Ebay bidding days before

[sports_brah]

I've been using eBay since I was a nipper. Putting in the bids at the last second CONSISTENTLY gets you stuff cheaper, occasionally substantially cheaper.

The other day for example, there was a specialist item I wanted. I knew there must be someone else who was interested as they only come up very rarely. Temptation was to put a bid in, but I held firm.

Stuck my bid in the last 10 secs to find that the bidder had just put in default bid (obviously he was of the mentality of some here of bidding higher).

Won my item exceptionally cheaply. (the seller was not chuffed but has agreed to honour it. )

 

[davido_labido]

I've been using eBay since I was a nipper. Putting in the bids at the last second CONSISTENTLY gets you stuff cheaper, occasionally substantially cheaper.

The other day for example, there was a specialist item I wanted. I knew there must be someone else who was interested as they only come up very rarely. Temptation was to put a bid in, but I held firm.

Stuck my bid in the last 10 secs to find that the bidder had just put in default bid (obviously he was of the mentality of some here of bidding higher).

Won my item exceptionally cheaply. (the seller was not chuffed but has agreed to honour it. )

so, the other bidder didnt set a maximum bid then? or if he did, wasnt as bothered about it as you....
in which case, yes, you deserve the win.

 

[Jez]

I've been using eBay since I was a nipper. Putting in the bids at the last second CONSISTENTLY gets you stuff cheaper, occasionally substantially cheaper.

Of course it does, Raymonds example sums it up.

I find it utterly amazing that people intelligent enough to post on a computing based forum do not understand eBay

 

[chipperhead]

So much fail in this thread it is unreal, is this some kind of wind up?

2) if he put £500 then thats what he should be willing to pay, there shouldnt be a bidding war anyway as his maximum is 500, so if you bit 501, you would win. simple.

the thing you dont seem to grasp is MAXIMUM bid should be the MAXIMUM your willing to pay. it doesnt matter when you set it.

But most people don't start with their maximum, person A takes a liking to something and decides to bid on it. Person B comes along and wants it so bids higher potentially beating person A.
Person A dwells on this for a while and decides he really would like to win the auction and actually he is prepared to bid higher so puts another bid in. This can happen numerous times.
Also auctions can get personal and it can almost become a game that they don't want to lose paying far higher than what they initially wanted to.

I just put in my max bid.

If I wanted a traditional auction I'd go to a traditional auction, eBay does all the work for you. I don't think bidding last minute makes the slightest bit of different.

Ok

 

[davido_labido]

but raymonds is going on the point that the other person didnt set the MAXIMUM BID to the MAXIMUM he was willing to pay.....

So much fail in this thread it is unreal, is this some kind of wind up?



But most people don't start with their maximum, person A takes a liking to something and decides to bid on it. Person B comes along and wants it so bids higher potentially beating person A.
Person A dwells on this for a while and decides he really would like to win the auction and actually he is prepared to bid higher so puts another bid in. This can happen numerous times.

and here lies the problem, if people just put the maximum they are willing to pay, it would work, but people have no self control and then bid again like idiots.

thats why i just bid the once, and leave it. done. no messing around, if i win i win, if i dont then screw it, at least i had a go. im not gonna mess around with programs to try and save me a quid or 2, specially as i use my mobile usually (i work away from home) and as already said, i tend to buy everything on buy it now anyways so i get the item quicker.

 

[Jez]

but raymonds is going on the point that the other person didnt set the MAXIMUM BID to the MAXIMUM he was willing to pay.....

Are you for real? Can you really not see why bidding at anything other than the last second is a completely boneheaded thing to do?

See Clipperheads example above your post for yet more explanation.

 

[chipperhead]

but raymonds is going on the point that the other person didnt set the MAXIMUM BID to the MAXIMUM he was willing to pay.....




and here lies the problem, if people just put the maximum they are willing to pay, it would work, but people have no self control and then bid again like idiots.

But people don't always put their maximum bid in at first so sniping takes advantage of this.

 

[davido_labido]

But people don't always put their maximum bid in at first so sniping takes advantage of this.

then the sniper is then paying more than im willing to pay, so why would i be bothered?

 

[Jez]

You really need to read back through the numerous explanations as to how it works

 

[davido_labido]

i know how it works, i just dont see how it can possibly save money, if someone has already put a maximum amount on the item.

 

[chipperhead]

i know how it works, i just dont see how it can possibly save money, if someone has already put a maximum amount on the item.

I give up lol

Just carry on doing what you're doing.

 

[Jez]

i know how it works, i just dont see how it can possibly save money, if someone has already put a maximum amount on the item.

