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ebay bidding


Los_Control

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I have used ebay a few times, always buy now and not place a bid.

Today I saw a item and had 2 current bidders and current bid was $73, I put a bid in for $75.

So as it sits, there are 3 bidders and high bid is $75. It ends in a few hours .... As soon as I placed my bid I was instantly notified I was out bid and to bid higher?

 

The item is a blue point/snap on rear drum puller. For our old cars with tapered axles.

Just kinda put off by the bidding process, item sat for 2 days at $73,  and told to enter a bid of $74 or more, and as soon as I entered my bid for $75 am told to bid higher ... instantly, so the other bidder would have to been typing the same time I was? If I was notified 5 min later it would seem more plausible.

Is it just a kawinki dink that someone else was bidding exact time as me? Or is this common practice?

Just thinking I may bid a couple dollars more before it ends, no clue if bidding against myself.  :(

 

 

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It's called 'proxy bidding'.  You enter the highest amount you'll bid for an item, and the system automatically bids over whoever else places a bid, until your upper limit is reached.  That explains why you immediately got outbid...at least one of the other bidders placed a proxy bid with a higher limit than your bid.

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1 minute ago, casper50 said:

Yes lots of people for what ever reason bid in the last few minutes as well.  I don't know why.  I bid as much as I wish to pay and if it goes higher in the end I don't want it.

And that makes most sense also, my other option is to buy a newer modern tool for over $100, while a good used vintage tool is probably a better tool.

So I need to think what am willing to pay and either it works or does not.

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Yep, don't sweat it if you don't win.  There will be another sometime.  I have special searches made that automatically emails me if something comes up or I can just look every day at what new stuff in that category was posted.

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The old drum pullers are great, but can be beat-up if really beat on.

 

I got my drum puller at a going out-of-business auction at an old repair garage in Buffalo, NY about 35 years ago.  One of the tool lots had a puller.  I just stood there and said 'yup' to every bid.    I still have the puller....

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It's called poaching an auction. You put down a high bid in the last few seconds to win the last bid without raising the price. Right or wrong, that's how the game is played. I was poached several times before I figured it out ?

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28 minutes ago, tom'sB2B said:

It's called poaching an auction. You put down a high bid in the last few seconds to win the last bid without raising the price. Right or wrong, that's how the game is played. I was poached several times before I figured it out ?


I took a gamble one time on a set of double horns for my truck.

I was willing to pay a certain amount but, every time I placed my bid,I was immediately out bid. Getting frustrated I kept bidding until I drove the price up to three times what I was willing to pay. I figured, if they want them that bad they’d have to pay. 
looking back it wasn’t cool and I could have been burned.....

i haven’t done it since, but it sure made me feel better at the time ?

Edited by Brent B3B
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driving up the auction price is called shill bidding if'n ya are in cahoots with the seller...I learned from many auctions that if I'm really interested in an item that I'll only place a bid in the last few seconds to keep the price down, but if I'm only mildly interested in winning, I'll place my max bid early to scare off the bargain hunters :cool:

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some can naysay this and that and but I bought a 35.00 puller in a read blown plastic case at ye ole tool vendor at the swap meet (off the wall tools and supplies inc.)...I looked at it and felt it should hold up well and I will be the only one gorilla gripping this item and gorilla grip it I did....to the tune of a 8 foot cheater pipe and my bouncing fat butt at 200 lbs.....even at that the drum did not yield...and neither did the tool....it took a few more persuasion techniques to apply and pop goes the weasel....this was true on both sides of this Salisbury rear axle (European Dana) and on the domestics I have used it on...couple good turns..get it tight and they released real nice.  There was no distress shown on the tool....all the stress was on me....

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6 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

You are mean ... I got a bid on it now, but prefer to not get involved  :P

All your fault..

Ok. Now, you wait until about 5min before the end of the auction and bid 10-20$ higher then the max bid. That's how you win without running up the price. Again, good luck!

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My bid is $80, I am current high bidder, I really do not care.

I think $80 is a fair price for a used tool ... that tool has a lot of beating on it ... And not worth the price of $80. win lose or draw, I wont have to search again. Just get a tool and get er did.

So paying a little extra wont kill me, just make life easier.

If it sells for more then I offered, someone is a bigger fool then me.

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I see a lot of discussion on drum pullers for our old Mopars so I thought I would post this easy to make puller I put together a few years back. No flexing in this baby and never fails. If you slot the holes it could be used on other makes as well. You could also make an insert to adapt it for a slide hammer for pulling axles. 

I see some folks bidding on these lately and this may be an cheap option. Next to the puller you will see some wheel spacers that if you found in steel would give you a head start. Use a piece of pipe, 2 nuts and some threaded rod  for those with limited machining capabilities.

Posted in tool thread just now as well

 

Hope this helps

V$

Drum puller 1.jpg

Drum Puller 2.jpg

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I have a love/hate relationship with eBay. It's a good place to find stuff but it's driven the price of that stuff through the roof. Through buying and selling motorcycles and parts on eBay I reconnected with a couple of people from years ago, developed long-lasting friendships with a couple of other derelicts, and did business with some who recognized my name from long ago. It's weird and scary since I'm basically a hermit anymore.  ?

 

 

 

 

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I have never cared for and quickly got out of e-bay bidding...I seek out first buy it now and second shipping included and do my shopping in this manner..quick and easy and faster and cheaper than even Rock Auto can lay claim to and get name brand items and not some brand x rebox common to many parts retailers.    If an item appeals to me that is open bid, I will trigger the sniper software and enter what I think is fair and if I get it fine, if not...not the end of the world, another usually comes along right behind this one.  bidding is such a stupid game to play and drives the cost up....not the seller not the product but the I will get this determination of the buyer in a bidding war with another like minded person...gets personal quick...out of control even quicker.  I often forget the sniper bid in play and when notified I had purchased an item as it is often just trivial stuff that supports the old cars not an item of dire need.  Guess I am different than some to that regard.  I go to an auction more for entertainment than to buy...if I do bid..I know my fair price offer and drop out without any remorse when that limit gets surpassed in bidding, again...another item will show up later.  More people do this rather than bid early, prices will go back to reasonable and become customary charges...not the extreme.

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