If you are bidding at an internet auction site, don't forget that the expected practice is that the buyer pays for postage and shipping of the item. When you consider how much you can spend on an item, don't forget this cost. At an auction house, there is usually an additional cost called a buyer's premium added to the price. Also, unlike most internet auctions, local takes may apply to the sale price of an item purchased at an auction house. Before you bid on an item via the internet, check the auction site to see if there are comments available from people who have done business with that seller before.
Nobody wants to deal with the disappointment of paying for an item and never getting it in the mail.
Your recourse in cases like this is limited and auction sites offer limited assistance. Auctions can be great fun and it is not unusual to get a great deal on something you want at a price below what you would have paid at retail. The sale price at an auction is determined by what buyers are willing to pay. The price paid depends upon who is bidding on an item and how badly they want to own it. Some auctions will allow the seller to set a minimum price on an item so that on bids under that minimum amount the seller is not obligated to sell.