Amusing and bewildering pattern on eBay.

[Brian Van Horn]

PT Barnum's famous saying is that "There is a sucker born every minute."

Lately there has been a pattern on eBay (I am not saying eBay is involved for the lawyers on the board), where a card is not sold at the asked for minimum bid. The card is then relisted for a higher price.

Now, with the economy in the shape it's in and the card market in a lot of ways being dependent on a good economy in order to sell its product, does this make any sense?

In short, if you have a down economy, there are fewer new collectors that would normally start buying unless they are looking for a bargain. This strategy relies on the opposite side of the scale on new buyers who might be more generous with their money or existing buyers who have missed the original offering.

OK. I'm off my soapbox. It's all yours, guys.