Ethics of last minute auction "poaching"

The days of finding great deals at these specialized auctions is over. Most people on this sight know what things are worth. If they don't, they better find out. Not many of us have money to throw away. Personally, I have a tendency to research things to death. That is part of the fun, and the only way to get a good deal. I used to go to garage sales and, every once in awhile, I would come across a great deal on a vintage guitar. No more. Now, so called experts price things so high that you could end up paying more than things are worth if you are not informed. I think it is perhaps due to the fact that information is so easily available, and we all seem to be in such a hurry.

How many of you who have sold things on Audiogon would be pissed-off and think is wrong for buyers to put more money in your pocket by bidding at the last minute?? Do you love it when you list a classified ad and a potential buyer offers half your asking price? Who of you think on a 14 day auction, for the person who bid the first day and then never logged on to Audiogon again for the next two weeks, should be entitled to special treatment solely for bidding first??
Should Audiogon get rid of proxy bidder and make it a "Straight" auction, where, if you bid $1000 and the last bid was $10, your bid get's registered as $1000 ??? This is how its done at Sotherby's and Christie's at their live auctions.

Proxy with OT gets my vote

Holy cow....you see something you want at an auction...you decide how much you're willing to pay for it...you place your bid...you either get it or you don't....it's not complicated...really....

I don't think sniping is necessarily pro-buyer. I've sold a few items on e-bay that were 'sniped'. In a few of the cases a previous high bidder who had the high bid for a relatively long time (say 12 hours on a one week auction) would write me, explain what happened, and ask if they could buy it for a slightly higher price. I always demure, but it's clear that an extention system would have yielded me a higher selling price. I do agree, however, that almost every problem is addressed if bidders actually use their high price when they bid. On the other hand I've bid on auctions where that high price moved up a little in the last hour or so...