I invite any Gavel Chat reader out there to change my opinion on this topic. If you change my opinion, I will award you $100 cash.

I hate reserves on eBay! How many times have you searched the world's favorite online auction site and spotted an awesome item that you are willing to bid on only to find that it has a hidden reserve on it? I wouldn't mind this, but it is human nature to think that their item is worth more than it actually is, and in escence that logic forces the person to put a crazy reserve on the item.

It actually just happened to me and that's why I am going on this rant, not that it's gonna do me any good.

Why the heck do people put reserves on their items anyway? Any time an item has a reserve on it, potential bidders are immediately turned off. I have actually stopped bidding on items that have reserves. If you want to sell the item in an auction-style format then take the stinking reserve off of it.

EBay charges a ton more to list an item that carries a reserve. Good thing too, because I would guess that the majority of items that do have a reserve never end up selling, which obviously means that eBay doesn't receive its commission.

So, that's it for my Friday rant. And I am serious. If anyone can change my opinion, I will happily hand you a Benjamin. Don't get too excited though, it probably ain't gonna happen.