I've made a similar mistake, and I've also been overbearing trying to protect myself. Yesterday I saw a blade for $35.00 or "make offer" and three offers were declined. I studied the pictures carefully and couldn't find an issue, but figured if someone wouldn't pay $35 there had to be something wrong. Finally I contacted the seller who adamantly said there's nothing wrong with it and he would sell for $30 but no less because he paid $40 for it. I gave him the $35. The seller was so appreciative that another customer didn't try to wear him down. There is equal frustration from the seller side.

Ebay is risky. You win some and you lose some, and you have to learn to accept that fact. What upsets the process is that not only do some buyers not know much about what we're buying, the sellers often don't know much about what they're selling. This causes some items to sell artificially high and artificially low. And of course there are some real rip-off artists who throw a wrench in the process.