e bay bidding reserves

[Don S.]

I was just outbid on two items with less that 15 seconds to go by a substantial margin. Does this sound like a reserve bid kicking in by the seller. Is this how this works

[Donald B.]

Re: e bay bidding reserves

Several questions - how many bids were there after your bid? Was the Reserve met?

When I bid on items - I always try to bid in the last few seconds - this prevents previous bidders from reconsidering and bidding again. There is also automated services that allow you to place your bid and it submits them just before the end. It is called Sniping - within the rules but some people (losing bidders) sometimes don't like it.

[Don S.]

Re: e bay bidding reserves

I think I might have been sniped-- I was winning the bid until 7 seconds to go, The bid ended--I lost and the bid was double mine in one case.
The second one was $40.00 bid by me-- final was $103.00 with less than 30 seconds to go.
I do not know about reserves. I saw none on the items.

no use crying--just keep trying.

[Michael L.]

Re: e bay bidding reserves

Don, someone did this on a washer bottle and foot pump to me a while ago. Then, a week or so later, the same person list each item separately for twice what they paid for them. Now, I just set my maximum bid and see if I get it. No more last minute, mad dash bids against the snipers.

[Gary Schisler]

Re: e bay bidding reserves

I am sure you know that there are actually sniping programs out there that will do exactly this. Depending on the program, your "surprise" bid can be input with as little as ten 5-10 seconds.

[Harmon C.]

Re: e bay bidding reserves

Don
On any item if two or three snipers put in there maximum bid at the last second the result can be as you described. On any item that is less than half a dealer would want for the same part there will be snipers. They may be people buying for resale. If you watch Corvette parts sold on E-bay most hard to find parts are sniper bid and bought by the sniper or the person who bid early and bid more than the part was worth to dealer.
Lyle

[Don S.]

sniping programs

I do not know anything about sniping programs. Are they an e bay thing or what. Where do you get such an animal.

[Joe L.]

Re: sniping programs

Don-----

There are quite a few; e-snipe is one of them. However, don't get to thinking that a "sniping service" is the answer to your problems. You can do exactly the same thing yourself, assuming that you're around when the auction ends. The main value of the sniping service is to place a last second bid for you if you're NOT going to be able to follow the auction to the end.

The ONLY thing that sniping does is prevent folks from "chasing" your maximum bid earlier on in the bidding OR reconsidering their bid when they see themselves being out-bid earlier on in the bidding. That's all. It's not some "devious technique" to win auctions. The fact of the matter is this: THE PERSON THAT HAS THE HIGHEST BID AT THE END OF THE AUCTION WILL WIN THE AUCTION (assuming that the reserve is met and/or the minimum bid exceeded). It's just a question of strategy as to when a person choses to "reveal their hand". NO sniper will win an auction if their bid is less than (or, even the same as) the maximum bid made by a person who placed their initial bid 1 minute after the auction STARTED.

Also, if there is a reserve price on an auction, it will be clearly stated that there is a reserve (until the reserve is met and the issue becomes irrelevant).

[Don S.]

Re: sniping programs

Thanks guys for all of the information. I thought it was odd that no one had bid on the items early on.I just assumed no one wanted the item.

[Chuck S.]

Re: sniping programs

There is little advantage to bidding early...all you do is signal to the watching world that you have an interest in the item. Too often, sellers have cooperating plants will then use that early bid to simply raise the ultimate price of the item.

In bidding for some items, I've noticed that commercial pawn shops are using ebay as an outlet for their wares. I have seen such listings bid up to near new price by a successful bidder only to be re-listed the next week. The re-listing may then possibly have the same result as the previous auction, only to be relisted again.

I can only conclude that, in their enthusiasm to maximize their profits, their operatives are outrunning the other poor unsuspecting schmuck and end up with the winning bid(@#*&!!!). Of course, no money or goods ever change hands because the bidder wasn't bonified to begin with...the banditio has to pay a moderate ebay fee, and then they re-list the item again.

Like Joe says, figure out the maximum you want to pay. Synchronize your digital watch to the auction closing time; in the last hour, you can synchronize to the second. If you have cable or DSL internet, wait 5 to 7 seconds before the auction expires, and then hit the "place bid" button. Better have your password out of the way before that time...if ebay has to ask you any goofy questions or confirmations, you're out. If another bidder has a maximum bid that exceeds yours, you will be locked out and lose the auction. In that case, you were either wrong about the value or he was not as smart as you.

[Harmon C.]

Re: sniping programs

Chuck
The only downside of sniper bidding is one time a friend of mine and I run the price up $100. on each other at the last instant of an auction as we had no clue that the other was bidding.
Lyle

[Chris Patrick]

Re: sniping programs

That is still true now that eBay has changed the bidding IDs to Bidder1, Bidder2, Bidder3, etc for anything over $200.

A lot of Corvette parts go for over $200. I think eBay is helping us too much.

[Wayne M.]

My record so far ...

.... is 3 seconds before auction expired; WITH a dial-up connection and a sweep second hand.

[Chuck S.]

Re: sniping programs

Like Joe sez, don't make your maximum bid any higher than you believe the part to be worth. Of course, the only problem with that you can be too wise and educated for your own good...the uneducated newbee will trade his children for a rare part; You never get anything, but you don't overpay either.

I once landed a rare rear NOS ebrake cable by a simple follow-up. The guy had apparently set a very high reserve on the cable with just cause...I don't think I had ever seen one for sale at Carlisle/Bloomington. You never know what the reserve is, but when it became clear I wasn't going to be nuts enough to pay it, I quit bidding. I was disappointed, but then nobody was crazy enough to pay his reserve...the item went unclaimed.

I wanted that ebrake cable so bad, a little flicker of hope kept burning, so I emailed the guy from a borrowed laptop (more difficulty; I was in Denver, away from home). He was so PO'ed and frustrated he couldn't get an outlandish price that he sold me the cable for a reasonable price rather than re-list. I got the cable, and it was as advertised in the original GM open top box...Visualize an old geezer doing the Snoopy "happy jump" with a big grin. I think ebay has pretty well cut off that kind of activity now.

[Chuck S.]

Re: My record so far ...

Outstanding!!! Considering you had dial-up, I don't know whether to congratulate you on your luck or your skill. LOL