Why are auctions so popular?

[jefferyepayne]

A great thread. I would much, much prefer to purchase items directly from other collectors because:

1. There are often no fees involved (for either side)
2. I like knowing where my items came from and understanding a little bit about their provenance
3. I like to help other collectors

Unfortunately collector to collector transactions aren't always possible:

1. Disagreement on value
2. Can't find another collector with what you want/need

So I end up picking up more than I want to through auctions.

jeff