[MattyC]

Here's what some people don't get, and I will use myself as an example to illustrate the point:

I collect something other than cards. It's not my main focus but every several months I will look to splurge on some of these items. They are readily available on ebay, often for much cheaper than I wind up spending on them. But I am not super knowledgable on the market nuances for these items; I am not sure who the legit sellers are, and who is selling knockoffs, or how prevalent knockoffs are, though I suspect quite prevalent.

So what I do, is instead of bargain hunting on ebay through various sellers of unknown reputation, I willingly and happily pay top dollar and then some to get what I want, in one shot, from one guy whom I know is 100% legit, selling legit stuff.

And if he were to run auctions, I would only buy these items from him, and slug it out with other bidders, including those like myself-- who are loyal to this guy. I know I may in some cases be paying way over what I could find these items for elsewhere, but I am too busy to learn the seller landscape and am happy to pay a fat premium for what I want and the confidence in what I am getting, when I buy from this one point of sale.

Now if this is how one guy thinks with respect to one seller of a collectible, there are doubtless legions of others with the same mindset. And though I know how to parse a good card from a bad one no matter who the seller, there are likely many guys who think about cards the way I do about this other collectible.

This explains why some guys who have built a business, a reputation, and a following on a mass scale (the Probsteins, the PWCCs, the Morris, the Novellas, etc.) seem to get bidding and action that others don't. Many people are busy with work or other things and just want what they want, and are happy to "overpay" for confidence in seller and the items' legitimacy. Other sellers who do not get the same action should look to market themselves accordingly, so that they can enjoy the same benefits of a loyal following.