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Jeff LichtmanDoug, with all respect - and I think Mastro does a great job - to suggest that the $75 fee is simply required to ensure that the registrant is serious is somewhat specious. Doesn't providing credit card info and references suggest that the registrant is serious? What about bidding on your auctions? Does that suggest that the registrant is serious?
How can you claim that the $75 cost is not used to defray costs or generate income? Where does the money go, then, that is generated from this fee? Is there a special line on the Mastro tax returns that this money gets slotted in - not income or reimbursed expenses? As Andy said, you charge the $75 fee because you can, end of story, just like Sotheby's does and other auction houses. I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't do it (I would if I were in your place), I'm just suggesting that your subtle claim that Mastro is "all about its customers" and above generating as much cash as humanly possible is somewhat disingenuous.