Try this on for size, you start buying out a specific cheap(in this case, 2 buds), but not very common(in this case only 3 ever to be available at any given time) unusual. You buy 2 out of three 2 bud hats @ 1.5 buds each, and wait to buy the last one you can get.

Because you have all the other ones, this causes the remaining seller to naturally post it for higher, or for offers, of which you offer a far inflated price, in this case 3 buds, and only need one sale as proof, since you waited between purchases.

As a result of the only recent sale at an inflated price you now have three 3 bud hats, and only spent 5 buds.

Congratulations, this is one example of market manipulation.

I'm not saying this happened, but this is why this is a valid concern.

If you have proof of your other 2 purchases, now would be a good time to post it, before other accusations of price manipulation come in.