Is it my imagination?

...that's exatly the way...

Welcome to the internet!
It should come as no surprise that great buys on Ebay end up here. I recently observed a BAT VK500 amplfier sell for $2125 on Ebay that is a tough find below $2500 here, and also observed a real steal on a BAT VK200 that went for $1200, which are a tough find below $1600. If the market wasn't so volatile I'd have acquired both of those pieces just to resell, but times have changed since I used to buy and resell. There was a time not long ago that I upgraded my entire system at no cost to me simply by buying a piece here and there and reselling it. I must have made over $15k profit over a 6 year period. But of course all the profit was absorbed back into the system. The internet was good to me for quite a while. I've since moved on from the hobby, and have sold off most of my former gear, but it was fun while it lasted. I know of several audiophiles that have done, or are currently buying/reselling/ profiting from used audio buys. Dealers do it, so why shouldn't the average person?
I agree that Ebay prices are generally higher than can be found elsewhere, but if you keep an eye out regularly you can find an occasional steal! I think the best price I ever scored was a $1700 asking price for a Pass Aleph 5 amp and Aleph P preamp combo. Of course both pieces sold to Audiogoner's for regular market prices. And it would not surprise me a bit if both of those BAT amp steals I just mentioned didn't end up here on Audiogon! There's no shame in buying and reselling. Half of the fun in this hobby is buying a piece just to bring it in and trying it out in your system for a while, and then moving it on the internet at a profit later on. This would not have been possible to do ten years ago, but now that the internet is commonplace why not take advantage of it...especially if you live in a smaller area with limited access to high end retailer's. But as always, buyer beware.
Enjoy!

What is really shady, is where a BUYER shows interest in an item, then jerks the SELLER around for a few days, while the BUYER lists the item on eBay. (Note the BUYER does even own the item he's auctioning). The BUYER's hoping the current bid exceeds the asking price for the item. If it does, the BUYER, then (After jerking the SELLER around to stall him) buys the item from the SELLER. Then the BUYER receives the item, and forwards it to he highest bidder from ebay. The buyer pockets the profit from the quick turn around. Had the BUYER not been able to turn the item around on ebay for a profit, he'll cancel his agreement with the SELLER and then cancel his ebay auction (again, for an item he didn't even own yet).

Now that's shady.

Coltrane1, you are missing the point that people are advertising stuff for sale on Audiogon that they do not own, and are merely a bidder on at Ebay (and other variations). There is indeed nothing wrong with buying and selling stuff. It's a free world but serious buyers are often jerked around here by a seller that may or may not have the item to sell.

yes & isn't it just plain illegal to "sell" something that you don't even have? Perhaps not, but if you take payment on an item 'for sale' that's not even in your posession - definitely not kosher.