It seems that Ebay UK runs a bit less smoothly than Ebay US. The latter isn't usually so petty and inconsistent, though it can be strict. Even so, there are some good buying opportunities. It's true that there are sellers who post absurd prices on stuff that sold for far less. But not everybody does research, so they try to find somebody ignorant.  But that's always been the case in antique stores, for example. Buying at fairs (other than the really high end ones) is great, but Ebay does have its moments. I live in Texas, and shows are few and far between.