It's not the bargain hunters to worry about it's the must have at any price lot.
Best strategy - eBay auction
- Thread starter All uphill
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Mad Doug Biker
Just a damaged guy.
- Location
- Craggy Island
It depends, if others have already bid, I try to 'sound out' what they are doing by either just watching, or bidding lower amounts than what your maximum is (seeing the bid history also helps give some context) and seeing the reaction (if any). Unfortunately, that puts up the amount and may then provoke others, but at least you'll 'know' and can stay or move on.
As for the classic last second/minute bid, you've gotta have your wits about you and you might not even know if you have won in the melee until the dust has settled!
I see it as a plane approaching a target. You wait, keep your cool, then get yourself ready with your amount on the screen but don't press 'confirm', just open the bomb bay doors as it were and wait until the time comes for you to release. If others bid before, you can see and adjust if need be (if you have a rough idea of a highest bid amount). Like I say though, it can a right bun - fight in the last few seconds.
In short, I don't think there is necessarily a right or wrong way to do it, it all depends on the circumstances of the individual auction.
As for the classic last second/minute bid, you've gotta have your wits about you and you might not even know if you have won in the melee until the dust has settled!
I see it as a plane approaching a target. You wait, keep your cool, then get yourself ready with your amount on the screen but don't press 'confirm', just open the bomb bay doors as it were and wait until the time comes for you to release. If others bid before, you can see and adjust if need be (if you have a rough idea of a highest bid amount). Like I say though, it can a right bun - fight in the last few seconds.
In short, I don't think there is necessarily a right or wrong way to do it, it all depends on the circumstances of the individual auction.
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Decide on your maximum bid and use https://www.ezsniper.com/ to place your bid at the last moment
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
This.
Mad Doug Biker
Just a damaged guy.
- Location
- Craggy Island
Then again, I'll sometimes bid early just to remind myself later of the auction. 😆
I've also been known to set an alarm for the end of an auction, so I can then go back and see what is happening in good time.
I've also been known to set an alarm for the end of an auction, so I can then go back and see what is happening in good time.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
After a while you kind of develop a "nose" for the auctions that will turn into a bunfight. Especially when it comes to the jewellery and watch auctions. There are some sellers with huge followings whose auctions tend to devolve into free-for-alls, so I tend not to bid on those - it's nuts just how carried away some people can get.
If I'm after a specific watch or piece of jewellery, I'll keep an eye out for the new listings and see if there's a make an offer or a BIN option. I scored a very nice Georg Jensen silver locket for the price of a medium takeaway pizza just by being fastest finger, likewise a Tissot Seastar watch in immaculate condition for not that much more
Bottom line is, know what you're looking for, and know what a fair price is.
If I'm after a specific watch or piece of jewellery, I'll keep an eye out for the new listings and see if there's a make an offer or a BIN option. I scored a very nice Georg Jensen silver locket for the price of a medium takeaway pizza just by being fastest finger, likewise a Tissot Seastar watch in immaculate condition for not that much more
Bottom line is, know what you're looking for, and know what a fair price is.
Mad Doug Biker
Just a damaged guy.
- Location
- Craggy Island
Not jewelry or watches for me, but yes, there are some where you just see it and think 'Oh FFS, leave alone'. Either that or you put in a cheeky bid on the off chance or just to annoy the serious bidders. 😆
That said, like I said upthread, there are other auctions where it is not immediately clear what the other bidder's intentions are and these are the ones where I'll sometimes try to 'sound out' what is happening. Give it a small 'nudge' as it were and see the reaction. Like you say, you get a 'nose' for it.
Every auction is different and needs to be treated as such, you can't get complacent.
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Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Jewellery and watches are a bit of a funny one though. I buy stuff to wear because I like it, not to collect as such, and certainly not to sell on and price gouge, as often seems to be the case.
The motor racing ephemera thing is a different kettle of fish, because there I *do* collect, and I am, to a certain extent, the expert in my particular field. Which does give me something of an advantage at times. And if it's something I'm not sure about, my bestie is in the trade and can give me a heads up. Mind, I've done the same for him as well.
Mad Doug Biker
Just a damaged guy.
- Location
- Craggy Island
Yeah, Raliwayana for me, sometimes you just 'know' when you have a good price or not but I have my 'consultants' for when I'm not sure.
I started collecting Mondaine (best known for the Swiss Railways watches. Very simple, clear and to the point) briefly, but it was a bit pricey, so, I tend to avoid these days unless there is something I genuinely want or just makes me go 'wow!'
The one I really want to get now is the one handed 'Don't Rush' watch.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Vintage ladies' watches for me. Got a few "beaters" and a few nice ones. One of the jewellers in town is an agent for those Swiss railway watches. They're actually kind of cool - in a Ronseal way.
But as with anything on the 'bay, you just need to do your homework, and you need a LOT of patience.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
I decide beforehand what the maximum I want to pay is and put a bid in in the last five seconds. I don't see the point of bidding earlier, it just shows that somebody is interested . A long time ago, I saw an exotic valve amplifier that I quite fancied. There were not many early bids. I stuck in my last second bid and found that ten other hidden people were doing the same! BTW, don't put in a bid for a round sum....make it 37p bigger or some other trivial amount.
Mad Doug Biker
Just a damaged guy.
- Location
- Craggy Island
I will only 'sound out', i.e. bid small amounts to see what is happening if there are bids already. It helps later as you have better idea of if a lot of them are serious or not.
All auctions are different though.
As for odd amounts, yes, I bid £71.23 on something the other day there (it never got to that price, thankfully).
£123.45 is another one, along with other variants.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
There's an art in conjuring up stupid numbers that nobody else might think of. My example of 37 was appalling. Everybody goes for3s and 7s.
84 anybody?
Mad Doug Biker
Just a damaged guy.
- Location
- Craggy Island
Duly noted, thanks 😆
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
