missed buying opportunities

For eBay auctions like that, sign up and use a service called eSnipe. It's not a guarantee, but it's the best thing out there for situations like the one you described.

Mine is just a small item...someone was selling their small Sistrum amp stands for $250 for a pair. He'd put his phone number on the listing (here on A'gon). They'd already been sold, only ten minutes after listing them. I think I was among the first five to contact the seller. Not good enough.

Marco

You should start using a bid program such as esnipe. You put in the most you are willing to pay and it bids for you.
Don't ever regret what you didn't get. Something else always comes along.

The one and only Fi WE421 SET amp that ever sold on Audiogon. I was the third one to look at the ad sometime late after midnight. It was gone 10 minutes later - Michael Lavorgna from 6moons snapped it up.

A pair of Royd The Minstrel SE speakers sold for $400 here on Audiogon, repleat with the optional metal stands. I still kick myself missing them - and that was 5 years ago. Here I thought I was the only person possibly interested in such rarities... Oh well.

No missed opportunities, but a few impulse buys that I wish I had taken more time to look into before buying and selling at a big loss.

Happy Listening. Anyone want to buy some of my non sellable junk !!!