I do not understand how anyone could argue that shill bidding is ok. It is not only immoral, it is illegal in most contexts. There must be some reason for that. But bottom line I think the dispute comes down to the resources of the buyers. Archie and a few others may be limited in their buying only by their ability to find a chip they want. I suspect most of us are limited more by our mortgages and kids. If I have $100 to spend, and spend it all on one chip worth $125, I got a good deal, but I'm broke. If I get it for $50, I still have $50 to buy others with. If I am the high bidder among all legitimate bidders at $50, I am entitled to that deal. If the seller didn't want to sell for that he should have set a reserve. If a legitimate buyer raises me to $100, that's fine. But if the seller uses a shill to cheat ebay out of the reserve fee, and me out of the benefit of the deal I was entitled to that is wrong. If I had limitless resources to invest in chips I would still think it was wrong but I probably wouldn't care since it wouldn't effect me in any way that mattered. That is probably where our difference lies here.