Posted By:
Al C.risafulliT206 Collector spake thusly:
"The unfortunate reality is that if you don't make a pre-emptive offer to the seller, you might be leaving yourself open to not acquiring the card if an enterprising bidder gets to the seller first.:
This hits it on the head for me.
I get cheesed off when sellers end auctions early. However, for the one set I collect aggressively where the cards are very tough in higher grades (1938 Goudey), if a card I need becomes available, I ALWAYS contact the seller. I ask the seller the price for which they would end the auction early, and also explain that if they do not end the auction early, I will be planning on bidding aggressively. I do not offer a price.
I do this because I have lost out on some tough cards from the set because someone ELSE got the seller to end the auction early. So I feel it's important for me to let the seller know that A) I'd be willing to buy the card before the auction closes, and B) I want the seller know that I plan on bidding aggressively at the close of the auction. It's the best defense I have against losing out on a card I want because someone else got the seller to end early.
-Al