Interesting debate !! It is my business and my stuff, that I worked very hard to get. I have never set a high reserve and then contact a buyer who was the high bidder. It just does not seem right to the other bidders.
I very rarely use reserves, unless I have no idea what an item is worth and just want to see what it will bring. If I know its a good item and I know people will pay, I start it at 9 bucks and let them fight for it(I always get more for an item this way.) If I know its a good item, but believe there will be very few bidders, I start the auction at the lowest I can take. I have ended a couple auctions early. One time I had 2 wheel horse suburban tractor signs. I had 30 bucks in each and no idea of value. I listed them at a starting bid of 90 bucks, starting bid. A guy contacted me and said, "I have been searching for those for 20 years". He offered me 700.00 each. Since I had no other bidders, I took his offer.
