E bay strategy - Sniping?

[Speicher]

Yes, I did. But only because no one else bid.

 

[HobbesChoice]

Glad you won it though. Well done.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

So what was this mysterious item?

 

[Speicher]

Rest assured it was nothing to do with cycling.

 

[Aperitif]

recycling.

 

[nigelb]

Well send it back at once then :-)

 

[Andy in Sig]

Usually when I bid on anything in Ebay, if the bid fails, I am not too bothered, just the way the cookies crumble!

But, something has been listed that I do really want, and have been looking for about five years, and nearly given up looking. It is a item/design no longer made, but not related to cycling.

I would like to maximise my chances of getting this item. The bidding ends on Monday of next week.

Is it too soon to put a bid in? How do I set up a "snipe" ?
Are there any other strategies you use?

Thank you for your help. I am not normally an acquistive person, but I make an exception in this case.

Your help to a less than competant ebayer is appreciated.

The only way that has worked every time for me is to put in a bid that you are sure there is no way on earth that anybody else will match.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

The only way that has worked every time for me is to put in a bid that you are sure there is no way on earth that anybody else will match.

That's fine until you bid on an item where someone else has used the same strategy.

 

[tyred]

I think some seem to get carried away in the last minute bidding frenzy (I have int he past). My ebay strategy now is very simple, I ask the question what is it worth to me, I bid that amount and leave it at that. If someone outbids me, so be it.

 

[swee'pea99]

I think some seem to get carried away in the last minute bidding frenzy (I have int he past). My ebay strategy now is very simple, I ask the question what is it worth to me, I bid that amount and leave it at that. If someone outbids me, so be it.

Not a bad strategy. But it does have the disadvantage that you can end up paying more than you needed to (albeit not more than you were willing to).

Scenario 1. You're willing to pay up to £50, so you bid £50. Buyer B is willing to pay up to £40. Basically, every time Buyer B bids, ebay is going to immediately out-bid him, so he'll bid again. You'll end up winning, at a price of £41. Fine. You were willing to pay up to £50, so that's a result.

Scenario 2. Bidder B opens at 99p. There are no counter-bidders. Your snipe bid of 'anything up to £50' comes in 10 secs before the close. Again, you win. But at £1.09.

 

[Campfire]

I'm registered with Auction Sniper.com and used them twice for rare books. However, I didn't bid enough so lost anyway. I was going to use them a few weeks back when I wanted a super green Carradice Brompton bag & decided to use my own last minute skills and luckily won it at well below what I would have paid. I'm really pleased with it too, as I nearly bought a new one and so saved many pennies.

 

[slowmotion]

My policy is quite simple. I decide the absolute maximum amount I am prepared to pay, look at the end time , and wait. No bids from me.... why show my interest to rival bidders?

A couple of minutes before the auction ends, without looking at the bidding history, I get the speaking clock in my ear on the phone, and put in the bid with three seconds to go . Exciting stuff, and you close out the opportunity of others to counter-bid. Win some, lose some, but at least you maintain some protection against a last minute bidding madness.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

My policy is quite simple. I decide the absolute maximum amount I am prepared to pay, look at the end time , and wait. No bids from me.... why show my interest to rival bidders?

A couple of minutes before the auction ends, without looking at the bidding history, I get the speaking clock in my ear on the phone, and put in the bid with three seconds to go . Exciting stuff, and you close out the opportunity of others to counter-bid. Win some, lose some, but at least you maintain some protection against a last minute bidding madness.

Exactly what I do, and by far the most sensible policy. I don't understand why anyone bids on an item six days before it ends, although I'm always pleased when someone does so when I'm selling something.

 

[swee'pea99]

My policy is quite simple. I decide the absolute maximum amount I am prepared to pay, look at the end time , and wait. No bids from me.... why show my interest to rival bidders?

A couple of minutes before the auction ends, without looking at the bidding history, I get the speaking clock in my ear on the phone, and put in the bid with three seconds to go . Exciting stuff, and you close out the opportunity of others to counter-bid. Win some, lose some, but at least you maintain some protection against a last minute bidding madness.

That's exactly what auctionstealer does on your behalf. (Caveat: the 'three a week for free' option, which I use, bids 10 secs before the close rather than three.)

 

[slowmotion]

I have heard of such sites, but it is a whole load of fun bidding yourself, and holding out to the very latest that you can bear. My heart really thumps with the excitement. I once bid for a quite expensive valve amplifier. Four bids came in within ten seconds of the end, all from different people who had lurked unseen.