What's the deal with eBay, anyway?

[James]

Some people are just... I don't know.

Today, I was watching an item that I really wanted. The total was around $20 when I bid, and I got outbid for $22. So I waited, planning to bid again closer to the auction's close. During which time, someone else bid $40. Then in the last couple minutes of the auction, someone bids almost $90. What makes someone decide, "I'm going to pay twice as much as the current offer, even though there's a VERY good chance I don't need to?"

Also, there's always cases where there's different sellers offering the same item, but the prices are so crazy different. Like, someone was selling an item with a starting bid of $0.99, plus $6 S&H. Meanwhile, someone else is trying to sell the SAME item with Buy It Now only, for $40. And the description is bare-bones without nearly enough detail to make you bid with confidence, ESPECIALLY for that price. Someone actually thought "Surely, someone will search for this item, and realize my price is the highest, and therefore the best!"

Seriously, what the fuck is the deal?