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JJDrew Loyal user Arizona 221 Posts |
I have just made my first venture into the world of ebay, bidding on a few small items I've been looking for for quite some time. Already I've realized something interesting.
The "highest bid" feature is used primarily to pump up prices. Say, for example, I want to buy something and don't know exactly what it's worth, or what I should be willing to pay. There's one bid, and the current price is $1.99. So I bid in small increments. Am I willing to pay $2.50? $3.00? It get's to around $10.00 and it's too rich for my blood. The other bidder still has the item and I give up. So the other bidder now has to pay $10 instead of $2 because I was interested but not obsessed with the item. If I had known from the beginning that they had passed $10.00, I wouldn't have bothered bidding at all. Now if the other bidder had listed their cap as $3.00, I would have hit $3.50 and had the winning bid. I would have left it alone. Later, if the other bidder came back and still wanted the item, $4.00 would have been sufficient. Certainly the price would rise, but much more slowly, and the end result would be an all-around lower price. If the other bidder came, saw how much the current bid was, and waited until 10 minutes before the end of the auction to make the final bid, the price would be very low. Another thing I've noticed it that people tend to obsess over one item. My first bid I did as recommended and listed the highest amount I was willing to pay for a particular item. Someone came along and bid in increments until they were just over what I had bid. When I saw that, I checked the forum. There were others of the exact same item available for less then the total of what that person had bid. I decided to forget that one and bid on another that was cheaper. The other guy got the item, but I'm about to get the same item for less then he'll be paying because I shopped around a bit. This is just what I've noticed after buying one item (soon to be two). Who else has a strategy for bidding, or has some observations about the process and the psychology involved? Apparently bidding on E-bay is something of an art form, and it has piqued my interest. |
Mercury52 Inner circle Kevin Reylek 2239 Posts |
I bid as much as I'm willing to pay in the first go. That way I don't get caught up in the "heat of battle" as the auction comes to a close in the final minutes.
As you use ebay more, you'll see that people often swoop in and places bids literally seconds before an auction ends, snatching the win from someone who may have had the top spot for days - it can get frustrating. So, say there's a deck of bikes, or DVD or whatever up for auction. Even if the starting bid is $1, rather than check the site every day and keep re-bidding, I'll say, "Hmmm, if I bid up to $15, and shipping brings the grand total up to $18, will I be happy if I win this?" Sure. So I'll bid $15, and let it fly. This way, I don't feel as compelled to watch the final minutes of the auction and get caught up in a "bid war" and wind up paying twice as much as I'm comfortable with. Put in how much you're willing to pay. If you win, great. If not, oh well, you saved yourself some money. The only thing I would get into a bidding war for is a one-of-a-kind priceless item. If I must have it by any means, then I'll pay whatever is necessary. But most of what comes onto ebay is available for retails somewhere, for a price difference of a few dollars. Other good deals will come along. Kevin
Kevin Reylek
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Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
Right before I bid more than I can afford, I do one final search and find the same item retailed for less. Then I wind up not buying either...... you did ask.
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
I figure out what my highest bid ought to be, and try to place it about 5 seconds before the auction closes (why drive up the price as others compete for the item, unless they're attentive enough to be there right at the end?).
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Chessmann Inner circle 4242 Posts |
I'm on the same boat as Ross, particularly his remarks in parenthesis.
Late bidders do not snatch anything from anyone. If they (we?) win (and they don't always win) it is because their bid is the highest bid within the time frame of the auction.
My ex-cat was named "Muffin". "Vomit" would be a better name for her. AKA "The Evil Ball of Fur".
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hkwiles Special user Howard Wiles 797 Posts |
One thing I have noticed is how stupid some bidders are, particularly when it comes to things with a "known" price, for example CD's and DVDs.
I look on a couple of sites eg http://www.play.com (no carriage charge). to see how much I would have to pay the CD if I bought it normally , and don't bid any higger than that. Yet some people seem quite happy to pay much more than the retail price and, to cap it all, pay more than the actual cost it takes to send the item. Howard |
Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
Just bought a car over ebay. I did the "buy it now" option after speaking with the seller. I asked if I could "buy it now" subject too viewing the car and negotiating a fair price.
As it is I have saved £500 on his price and over £2000 on other similar models of car. I will sell my bmw on ebay too. If you want a $20 item and are prepared too pay only $13 then you enter your max bid of $13 and let others bid it up. if you loose it then it would have been to expensive for you budget.
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
How do they handle delivery of something like a car on eBay?
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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hkwiles Special user Howard Wiles 797 Posts |
Mandrake.
I suppose the same as any other item...they don't handle anything !! essentially its up to the buyer and seller how the item is sent or collected. In the case of a car.it is usually buyer to collect.same as any other method of selling a second hand car..you would usually go to see the thing before purchase anyway I assume. I gather someone has put his house up for sale on eBay ..how do you handle delivery of one of those? Howard |
Kevin Ridgeway V.I.P. Indianapolis, IN & Phoenix, AZ 1832 Posts |
I snipe within the last 3-5 seconds of anything I am bidding on. I have my set price and stick with that.
Kevin
Living Illusions
Ridgeway & Johnson Entertainment Inc Kevin Ridgeway & Kristen Johnson aka Lady Houdini The World's Premier Female Escape Artist www.LadyHoudini.com www.livingillusions.com |
Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
I go and view the car on Monday. If I commit to the sale then I will leave a deposit and return for the car with the balance.
I had phoned the seller and arranged for this eventhough the item was on ebay and the "buy it now" price was negotiated down to an agreable price. I have offered the seller any costs for him to relist if I am not interested, I have basically bought the option on this sale. I hope this clarifies the buying and selling of vehicals on ebay for you.
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
TannerJade Veteran user Canada 307 Posts |
I made a magic order on eBay for $580...
It was well worth it though! |
daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
My strategy is pretty simple. I sit in the bushes and wait until the last POSSIBLE second..then I hit the submit..and I'm off and running..often times with the prized booty. They call this snipin'. It's not an art...it's just greed.
I have about fifty purchases under my belt...just got a blue star... WOW!!! A BLUE STAR!!!!!!! (Just kiddin' I'm not THAT excited about it.) My first purchase on Ebay I got ripped off..sent me a bootleg item, (Against ebay rules, I believe) and when I complained, the arse hole gave me a negative feedback. What a jerk. Wanna know his ebay ID? Just Pm me.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts |
Okay. I shouldn't do this. Here it is: esnipe.com
that's all I'm saying. Jack Shalom
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
Daegs Inner circle USA 4291 Posts |
Yes... but they make you pay... other ones are freedownloads....
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ringmaster Inner circle Memphis, Down in Dixie 1974 Posts |
Until Ebay does somthing about snipping, my ploy is to sell but not bid on anything !!!
One of the last living 10-in-one performers. I wanted to be in show business the worst way, and that was it.
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magicdave777 New user 54 Posts |
Sniping should not matter if you "Proxy Bid." don't be afraid to enter the largest amoutny ou are willing to pay for the item. If someone comes in at the last minute and beats you, they were willing to pay more than you in the first place.
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