Is it just me or does it seem like every time you're after a serious high-grade key it either goes for much less when you exercise restraint and way over fair market value when you decide to "go for it?" I've bid in three separate auctions on a New Gods #1 in 9.8 on Comic Link; the first time the book legitimately escaped me (I forgot to set a reminder on my phone to watch the auction); the second time (6 months later) I bid on another copy, I was suddenly and repeatedly logged out within seconds of the auction closing (I was attempting to snipe the book and the website repeatedly logged me out so I lost); the third and final time I decided to bid on this book was 8 months later. This time I decided to just submit a generous maximum bid 15 minutes before the auction ended; interestingly, 10 seconds before the auction closed, the item was bid up exactly below my maximum possible bid---coincidence? Yeah, right! Did you know that my maximum bid was $1000 over the fair market value? Comic Link used to be a legitimate auction website, but it seems like the current market is making everyone greedy.
A similar situation happened to me on eBay. This time I was going after a Doctor Strange 1 9.8 that was signed by Stan Lee. I decided to snipe the book at the last few seconds of the auction; I was seemingly legitimately outbid. The high bidder had won by $400--significantly higher than fair market value at the time (this wasn't unusual, the market was on fire and Stan Lee's signatures are gold). Here comes the suspicious part: I received a notification about 5 minutes after the auction ended that I was the highest bidder; this was absolutely puzzling. Apparently, the winning bidder had retracted his winning bid and the item naturally fell to the next buyer--me. So when I attempted to check out, the item was no longer available to purchase and had been removed from eBay. The following week, I saw the exact same item (same serial number and signature) on Heritage Auctions; I decided to just sit back and watch the action unfold (something seemed fishy). The book sold well below fair market value, and I felt as though I lost a golden opportunity for a great deal. Only something else, very peculiar, happened again; the same exact book--once again--had appeared a third time on Comic Connect--only two days later; once again, I monitored the auction, waited for the last few seconds, and submitted my maximum bid--which happened to be just above the lowest bid on the item. I had set a record for this item's price. Just another coincidence, right?
One time I called Comic Connect and asked what the shipping status was on an item I had bought; the guy said "hold on, you're messing up my concentration, this auction is about to end and I have to watch it." I asked, "watch what?" To which he responded, "look I'm in charge of hundreds of thousands of dollars and can't be bothered right now." What exactly was this guy watching? Did he need to make sure he bid up an item just below the highest bidders' maximum bid? These companies are seriously sketchy, and there is a huge part of me that feels they are all part of a network that monopolizes and manipulates the comic book market. Am I the only one flabbergasted? Has anyone else had similar experiences?
For those wondering about the phone call to Comic Connect; it was an auction night and the person who answered the phone explained that the people who answer questions about shipping status had left for the day; he decided to look into it for me regardless. When I was on the phone, I could hear other people talking and commotion in the background--as if it were a busy night. He explained that my order would be shipped the following business day. I then asked if he wouldn't mind checking on the status of one more item (which probably irritated him) and that's when he CURTLY responded saying, "hold on, you're messing up my concentration, this auction is about to end and I have to watch it." He allowed his composure to slip because he became frustrated with my inquiries and--likely--blurted out what he did. Again, what exactly was he watching and why was it so important? Unless you're personally invested in something or there is something at risk (like losing a client the maximum money possible for an item), there really isn't any reason to respond with such hostility.