E Bay bidding advice needed

[Frank Blackstone]

I have been watching an electronic item out of China and the bidding seems strange to me. The seller has many of these to sell so many have been listed separately. The bidding starts off low, some times as low as 20.00, then there is always a bid that is about 100.00 over the previous bid. Is this seller using a shill to increase the bids? Why would anyone make such a large increment bid unnecessarily? Curious Frank

[BobT-47P15]

I take it you really have a yen to buy that item.

[greg g]

Except Chinese currency is Renminbi (RMB) means "The People's Currency".

and the dennomination is the yuan.

Maybe he just yuants it real badly.

[JerseyHarold]

EBay allows 'proxy' bidding. That means you can place a maximum bid and the eBay system will increment you up to that maximum.

Let's say the current bid on an item is at $20., but that bidder's max was $120. Bidder 2 comes in with a max of $130. So the system automatically makes bidder 2 the high bidder at $121. If someone comes in at $122, the system will increment bidder 2 to $123 since it is still below the maximum that bidder 2 set. This is where you see major jumps in the price being bid....it's due to the proxy.

Hope that I didn't confuse the issue too much.

Harold

[dezeldoc]

Look at the bidders list on the items and see it the same bidder is on all of them. you won't be able to see their name but the 2 letters and the feedback score will be the same , if they are notify ebay and find another seller.

[1947PLEVY]

Frank;

See if this seller has a store. Alot of times they have a buy it now price in the store alot lower than the ones they put on epay for people to bid on.

Take Care and God Bless.. John 47Plevy

[Norm's Coupe]

This is one reason I stopped buying on ebay. I've seen that happen almost immediately after an item goes on auction. Sort of suckers other potential buyers into bidding the item up.

As for sellers store items. I've noticed that many times the store items are priced higher. The sellers puts it in the store because it's a cheaper way to list an item and stays there either 30 to 90 days for the same listing price.

[oldmopar]

I he has a lot to sell watch and wait the price should go down after the people who really want them have bid. But you can be sure there are plenty of sellers who shill bids. Just bid what it is worth you and do not look at the auction again until its over

Ed

[Frank Blackstone]

Thanks Harold, that was a logical explanation and I believe that is what happens. It is best for me to believe that someone is not intentionally bidding up the item.

DezelDoc I did check to see if it was the same bidder which it was not but the bidders were all new members. I hate to think they were shills.

John The store was selling them for several hundreds of dollars more so I was waiting for a fair auction price.

Norm I was afraid that might be happening so I have watched this item for months. I am from Kansas so jayhawing is no problem for me. I saw some go for what I thought was a reasonable price so I waited for an auction that was still within that range. I had to stay up past my bedtime but I did just to snipe the auction for my limit price. If they were shilling and running up the price I figured this was fair. I don't like to play hard ball but I can if necessary.

Ed there were plenty of these to sell so I waited for an auction that had few bidders, especially ones that may not have been paying attention as I was. Sometimes the night owl gets the worm.

Thanks to all, Frank

[oldmopar]

Frank, No need to stay up late just use a snipe program like snipe it

[Plymouthy Adams]

sniper is the way to go..if everyone used this prices would be back to realistic on the e-bay...go ahead and tell yourself bidding early and bidding often is fun getting, nothing like a whizzing contest with someone over a part...scope it out, calculate your need, determine your price, throw in shipping to see if still reasonable..set your trigger to fall at the end..you get it ..you get it..you don't get it you get over it..be another down the line...

[dezeldoc]

Another thing I think is stupid is when the seller is so adamant about not revealing the reserve price like it is something top secret. If they don't want to let it out I just roll on down the line. I mean how are you suppose to know if it is even in the ball park.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I'm just waiting e-bay to force the buyer to have to pay a buyers preminum

[kevinanderson]

Sniping is okay, but you still have to have the highest offer.

[Norm's Coupe]

Sniping is okay, but you still have to have the highest offer.

And some people put well over what the item is worth in that snipe bid just to make sure they win the auction. Then the price shoots way up over what its worth at the very end.

Tim, I've seen items listed on ebay where you take a link to another type auction. On there their is a buyers premium. So.........probably won't be long before ebay makes that a part of the whole system.

[Don Coatney]

Thanks Harold, that was a logical explanation and I believe that is what happens. It is best for me to believe that someone is not intentionally bidding up the item.

DezelDoc I did check to see if it was the same bidder which it was not but the bidders were all new members. I hate to think they were shills.

John The store was selling them for several hundreds of dollars more so I was waiting for a fair auction price.

Norm I was afraid that might be happening so I have watched this item for months. I am from Kansas so jayhawing is no problem for me. I saw some go for what I thought was a reasonable price so I waited for an auction that was still within that range. I had to stay up past my bedtime but I did just to snipe the auction for my limit price. If they were shilling and running up the price I figured this was fair. I don't like to play hard ball but I can if necessary.

Ed there were plenty of these to sell so I waited for an auction that had few bidders, especially ones that may not have been paying attention as I was. Sometimes the night owl gets the worm.

Thanks to all, Frank

Frank;

I thought I sent you the sniping link. I will do so.

[BobT-47P15]

Don.....used the Auction Sniper after you sent me the free trial link.

Worked in the instances I used it.

But, my free trial time ran out.

[Fireball]

Just bid what it is worth you and do not look at the auction again until its over

Ed

Words of wisdom here. Stay away of those faulty bidding fights where the final price ends up being more than reasonable. Figure out what you are willing to pay, and stick with it, no explanations. I usually win whatever I bid on, because prices here overseas as comparison are so much higher from starters, if you can even find such a item, that no clever U.S individual would pay that amount of the given item:p It does not matter if it's a car part or clothes or whatever. I always save when spending money.

[Don Coatney]

Don.....used the Auction Sniper after you sent me the free trial link.

Worked in the instances I used it.

But, my free trial time ran out.

Bob;

Just sent you and Frank the invite.