You pay exactly what you think something is worth. You had your chance, and you made a choice. I remember meeting with Jerry Kaplan, CEO of Onsale , back when the online auction phenomenon was just starting and Onsale was way ahead of eBay. Onsale pioneered the concept of adding discussion boards to its auctions so bidders could taunt and tease each other. Get people going at it with each other, and you can be sure that the prices will rise just a little bit more.
People do have their pride, after all.
That was back in 1997. Today, the auction business is huge beyond measure, and everyone's getting in on the act, including this very site. All the major portals have auctions of one form or another, and they're proving to be good tools for charities as well. Classifieds2000 now lets you choose whether you'd rather sell your item in traditional classified style or via an auction. Meanwhile, all the Web weirdos and comedians are having a field day, too.