ebay bidding

[DocStram]

Arghhhhhhhh ..... I have had it with ebay rookies. Don't they understand that bidding early on an item only jacks up the price. Like, I was keeping my eye on a 10 year old woodburning system that was worth probably $200 new. Some guy starts bidding like crazy on it with 5 days to go. Does he really think that he's staking claim to it by bidding like a wildman?? Meanwhile, this 10 year old used woodburner ends up selling for the same price as a new one. It's getting to the point where it's not even worth sniping anymore. I'm losing my harmonic balance.

 

[monkeynutz]

That's what Ebay hopes will happen. I'm a sniper. I watch an item until seconds before the auction closes, and if the price is within my target, I'll bid without giving the competition time to respond. If somebody has placed a proxy bid that's higher than mine, I just let it go. Those Early Eddies that bid over and over early on in the auction are just wasting their time and money.

 

[gketell]

If something has a reserve, I'll often bid several times until I find the magic number. Is that bad? Is there a better way?

GK

 

[Gary Max]

Heck I am selling a floor model belt sander on ebay right now---early Eddies must be sleeping.

 

[DocStram]

Originally posted by Gary Max

Heck I am selling a floor model belt sander on ebay right now---early Eddies must be sleeping.

Or else Rich and I are going to bid on it in the last ten seconds.

Hey Greg .... I will sometimes do the same thing, poke at the reserve with a couple of bids to find out what it is. Or, I'll often email the seller and ask them for the reserve. They don't always want to reveal it but sometimes they do.

 

[monkeynutz]

Originally posted by DocStram

Or else Rich and I are going to bid on it in the last ten seconds.

Hey Greg .... I will sometimes do the same thing, poke at the reserve with a couple of bids to find out what it is. Or, I'll often email the seller and ask them for the reserve. They don't always want to reveal it but sometimes they do.

ROFL!

I fail to see the point in reserves, as it is just as easy to put a starting price in the listing. That way the "tire kickers" can go about their business elsewhere, and serious bidders can get to the meat of the matter without a lot of useless back-and-forth below the reserve price. Auctions feed on the frenzy of bidders who can't stand to be outbid, and end up paying more than they wanted for an item. I like to stay focused on my price limits and grab a bargain when I can snipe one. If I don't win, I don't go crazy about it. It's just business.

 

[alamocdc]

Sometimes I snipe, but if I see something I've been looking for, I'll simply post a bid for the most I'm willing to spend. If someone outbids me, they wanted it worse than I did.

 

[Gary Max]

I start all of my ebay auctions at .99 cents----you get more bidders.

 

[fernhills]

If i am interested in it i`ll bid the most i am willing to pay,no matter what,if its early then its early. My feeling is,you play your cards,i`ll play mine. Carl

 

[Rifleman1776]

I won't waste the effort trying to snipe. There have been items on eBay I wanted but never anything that would change my life if I didn't buy it. I put in my max bid and let it ride. I wish eBay would institute the anti-sniping protection they use in most of the rest of the world. e.g. If someone places a bid in the last minute, or so, that auction is automatically extended by ten minutes. There is no way for a sniper to 'win' under those conditions but it does jack up the bidding process.
BTW, I understand the dislike for reserves and share that feeling. But, with eBay having become a buyers paradise, sellers often must protect their investment. Without reserve, it would be possible to sell an item worth $1,000.00 for $1.00. It's a judgement call. High starting price which tends to discourage bidding. Or low start with a reserve. Or low start and no reserve and risk a big loss.

 

[Scott]

I used to like to snipe an item, but anymore it just isn't worth my time to sit at the computer and wait for the proper sniping time to arrive. I put in what I feel is a reasonable bid, and if somebody outbids me, good for them! I'm not going to die without that item anyway!

I like Buy-it-now auctions. I often go to the auctions that have six days left on them to see if there is a BIN at about the same price as the auctions are going for anyway.

Ebay was a buyer's paradise a couple of years ago, but now it has prices not much better than the local Wal Mart. I mainly use Ebay to obtain items hard to find locally. Most recently I got a new Kershaw Leek with a composite blade (1660CB) that nobody around here had even heard of, much less had in stock!

But I feel for Al, and am willing to do something to ease his frustration over people who won't snipe! So Al, E-Mail me the item number of the next item you intend to snipe, and I will be glad to snipe it away from you!!! No need to thank me - I'm happy to do it for you! [}]

Scott.

 

[DocStram]

Originally posted by Scott

I used to like to snipe an item, but anymore it just isn't worth my time to sit at the computer and wait for the proper sniping time to arrive. I put in what I feel is a reasonable bid, and if somebody outbids me, good for them! I'm not going to die without that item anyway!

I like Buy-it-now auctions. I often go to the auctions that have six days left on them to see if there is a BIN at about the same price as the auctions are going for anyway.

Ebay was a buyer's paradise a couple of years ago, but now it has prices not much better than the local Wal Mart. I mainly use Ebay to obtain items hard to find locally. Most recently I got a new Kershaw Leek with a composite blade (1660CB) that nobody around here had even heard of, much less had in stock!

But I feel for Al, and am willing to do something to ease his frustration over people who won't snipe! So Al, E-Mail me the item number of the next item you intend to snipe, and I will be glad to snipe it away from you!!! No need to thank me - I'm happy to do it for you! [}]

Scott.

Yessss!!! Now THIS is the kind of support I'm looking for! And who says IAP isn't a family!! [:0]

 

[Nolan]

Higher starting price or the "price you want" is more fees., but then so is a reserve price, OH wait it all costs extra money, I just wish I had come up with Ebay

 

[jason_r]

I categorize ebay bidders into 2 categories:

Snipers and suckers.

Hadn't heard the "early eddie" name before.

The problem with bidding early isn't just that an idiot will overbid you and pay too much,
it's that you stand a fair chance of getting shilled. (Where the seller has 2 accounts and runs
you up to your max) Most sellers are honest, but there are those who aren't.

As for it being too much trouble to sit there and snipe, there are programs to do it
for you. I use Jbidwatcher on Linux.

Perhaps the biggest thing I use Ebay for is guaging market value of things.

You can still find deals on things, but you have to look. Don't forget to check
misspellings.

Yes, Ebay could add anti-sniping provisions. The shills would love it.

 

[1JaredSchmidt]

Most people don't even know about sniping. That's how I get all of my stuff off there.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

I bid early and I feel the same about snipers as you feel about early eddies.

I know what I want to pay and I bid that much when I see the item is listed.

If the item goes for more than I want to pay because some sniper has to win, it's no big deal, there are always more for sale.

 

[1JaredSchmidt]

Ditto Ron.[]

 

[whatwoodido]

I am too busy turning to sit around waiting to snipe.

 

[Scott]

Originally posted by jason_r

As for it being too much trouble to sit there and snipe, there are programs to do it for you. I use Jbidwatcher on Linux.

Trying to keep an open mind about things, I thought I'd try this program suggested by Jason. It was easy to find, and loaded up quickly. The set-up was pretty intuitive. I set it to snipe an auction that ended close to midnight last night, and it successfully went in and sniped that bid 15 seconds before it closed! Unfortunately for me, another sniper had theirs set to snipe at 5 seconds before closing, and they got the item. But I consider it a learning process.

Thanks Jason!

Scott.