Paul,

I agree with you.

But, just as there are bad sellers on eBay, there also bad buyers. Some sellers, once bitten, take steps to protect themselves. It may also just not be worth it to some sellers to wait until a check clears to send the item.

When I come up against a seller with terms I don't like, I usually email them to see it they will accept my terms. I recently did that with an auction for a group of Caribbean chips. The seller wanted $5.99 for shipping. Since the seller was near Atlantic City, I asked if I could pick up the items in person they next time I was in the area. The seller agreed and I avoided the heavy shipping costs.