Stop it already

[Scrooge]

Here's how I see early bid scaring off more timid competitors: If you bid up to what you want to pay - let's say for example $100 - someone may chime in with a $30 bid. That gets knocked down so it's up to $31. The person bids $50, that gets knocked down too. The person bets, let's say, $80 - you're still high bidder and they may say, 'Screw it, this guy's serious' and quit. If they bid over $100, though - that's okay, because even though they won the book, it sold for more than you were willing to pay for it (the original $100). Note: this doesn't work against particularly aggressive bidders or people who just have to have that book - but then, you probably weren't going to win against them anyway.

 

Ahah but see what we're saying is that the same guy comes and bids his $30 and there are no bids for days. There is a lower chance that he'll come back and up it to $50 for insurance. You snipe with a bid of $100 and you end up winning for $31 instead of $51 if the guy wants to test your high bid. I can always try and save $20 by not letting the other "fish out" what I might be willing to pay.

[cd4ever]

If I see an auction I am interested in, I will bid what I am willing to pay, regardless of when it ends. If I win, great, if not, oh well.

 

I may be costing myself a few bucks by bidding early but I really don't have the time or desire to track every auction till the end and try to swoop in at the last second. And sniping is just more effort (and cost) and just another thing to track,

Perhaps I'm just lazy.

[mar-vell]

If I see an auction I am interested in, I will bid what I am willing to pay, regardless of when it ends. If I win, great, if not, oh well.

 

I may be costing myself a few bucks by bidding early but I really don't have the time or desire to track every auction till the end and try to swoop in at the last second. And sniping is just more effort (and cost) and just another thing to track,

Perhaps I'm just lazy.

 

try bidnip - its effortless and inexpensive www.bidnip.com

[icefires]

Here's how I see early bid scaring off more timid competitors: If you bid up to what you want to pay - let's say for example $100 - someone may chime in with a $30 bid. That gets knocked down so it's up to $31. The person bids $50, that gets knocked down too. The person bets, let's say, $80 - you're still high bidder and they may say, 'Screw it, this guy's serious' and quit. If they bid over $100, though - that's okay, because even though they won the book, it sold for more than you were willing to pay for it (the original $100). Note: this doesn't work against particularly aggressive bidders or people who just have to have that book - but then, you probably weren't going to win against them anyway.

 

Ahah but see what we're saying is that the same guy comes and bids his $30 and there are no bids for days. There is a lower chance that he'll come back and up it to $50 for insurance. You snipe with a bid of $100 and you end up winning for $31 instead of $51 if the guy wants to test your high bid. I can always try and save $20 by not letting the other "fish out" what I might be willing to pay.

 

Exactly.

 

Bottom line: Sniping an auction gives one the best chance of winning a book at the lowest price. Period.

 

You pay Bidnip a quarter to do all of the work. Select the auction, select the time to enter your max bid, and you are done. This is not hard core. This is not difficult. This is absolutely the easiest way to enter your max bid for an auction and forget about it. There is no bidding frenzy for you to worry about at the end. Hell, I am not even around at the end of an auction most of the time. I have had more success at winning books for the lowest price using Bidnip in the last three months than doing it manually for the last 5 years. End of story.

 

Immature? Marvel, no offense, but you are an *spoon*.

[heinlein99]

Certainly sniping has its advantages. It's usually immaterial for me anyway - I graze in the shallow end of the price pool anyway.

[ArAich]

Stop it already

 

Bite me...I'll bid when I want and there's not a damn thing you can do about it...

[maxstuf]

I'm sure the reactions to this will differ depending on those who sell and who buy on eBay but I'm getting incredibly tired of people bidding on items with days let alone hours left on auctions. I mean, how long were you an eBayer before you figured out the benifits of bidding towards the end of the auction if not outright 'sniping' it? Who are these yahoos?!?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[marvelcollector]

To wait till the end to bid is just a sign of insecurity or immaturity IMO...

 

I disagree.

 

I always wait until the end of the auction to bid and I'm not insecure or immature.....you big stupid poopyhead.

 

The prosecution rests.

[Aces]

Stop it already

 

Bite me...I'll bid when I want and there's not a damn thing you can do about it...

 

Well... He could bite you.

[moloch]

Stop it already

 

Bite me...I'll bid when I want and there's not a damn thing you can do about it...

 

"Bite me"?!? Taking it a bit serious aren't you?

 

I was just getting frustrated watching another book I don't see come up for sale very often get bid up in a bidding war with days left before the auction end. I don't understand the need to top bidder at any point in the auction except the end. I wouldn't mind so much if people put their top bid in at the beginning, but in a bidding war people get emotional and prices can get out of hand. This just makes me have to come to a decision to either wait however long for another copy, or pay what it takes to own the one at hand and I really hate having to make decisions. My apologies for telling anyone what to do...

 

 

 

 

BTW - Friends don't let friends post drunk.

 

This message brought to you by the Council on the Prevention of Stupid Threads

[tth2]

I was just getting frustrated watching another book I don't see come up for sale very often get bid up in a bidding war with days left before the auction end.

What's the difference between the bidding war breaking out early as opposed as to the end. Either way, the price of the book would get driven up and you wouldn't have won it.

 

BTW - Friends don't let friends post drunk.

 

This message brought to you by the Council on the Prevention of Stupid Threads

[ArAich]

"Bite me"?!? Taking it a bit serious aren't you?

 

 

[Darthdiesel]

Who are these yahoos?!?

 

I bid early on books I am interested in:

1) just to get it into my ebay "Items I'm bidding on" list so I don't forget

2) but I never fully show my hand. I generally bid just a little over the current bid; a marker bid if you will, i.e. if the current bid is $5, then I'll bid $7.

3) show others that I may be interested in the book (I'm an auto sniper for the most part - let's me spend time away from the computer and still have the security that I'll win the book I want, or else someone else will be refinancing their mortgage in the near future to cover their wins ) Those that know me usually do contact me and determine the level of my interest and we usually work something out to our mutual benefit. If I know you and we have had past interactions, then I would genuinely feel bad if I drive up the price of that book with my bidding, so I tend to step back. If I don't know you from Jack, then I have no remorse dropping the hammer on your azz and making you pay multiples of the GPA record high sale

[AussieRuss]

Bidding low & early has worked well for me in the past.

 

It flags others that I am interested in the book & informs me of other formulites that may also be interested in a book.

 

If I see other formulites with a low bid I will often contact them out of courtesy informing them of what bid I will go up to. If they tell me that they are willing to go higher then I will refrain from taking any further part in the auction.

 

I have also had the reverse occur where my theoretical bid has been higher and people have dropped out of an auction in the hope of letting me pick up a book at a good price.

 

Naturally, this does not work with members outside the forums but history shows that I have saved money and allowed others to save money by helping each other out.

 

I don't see the point of punish bidding against another forum member. We should help each other where possible (IMHO)

 

Russ...

[Flaming_Telepath]

A point for consideration...

 

A number of boarders obviously hold to a 'gentleman's agreement', whereby they won't bid if another boarder is in the frame for an item, potentially suppressing the final price.

 

Is this ethical? Or fair?

 

It also appears that when a boarder makes it known that he/she has items up on eBay, many will help out with 'thrill' bids, thus potentially increasing the final price.

 

Is this ethical? Or fair?

 

No real opinion at this end, just wondering?