E-Bay question

boxhead · #1 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 05:31 PM

I have a question that I am sure someone out there knows the answer too.
I dont know alot about ebay but I have bought afew things from it.
My question is : I placed a bid on an item today that was at $7.00 last bid dated 29/12/04, I placed max bid to $10.00 today 01/01/05 but I was outbid by someone else dated 29/12/04 this out bid buyer was not the same buyer at $7.00 how is that possable?
I will include a link to the bid history so you can see what I mean.
Incase you dont realise I am fredandboxhead.
http://offer.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAP...tem=4514729942

Batman · #2 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 06:37 PM

Hey Boxhead
You've almost answered your own questions by putting in the maximum bid. It doesn't matter when you place the bid, it just depends on what you put as your maximum bid. You could place a bid today for $2 with a maximum bid of $50 and tomorrow someone bids $3 with a maximum bid of $10, They will be outbid by you because you have already set your maximum to $50. Also anyone else who bids under $50 will be automatically outbid by you because your total bid is higher. Only if someone bids $50.01 will you need to re-enter a bid.

I love ebay so I know about this stuff

Glad to hear the build is coming along.
Cheers
Batman

luke-44 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 06:52 PM

Here is what happened - Bobob put in a bid of up to $10.00 on 12/29 at 11:55 - making him high bidder at that time - although his max was $10.00, he may have been sitting as high bidder at $7.50 - which was what was necessary to be ahead of jezza.

Then, he decided to revise his maximum bid at 23: 04, but his bid of +-$7.00 didn't change a that time, because it wasn't necessary. His maximum bid may be $12.00, or it may be $20.00 - eBay will keep jumping him ahead of you, up to his maximum, whatever amount is required to stay ahead.

You then bid $10.00 - however this then kicked in his 2nd revised auto-bid to immeadiately outbid you.

The way to beat it is simple - figure your real maximum, and bid it - eBay will do the rest - say $25.00.

If $11.00 is all you need, that's what it'll bid for you - it won't bid the full $25.00 - only enough to keep you on top . If you need $20.00, it'll bid that too - it all depends on what Bobob's preset max is - in other words - does he want it more than you, and did he set a max bid of say $30.00 at 23:04?

Important strategy trick - wait until seconds before auction closing so he is not aware its coming...if his auto bid beats yours - don't worry about it - he wanted it more than you were really willing to pay!

Good luck,

SCOBRAC · #4 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 07:00 PM

my motto: Snipe

boxhead · #5 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 07:45 PM

The only thing wrong with your theories there is that b0ban wasnt the high bidder when I made my bid.
edwmotorsport was the high bidder at $7.00

luke-44 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 08:05 PM

It must have been a glitch in ebays bid refreshing.

Boban should have been high bidder from 12/29/04 23:04

The way to win it still holds true.

rritchey · #7 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 08:05 PM

SCOBRAC,

You snipers drive me crazy.... I can't ever win anything because I'm on dial-up. Oh well, patience is a virtue.

lineslinger · #8 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 08:28 PM

Snipers drive me nuts too, Ive gotten aced in some auctions where I would have bid higher but I got nailed by the sniper technique, part of the game I guess.

boxhead · #9 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 09:55 PM

By sniper do you mean waiting until there is a minute or less and place a bid?

lineslinger · #10 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 10:12 PM

Yeah, it is a method some bidders use in which they are keeping track of the time and reviewing the highest bid. Usually with about 40 or so seconds left they start placing either incrimentally higher bids or bid a few bucks higher than what appears to be the winning bid.
Its kind of a sneaky technique but one that is fairly common on ebay. One way to safeguard against it is to make sure your max bid is high enough so that time runs out before the snipers get you, if, indeed, you are willing to pay that much for the item.
Happy New Year
Mark

rritchey · #11 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 10:30 PM

Too bad nobody ever snipes when I'm selling...... only when I'm buying

Hotfingrs · #12 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 10:33 PM

download a program called auction sentry. it's a sniping program that I use. You just put in the ebay number and the amount for your high bid. The program does the rest. Works with dial up also. It connects to ebay at say 20 seconds before end of auction and places the bid for you. You don't have to stay up in the middle of the night to win an auction. This is the only way to fly on ebay.

lineslinger · #13 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 11:44 PM

is auction sentry available for download off the internet, through ebay?

HI Cobra · #14 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004, 11:55 PM

There is also AuctionSniper.com that does the whole
process for you at a very low cost. I got some 4 point
seat belts by using it and the extra cost was pennies.
Sneaky, eh? But it does work most of the time.

One good thing about it is that you don't have to sit by
your computer trying to get it in on time.

Happy New Year!

lineslinger · #15 (**permalink**) 01-01-2005, 12:05 AM

thanks Flip, I'll check it out, and happy new year to you too.