I invite you all to look closely at the text that amh apparently copied and pasted directly from ebay:
"It is NOT OK to retract a bid if...
You change your mind about the item.
You decide you can't really afford it.
You bid a little higher than you wanted.
You bid on multiple listings of the same item and you don't want to purchase all of them."
No where does it say that what sneakysniper is doing is wrong. In the good ol' U.S. of A. it ain't illegal 'til Congress is in session, right?
BUT, let's be REALLY honest. ANY businessperson who is in business to make money will agree with me: If you can manipulate the rules, find a loophole, etc. then you do it. If what you are doing is really that bad, it will be outlawed or the loophole closed, etc., sooner or later, right?
I know what ebay says about exceptional circumstances, etc. But if ebay cannot prove that the bid retraction did not qualify under "exceptional circumstances" then it is not wrong. Right? In AMERICA, if they can't PROVE you pulled the trigger, then you didn't pull the trigger (regardless of whether you actually did or not).
Let me further say that I don't necessarily endorse what sneakysniper is doing or feel that he/she is of great moral fiber. But, as an American businessman, I cannot justify holding someone to MORAL rather than legal standards. I mean, we all have to keep it under 65 on the freeway, but whether I cheat on my wife (just an example, chill out!) or cheat on ebay is my business. If you feel it is your business, write your congressman.