Buying on Ebay, can be fun, if you are lucky. I like the Buy It Now or Best Offer opportunities. But, like the OP, I prefer the auctions. Will I get a good deal? Who knows and who cares. It is the anticipation, the wait, the hope, that is the fun aspect of it all. Does Buy It Now work, yup - $40.00 for a Legnano headset...
Or an Atala Record 101 Professional frame and fork set for 150.00 auction, with me the only bidder, which now looks like this...
Will I sell on Ebay again - not bloody likely!