50 angry ebayers

Sued for slander, no unless you left an audio link in that persons feedback.
Sued for libel, yes. It has been done before several times. Hell its getting so common that they even had one case on the peoples court.

Is it winnable by the person suing? Yes nearly every case I have seen envolving it the plantiff won and not only got the items paid for but also recieved punative damages.
The auctions are mini contracts you enter into and are very enforceable. No need for lawyers either since they are not allowed in small claims cases. Also since they can file in their county of residence it can be very costly for one to fight it. Filing such cases cost anywhere from zero to 70.00 depending on how many you file per year, where you live, and your income level.

Why didn't you email them before placing a bid though to ask about the shipping rates?

I've seen others doing this, selling computer cases for $1 and then adding $50 on for shipping, just to get around the ebay fees, but if you email them beforehand they usually explain it to you.

Ebay gets stranger and stranger every day! :1orglaugh

I sold two 12-inch rockford fosgate subs on eBay and I had to ship them from PA to CA. They were heavy due to the huge magnets on them.

I did not have a box big enough to ship them, so I took to a UPS Store. They packed and boxed and shipped it UPS ground for $29. And that includes the extra you pay for them to pack/bubble wrap/box. The actual shipping was only about $20.

I would definitely report this person.

Buying...selling...on and off the internet is a mine field. Cheaters and liars are abundant. People sue every day for libel and slander and get judgments which they should never receive simply because the poor defendant has not been served.

We live in a litigation society. You will always find those who try to cheat their customers. I know two individuals who have bought and sold large items on ebay like CARS & expensive equipment. No way for me! I don't trust the majority of the losers who are selling junk on the internet. BUYER BEWARE!