australia. Complete ripoff. 2-3 the real cost and no insurance. Bad for both buyer and seller.
- Blurry pictures-so annoying its worth saying twice.
- Sellers who abuse collectable condition terms in the description. Trouble yourself to look up what 'excellent' really means.
- Sellers that don't describe functionality
- When I forget to check when something I have watched ends, and I miss bidding on it--cutting the grass last night, some seller missed big because I would have paid a lot more than it sold for.
- People who don't read detailed description and make strange demands. I sold a Schick Type E for about $4 to a guy. He asked to return it because it wasn't new and "very slightly dirtier than described.". Of course not new, hence the term "used" and the word "vintage" and the age in the description. Many more that are less egregious but just as obvious.

Interesting thread,

Cheers