But if helps if you are cute!  ;-D

Although I have never seriously approached 
somebody who beat me out of a cel, my girlfriend 
has obtained more than one cel for me by doing so. 
 Just recently, she got me a cel I lost on Ebay.  
And again, she got an amazing cel for me that 
somebody on this forum won on Yahoo Japan.

It does happen.  I think if you are polite, that 
is best.

JP