High Bidders Who Overbid on Ebay?

[HRBAKER]

Frank,
Sadly I have reached the point where I assume that almost nothing on ebay is an "arms-length" transaction, so I set a snipe for the most I am willing to pay and move on.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

Frank,
Sadly I have reached the point where I assume that almost nothing on ebay is an "arms-length" transaction, so I set a snipe for the most I am willing to pay and move on.

Ditto - no head games for me with ebay.

[frankbmd]

Sean, I'm with you on #3.

I fully realize there are many one time max bidders with a take or leave it strategy out there.

I also realize that everyone doesn't have time for head games, but the idea of placing a list of overbids just seems to invite curiosity or vindication to the determent of the overbidder, which was really my point.

[doug.goodman]

The only bids that I pay any attention to, on items I am interested in, are those that are for more than I am willing to pay for the item. As soon as I see one of those, I lose interest in the item.

Doug

[glchen]

I usually think (4) shilling, but also that the bidder may be pretending that he is shilling to (1) intimidate other bidders. Therefore, I'm usually more careful around these auctions, but if I really want the item, I'll still place my max bid. If it's a card that comes around a lot, I'd probably avoid bidding on it which would mean the bidder's strategy worked in a way.

[Shoele$$]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Ditto - no head games for me with ebay.

Exactly, I NEVER bid on ANY auction until the final 10 seconds......that's my rule. If my highest and best snipe doesn't take it down, oh well, I tried. It actually really annoys the living f*ck out of me when I see two jack asses bidding back and forth litterally for days.......silliness.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Shoele$$

Exactly, I NEVER bid on ANY auction until the final 10 seconds......that's my rule. If my highest and best snipe doesn't take it down, oh well, I tried. It actually really annoys the living f*ck out of me when I see two jack asses bidding back and forth litterally for days.......silliness.

I actually get a laugh out of this kind of bidding, because it gives me an idea of how much they will each increase their bids, and I know that if I really want the card I can beat them. I usually still lose it to guys who use your last second snipe stategy.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

What is a snipe?

[Sean]

A snipe is when you wait until the last few seconds, then jump in with one large bid. That way no one else has a chance to answer with a higher bid of their own.

[Shoele$$]

Originally Posted by Sean

A snipe is when you wait until the last few seconds, then jump in with one large bid. That way no one else has a chance to answer with a higher bid of their own.

Of course it only works if somebody else doesn't have the same idea with a higher snipe

When two snipes collide it usuall ends in disaster for one of the parties involved, lol.

[travrosty]

Originally Posted by I Only Smoke 4 the Cards

What is a snipe?

There really is no such thing as sniping, if you put in the highest bid you are willing to pay the first day, you either win it or you dont. it doesnt matter if you wait until the final few seconds. someone is either willing to pay more for it with their highest bid or not regardless of when you bid.

[camlov2]

Originally Posted by travrosty

There really is no such thing as sniping, if you put in the highest bid you are willing to pay the first day, you either win it or you dont. it doesnt matter if you wait until the final few seconds. someone is either willing to pay more for it with their highest bid or not regardless of when you bid.

This statement is only true if everyone puts in the highest amount they are willing to spend and doesn't ever change their mind.

example-
99 cent starting auction
I see one bid in place at 99 cents (but the person's actual bid is $20)

I decide it is worth $25 and bid that the first day of the auction. This gives the person 6 days to think about that bid of $20 and maybe up their bid. They don't know if your bid is $20.50 or $200 and they might not want to lose due to a few cents.

If i decide to place my $25 bid with 5 seconds left it doesn't give the other person the time to second guess their bid.

Using a snipe also gives you the option to back out of a purchase up until the last 5 seconds, in case you find something better or spend the money before it ends.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by travrosty

There really is no such thing as sniping, if you put in the highest bid you are willing to pay the first day, you either win it or you don't. it doesn't matter if you wait until the final few seconds. someone is either willing to pay more for it with their highest bid or not regardless of when you bid.

That is absolutely not true.

In those rare occasions where I bid before the final few seconds, I have many examples where a previous bidder has upped their bid, after I bid, to either beat me, or cost me money. Had I bid later, they would not have had time to do so.

[dabigyankeeman]

When i see multiple bids, particularly from a bidder with low number of feedback or most bids with the seller, i always assume shill bidding.

I will still bid if i really want the card, but usually am not happy about it. I never play any of the other games myself.

[frankbmd]

I have no problem with max bidding, whether an early max bid or or a single snipe bid, but............

athough I may an idea of my max bid in an auction, but that is also subject to change and frequently does. I approach an auction in terms of a "good buy", rather than simply how much I am willing to pay under any circumstances. Losing doesn't bother me as I try to avoid the "gottahaveit" approach to bidding. (Losing at the casino is a negative proposition whereas losing an auction is a neutral position.)

Bidding patterns, with a limited number of bidders in the game, admittedly can be suggestive of shilling. They can also be quite transparent (ie the 50, 60, 70, 80, etc bidder). Or they can be entirely random and unpredictable. Knowing whether an item of interest is in fact a potential good buy cannot be determined until the waning moments of an auction.

Looking at the bidding pattern I find useful. Obviously a high snipe is going to win every time, but the risk of two competing high snipes has already been mentioned. Absent the snipe bid(s) though, if I can predict what another active bidder's final bid will be, I feel that I have an edge.

It becomes sort of a game. Beating a $70 snipe with a bid of $70.02 gives me visions of the other guy screaming at his laptop and a .

Consistent with this "gaming" approach to auction bidding, if I do enter multiple bids on an item for any reason (not shilling), I try to avoid a predictable pattern in my bidding.

"There are not only many reasons to skin a cat, but also many methods to skin it as well. Be well, my friend, bid well and may the best man win," attributed to the most interesting bidder in the World.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

It becomes sort of a game. Beating a $70 snipe with a bid of $70.02 gives me visions of the other guy screaming at his laptop and a .

Frank. Please use your powers for good, not evil.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Shoele$$

Exactly, I NEVER bid on ANY auction until the final 10 seconds......that's my rule. If my highest and best snipe doesn't take it down, oh well, I tried. It actually really annoys the living f*ck out of me when I see two jack asses bidding back and forth litterally for days.......silliness.

Finally! Somebody else who understands.

[HexsHeroes]

Originally Posted by Shoele$$

Exactly, I NEVER bid on ANY auction until the final 10 seconds......that's my rule. If my highest and best snipe doesn't take it down, oh well, I tried. It actually really annoys the living f*ck out of me when I see two jack asses bidding back and forth litterally for days.......silliness.

. . . near the start of an eBay auction, so that the seller knows there is another interested buyer before considering selling outright to someone else.

My strategy developed from having lost out on items due to waiting to place my initial bid (snipe) at the very end, and having the seller end the auction unexpectedly. I have always assumed the seller got an offer contingent on ending the auction early. My strategy is far from full-proof as a small number of auctions have still ended early (with me out of luck) but I have also benefitted from afew eBay messages from sellers requesting counteroffers to other offers made to them. And for those that ended early without my having had the opportunity to make an offer, I have always followed up with the seller to let him know how much I would have offered. Never resulted in gaining an item, but maybe helped the seller change how he considered outright offers, and may yet benefit me in the future.

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

Frank,
Sadly I have reached the point where I assume that almost nothing on ebay is an "arms-length" transaction, so I set a snipe for the most I am willing to pay and move on.

same here