Posted By:
Jim VBCashews,
You're still not making sense to me.
The first thing I determine is how much am I willing to pay for a card, max. If someone bids more than that, fine. They were willing to pay more. I never put in any bid that I don't intend to pay.
As far as your references to "staying on top" and "running up", they're never an issue. Use a snipe service. Decide what price you'll pay. Set that snipe. Nobody sees your bid until 10 seconds before the auction is over. I'm never "on top" until the close. Nobody can "run up" to my bid.
I don't know anyone else who does it differently. The other bidder I referenced does it exactly the same way. His bids come in 8-10 seconds before the close. If he's the highest, he wins. Sometimes two people want the same card and both set high snipes. That doesn't mean they aren't willing to pay that amount. (But I love it when I set a $1000 snipe and get the item for $600.)