bidding on eBay

[e m p i]

Am I the only person left in the world that doesn't use a bidding program?
The last couple of items I've been bidding on have had literally a dozen bids from the same person go on in the last 5 seconds or so. On one of them I actually thought I got it as I was highest bidder with 1 second to go then it jumped from £268 to £304 but the bid increments throughout were only £4.
To be honest, it actually ***** me off a bit as I don't think its really in the spirit of things.

[Aspro]

Snipe bidding as it's referred to is usually in the buyers best interest. Putting bids in early gives other buyers time to think and perhaps raise their highest bid. Result is always in the sellers favour.
Would you have bid higher for the item given the time to think?
If the answer is "yes" then you really need to change the way you bid. Ebay's no longer a traditional auction site. Think of it as a sealed bid. Put in your highest bid in the final stages and let fate take it's course. If you lose then obviously someone else was willing to pay more for it.

[miles]

I feel your pain. Ebay is completely unpredictable.

Frustrating to say the least....

[e m p i]

Yes I think you're right, it's more sealed bid type now due to all the underhanded stuff that goes on, people using mates and second ID's to bid on their own stuff. I don't generally bid on stuff on there to be honest as its full of crooks and tend to go more for the buy it now items.
Lesson learnt I guess - don't bother in future.

[friedgreedo]

As Aspro pointed out, I have a price in mind that I'm willing to pay and then bang it in with 2 or 3 seconds to go. If it goes for more then it's not meant for me.

[e m p i]

Yeah I get what you're saying but with people using bidding programs it's not really an auction, it's more of a quick-draw of who can get the last bid in before times up and you can't beat the bidding program/app. That's not how an auction should work, it should be whoever is prepared to pay the most for it.
Typical scenario the other day when I'd put my bid in, with good time and was the highest bidder for about 5 days with a fiver to spare. I watched it count down and I was still winning until 1 second to go then between 1 second and 0 another two bids went in from the same person and I lost it. Now there is no way that was someone with lightening fingers, and even if it was, that's not how an auction is supposed to work. I just don't think bidding programs are in the spirit of things. You may agree, you may not, but that's my stance on it. If someone behaved like that at a proper auction they'd get thrown out, and quite rightly so.
Anyway, I hope it gets lost in the post and the eventual buyer never gets to see it

Cheers, Lee.

[vwed]

Yeah I get what you're saying but with people using bidding programs it's not really an auction, it's more of a quick-draw of who can get the last bid in before times up and you can't beat the bidding program/app. That's not how an auction should work, it should be whoever is prepared to pay the most for it.
Typical scenario the other day when I'd put my bid in, with good time and was the highest bidder for about 5 days with a fiver to spare. I watched it count down and I was still winning until 1 second to go then between 1 second and 0 another two bids went in from the same person and I lost it. Now there is no way that was someone with lightening fingers, and even if it was, that's not how an auction is supposed to work. I just don't think bidding programs are in the spirit of things. You may agree, you may not, but that's my stance on it. If someone behaved like that at a proper auction they'd get thrown out, and quite rightly so.
Anyway, I hope it gets lost in the post and the eventual buyer never gets to see it

Cheers, Lee.

At a "proper auction" the auctioneer gives everybody in the room (and the online bidders) a chance to react to the latest bid until there are no more bids forthcoming. In other words it continues timewise until only one person is left standing. eBay as you know operates differently with a fixed cut off time. Therefore to increase your chances of being successful you need to ditch your principles about bidding programs and comparisons with auction houses and run with it. Why on earth did you put a bid in 5 days before it finished? This alerts other people who may be interested in the item that you are in the hunt for it. Why show your hand? You state that an auction should be won by the person who is prepared to pay the most -it is in eBay's case - you bid X pounds (the amount shown by your username) plus £5, you were outbid at the end by someone willing to pay more than £X+5.
I use exactly the same tactics as friedgreedo above. Some you win, some you don't but that's life!

[miles]

I reckon vwed is one of those auction geezas, who waits until the last second to bid

Empi, you need to stop showing your hand...... hang on it sounds like poker

Oh I remember the time, when I could get all the rare accessories I could ever need. Times have changed....

Oh well, I'm off to bid on 200 auctions

[Rocket Ron]

Sorry boys but I do the same, I wait, bang in my top bid, if someone is willing to pay more than me then fair play, most I win because if it is a rare got to have it on my bus part then I'll go crazy to get it, but always to a point, there are crazier people in the world than me........................who said that, come on, come out......I know your in there....