[Blue_Runner]

The eBay mechanism can be tricky with the reserve auctions and proxy bidding. Just because you see "reserve met" does not mean the price you actually see up there meets the reserve.

For example, with the proxy bidding, lets say the hidden reserve is $3000 and current bidding is at $1175. Minimum bid is $25. I come along and say, "I'd be willing to pay $3500 for that." So I bid $3500. The price you see after my bid is now $1200, even though the reserve is $3000. If nobody else bids, the auction ends and I owe $3000.

I'm 99% sure that's how it works. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

I learned this by tracking a similar auction where reserve was met.