Question on eBay bidding practices

[anglinomics]

I have bid on 4 auctions from the same buyer. All auctions start at 1.00 and have no bids on them.

1st auction

I bid 1.00, then bid 1.30, I'm finished bidding.

2nd-3rd-4th auction.

I bid 1.00, then bid 1.30, immediately I'm outbid and the uction goes up to 1.55, but it says there are only 2 bids on the item.


Is something wrong here? How did this happen?

 

[JJLevitsky]

Just means someone else already had a higher maximum bid.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[anglinomics]

Just means someone else already had a higher maximum bid.

Thanks,

Jeff

As I look at the bids, he did have a higher bid entered yesterday. But when I looked at the auction today, it said it had no bids yet. And when I entered $1.00 it said I was the high bidder. Only when I entered $1.30 did his automatic bid kick in and the auction has him the high bidder at $1.55. Is it possible to have the bid kick in only after the auction reaches a certain dollar amount?

 

[JJLevitsky]

I don't know. I guess it is possible.

Thanks.

Jeff

 

[TJCloutier]

To be honest I don't understand the point in bidding on an item before the last 10 seconds or so. Or at least the last minute. You're making yourself pay more for no reason.

 

[Boots]

TjCloutier:
Understood, but some people can't be in front of the computer to do that. In that case, they figure out the most they'd pay and leave a max bid.
That being said, I do not understand how what anglinomics experienced happened. Of course, there is a lot about ebay I don't understand!
frank

To be honest I don't understand the point in bidding on an item before the last 10 seconds or so. Or at least the last minute. You're making yourself pay more for no reason.

 

[seal006]

To be honest I don't understand the point in bidding on an item before the last 10 seconds or so. Or at least the last minute. You're making yourself pay more for no reason.

Auctions by nature are not set up for you to get items at the cheapest amount possible. They are set up for the person that wants it more to win the item. The beauty of proxy bidding is that you enter the highest amount you are willing to go. Then sit back and let her fly. If you are outbid, so be it. The other bidder was willing to pay more. If you are looking for the cheapest or best value for your buck, go to you LCS and haggle the price down to what you feel is fair. Absolutely no negotiating involved in auctions.

 

[Rhubarb_Runner]

TjCloutier:
Understood, but some people can't be in front of the computer to do that. In that case, they figure out the most they'd pay and leave a max bid.
That being said, I do not understand how what anglinomics experienced happened. Of course, there is a lot about ebay I don't understand!
frank

big secret: gixen.com

 

[pmanningsfan73]

big secret: gixen.com

Winner winner chicken dinner! Snipe that sucker with the max you're willig to pay.

 

[mrmopar]

Sorry folks, but anyone who places a proxy bid nowadays is just asking to pay more. It is not uncommon for me to lose a fair majority of the junk items i bid on with proxy bids. I guess it is just something about people needing to beat others or wanting what others want. If I don't place a bid, even if we are only talking a card that should sell for $1.50, and snipe it, I win a MUCH larger percentage of listings. With free and low cost sniping options, nobody has to wait in front of the computer anymore either. It just makes ZERO sense not to snipe.

The best example I have seen is a seller had something like 10-12 Koufax Significant Signature cards listed at one time with an opening price of around $50. Knowing that all of them would eventually receive bids, it is somewhat irrelevant, but after bidding on just one card and the rest having no bids, I was outbid by another bidder within minutes. Quickly checking the rest of the listings, they all still had no bids, yet the ONE card I bid on, someone else had to outbid me!

 

[anglinomics]

My thinking is that some sellers are bidding up there own stuff.