"...but you can't blame sellers,they are simply trying to get the maximum amount for their item..."
Well, I CAN blame sellers for this. The world is full of people like this that are all about rules when they fall in their favor. When rules appear to favor others, they feel ripped off. An auction sale is a contract and listing an item is a risk that is controlled by rules that the seller agrees to. Bailing out when they think they can maximize profit in another way is no virtue at all! It's taking advantage of Ebay(the fact that they can't monitor every auction) and the rest of us willing to watch and bid. You might excuse it as no big deal but if they would do that, wouldn't they screw an individual as well? "Well that's different..." No it's not! Character is what you do when no one is watching or regulating you. In this case, thinking they are little fish and won't be caught so why not cheat. This behavior shows no character.
I have been emailed many times to close an auction early. I could never, with a clear conscience, do that. Such "scalpers" know the rules, are attempting to play dirty by undercutting those who play by the rules, and I ignore them simply out of principle.
If I agreed to sell one of you an Irvin for $xxx and another member cut in and offered me $xxx + $1, would it then be right for me to break our agreement? What about for an extra $100? Then would it be right? Apparently everything is relative anymore. I mean, have some principles.
Then again, I felt dirty writing a seller, after an auction closed with no bids, and agreeing to buy a jacket.
JMO,
Dave
KC