If you go here:
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=zippyanna&iid=9703515570
You can see that there have been zero (0) bid retractions on this seller's listings in the past 6 months.
And notice that the seller has 100% feedback
And notice that Matthias W. *really* wants this item!
I don't know the "ppl4world" bidder, but I recognize two other bidders as being long-time members of this forum and upstanding citizens. I do notice that ppl4world bought a zeprom from Warren Furlow recently...and of course gave and received good feedback. I'm sure that ppl4world is among us.
Prices rise when those who are in the market are willing to pay them. End of story!
Oh, and one more thing:
It is rather nice that we can identify some of the bidders. I appreciate the transparency. Yet I am unwilling to do it myself!
And one final thing: the bidding model of ebay (automatic bid increases to a fixed number) makes it a fundamentally different animal than a traditional auction.
Edited: 31 Mar 2006, 8:36 a.m.