Raymond has been kind enough to write out a detailed example. If you still don't get it, just carry on, you drive up the value of mine and everyone else's auctions (I sell quite a bit of stuff at auction).

 

[touch]

if someone has already put a maximum amount on the item.

If somebody has entered a maximum bid, your method is fine.
But people dont use the maximum bid correctly.

It's not just a case of saving a few pence either, it can be the difference between winning and losing the item.
Your method gives people time to think about it and increase their maximum.

There's no point explaining to us in this thread exactly how the maximum bid system should work. We all know how it works, but we also know that most people dont understand it. So snipers have a higher success rate.

 

[davido_labido]

Raymond has been kind enough to write out a detailed example. If you still don't get it, just carry on, you drive up the value of mine and everyone else's auctions (I sell quite a bit of stuff at auction).

right, using raymonds example.


you put a maximum bid of 600.

some one bids 500, it emails them to say they have been outbid.
then 525, outbid, 575, outbid. 600, outbid so they bid 601 and win the item.

but that person should have just set his maximum bid at 601 in the first place, the problem is people dont set and stick to the maximum bid. thats what im saying.

if it was me on the speakers, id set my max bid at say 700, if you were the only other person to bid on said item, it would show as being 500 (if that was the starting bid) so why on earth would you know to snipe at 701 with a few seconds to spare?

surely you would snipe at say 550? so then id get the item at 551? (or what ever increment ebay uses)

 

[pitchfork]

You're just wrong.

Well I'm gonna put my max bid in anyway, it's just a lot more effort.

 

[davido_labido]

If somebody has entered a maximum bid, your method is fine.
But people dont use the maximum bid correctly.

It's not just a case of saving a few pence either, it can be the difference between winning and losing the item.
Your method gives people time to think about it and increase their maximum.

There's no point explaining to us in this thread exactly how the maximum bid system should work. We all know how it works, but we also know that most people dont understand it. So snipers have a higher success rate.

aaaaah, right. ok. so sniping assumes that people DONT actually use the maximum bid properly. now it makes more sense!

 

[touch]

surely you would snipe at say 550? so then id get the item at 551? (or what ever increment ebay uses)

You've misunderstood how to snipe then.
You dont need to watch the auction and update the sniper with the amount you think will win, you put your maximum bid into the sniper.

This is the important part in your example:

some one bids 500, it emails them to say they have been outbid.
then 525, outbid, 575, outbid. 600, outbid so they bid 601 and win the item.

this happens in your method of bidding early, you lose the auction to the £601 bid
If you snipe it, the other bidder doesnt have a chance to go through the process of increasing max bid, you win it at £600

 

[rpg]

you put a maximum bid of 600.

some one bids 500, it emails them to say they have been outbid.
then 525, outbid, 575, outbid. 600, outbid so they bid 601 and win the item.

... and lo and behold, you've entered a bidding war - which often encourages buyers to bid more than they were willing initially just so they can 'beat' their 'opponent'.

In a way you've just proved yourself why bid sniping works.

I will say one thing though. If the item is specialist and may not attract a large audience, it is not always the case that the other bidder is 'too stupid' to put in a maximum bid in the first place. They may know the item is specialist and put a punt in on it going unnoticed. They may not be willing to pay more than that, but will take it very cheap.

 

[Catanonia]

aaaaah, right. ok. so sniping assumes that people DONT actually use the maximum bid properly. now it makes more sense!

exactly, not everyone using ebay is as perfect as you. A vast majority of ebayers don't understand the system and hence why sniping is good if you want things.

It does not always work, but used consistently saves vasts amounts of money. However if someone like you is in the auction bidding as well, I still have to beat you and guess what the max possible bid will end up and snipe higher.

 

[davido_labido]

this happens in your method of bidding early, you lose the auction to the £601 bid
If you snipe it, the other bidder doesnt have a chance to go through the process of increasing max bid, you win it at £600

but you wouldnt, because the person has already set his max bid at 600.

without snipe.
item is at 500
person A sets max bid at 600
person B keeps bidding till he gets to 601.

you lose item.

(if your an idiot you bid back on the item, which is what starts the price war, but if you set your maximum correctly, then it wouldnt happen)

with snipe.
item is at 500
person A sets max bid at 600.
person B sets his tool to say 650.

person b wins in the last few seconds with 601.
you dont get a chance to increase your bid, but it doesnt matter, you have set your limit, and that was what you wanted to pay, if it was more than that, you didnt want the item.


Now i know its to combat people who DONT use max bids, it makes a lot more sense. but it doesnt really save you money vs max bidders....

so, i know to stick with just putting what i want to pay for the item, and if theres a sniper there willing to pay more, enjoy