The history of ebay is nothing more than interesting history and is not indicative of today's world. Sniping is a small part of the situation. I remember anxiously waiting for MCW to arrive in the mail, a poster show in New York City or Cherry Hill, NJ, etc., etc.
Prices were very different in those days because we collectors had no clue as to what was rare, really rare or what dealers said was rare.
The early years of ebay brought collectors posters at MCW prices and above. Bidding was fierce. As time has passed and ebay has become as common as apple pie, we now truly know what posters are really rare and which ones show up every month. The really rare pieces now get top dollar because ebay has made more collectors. At its peak MCW had around 5000 subscriptions (please correct me if I am wrong by a lot). Bruce has over 14,000 people who have bought from him and climbing monthly. In a short while he will have 3 times what MCW ever had. This creates high prices for valuable material but common posters will never reach the skies again.
Warren and Weln keep selling the same titles over and over again and their bids (or lack thereof) reflect the knowledge of today's buyers.
No matter what you do whether in collectibles or business, you must keep up with the times or be swallowed up with the onrushing tide. An astute collector must do what is necessary and that means sniping today. A seller must be patient because the highest bids arrive in the last few seconds or not at all. This makes a seller nervous because the seller does not want to see a piece he placed on ebay with the hope of getting $200 hammer down at $49. Years ago, a seller would be elated each morning during his auctions as he watched his poster's prices rise daily. Sniping can make a seller very nervous today because the auction may end far below his expectations and that is why Mr. Anonymous wants people to bid sooner, rather than later.
Selling and buying posters is like anything else in life. The fittest survive and the highest bidder prevails. Back to my sniping.
Claude
