Actually it does not matter the type auction a seller runs and what the start bid is, or reserve, or whatever. What matters is what the buyer is willing to pay with shipping.
If all buyers would just put the most they are willing to pay with shipping and be done with it there would be no issues as mentioned here.
If you as a buyer are looking for a widget on eBay you should know the most you are willing to pay for it with shipping. With that being said check out the BIN's and if such an item is there for what you are willing to pay for it with shipping OR FOR LESS go ahead and buy it and be done with it.
If you want to go the way of the auction find what you are looking for and put your most top bid you are willing to pay for it with shipping and be done with it. If no one outbids you.....you are the winner and if someone does move on to the next seller that has what you are looking for.
People should realize that there will be times you will pay more in shipping than for the item you are bidding on or buying cause that is just the nature of what shipping cost these days.
On the other hand sellers who start an auction so low and jack up the shipping in order to avoid eBay fees can and will get booted of eBay if reported and eBay finds they do it all the time. I've seen it happen time and again in the last 16 years on eBay.
Personally as a seller on there over the years I've done it all as far as selling using auction bids, reserves to protect lowest I would take for an item which always went higher than reserve, and BIN's.
As a buyer I have bid on regular and reserve auctions and also have done many BIN's simply because I find a seller that has the widget I want at a price I'm willing to pay for it.
In the last few years I deal alot with sellers that have BIN or Best Offer. I am able to buy many things on eBay with Best offer.
Different strokes for different folks in the way folks can buy on that site.
If I do bid on an item I'd rather save it in my watch list and SNIPE it at the last 3-5 seconds left in an auction.