Sonia,
I'm not trying to fan any flames---I think many 
dealers are quite fair.  But let me explain my 
point, since you think it "doesn't make any 
sense".

Your point of expanding your customer base is 
quite relative to a traditional business.  Cel 
shops, however, are NOT a traditional business.  A 
dealer like Taro KNOWS that a number of their cels 
will be snapped up moments after they are posted. 
 They don't have multiples of each cel (which 
would benefit from a larger customer base), they 
just have ONE of each.  And there are certainly 
several buyers lined-up for each good cel.

Now, we have all seen the disclaimers on EVERY 
dealer's site stating that cancellations are a 
problem.  Let's face it: cel collectors often have 
eyes bigger than their wallets.  Hence all the 
panic selling to pay for new cels.  Hence the 
disclaimers.  Soooo, if you were Taro and you knew 
that a cel was really popular and would probably 
have 12 buyers lined-up to buy it, whom would you 
prefer to have first crack at it:
Buyer A---Who has a long history of paying 
promptly and being reliable, or
Buyer B---Who may need "a few weeks to pay" or may 
not pay at all (tying up your cel "on hold" for 
weeks or months, costing you income)?

As an Ebay seller, I'm MUCH more inclined to offer 
products to previous, reliable buyers before I 
place them at the whim of the general bidding 
populace.  It makes perfect business sense, since 
I don't have a huge inventory to sell.

I'm not saying that Taro does this.  My 
"research", as everyone has told me to do, has 
consisted of hearing rumors and mumblings about 
various dealers from good (and not-so-good) 
customers.  There isn't much more "research" one 
can do since the "A" buyers certainly aren't going 
to admit it outright (and ruin a good thing) and 
the "B" buyers don't know what's going on.  So 
doing "more research" is kind of silly request.

I guess I just wanted to vent a little.  And I 
wanted to show that this ISN'T such a crazy idea. 
 In this particular market, it makes perfect 
sense.

Contact any high-level auction house.  They ALWAYS 
have preferred clientelle that have special, 
limited access to finer items.  Cast not ye pearls 
before swine.  ;-)

Peace and good cels to all.