Al, is it this guy's stuff you're bidding on?

You're wise to be a bit circumspect when bidding on eBay, as with many auctions. Although eBay say they look out for and clamp down on shill bidding - the practice of getting a friend to run the price up for you - it still goes on a lot, often in really quite obvious ways. Looking at the auctions someone's bid on previously or the area a bidder and the seller are in can be a good guide.

Set your limit for an item, don't be forced or let yourself be drawn above it, don't get carried away, and don't assume that things on eBay will necessarily go for a reasonable price - while auctions are often a good assessment of market worth, it's also true that two (over) enthusiastic bidders can run a price up beyond all reason.