E-bay bidding question

[jbn10161]

It seems most people around here are pretty familiar with the intricacies of bidding on the Bay. Perhaps someone could help me understand this:

 

I am looking at a pen that seems to be at a decent price. When I look at the bidding history, there are currently a total of twenty two bids. Of that history, there are two episodes in which the bidder continually increased his bid despite the fact that no one else was bidding on the pen during that time period. When I say "two episodes," I mean that this happened with one bidder for a while, and then later with another bidder.

 

Why would one bidder incrementally increase the amount of his bid when there were no other bids coming in?

[artaddict]

Why would one bidder incrementally increase the amount of his bid when there were no other bids coming in?

 

To put in a higher maximum bid, in case anyone else bids against him at a later time.

[AndyHayes]

He's a Nibbler and someone must already have had a higher bid in. Is he second or lower in the list of highest bids?

 

eBay only shows the lowest high bid you would need to win.

Edited January 26, 2008 by AndyHayes

[triojoe]

It seems most people around here are pretty familiar with the intricacies of bidding on the Bay. Perhaps someone could help me understand this:

 

I am looking at a pen that seems to be at a decent price. When I look at the bidding history, there are currently a total of twenty two bids. Of that history, there are two episodes in which the bidder continually increased his bid despite the fact that no one else was bidding on the pen during that time period. When I say "two episodes," I mean that this happened with one bidder for a while, and then later with another bidder.

 

Why would one bidder incrementally increase the amount of his bid when there were no other bids coming in?

 

If the bidder A set a highest amount he wishes to bid, then when other people place a bid lower than

bidder A's highest, the bidding list will show several bids before it reaches the bidder A's target price.

Hope this will help!

 

Joe

[LSK333]

It seems most people around here are pretty familiar with the intricacies of bidding on the Bay. Perhaps someone could help me understand this:

 

I am looking at a pen that seems to be at a decent price. When I look at the bidding history, there are currently a total of twenty two bids. Of that history, there are two episodes in which the bidder continually increased his bid despite the fact that no one else was bidding on the pen during that time period. When I say "two episodes," I mean that this happened with one bidder for a while, and then later with another bidder.

 

Why would one bidder incrementally increase the amount of his bid when there were no other bids coming in?

 

I'm thinking the person is mulling over the maximum amount they are willing to spend and acting on it incrementally. It's a matter of indecisiveness coupled with not being available for the close of auction. It's a weird observation but it does happen occasionally. I have often seen bidders put in a bid and then decide to make the bid larger to cover in case they are not available at close of auction. I've actually done this once or twice...but always in anticipation of not being available at close.

 

I suppose another explanation would be a shill pushing the price up incrementally...the more bids, the more desirable the object appears to be. If a shill is bidding up the price, then the seller will make more or, conversely, is less likely to see the item go at a loss. It's been shown that fewer people bid on items with a high floor price or with a reserve price. So to generate the maximum interest in their auction, sellers will start with a very low price an no reserve. The shill is like an insurance policy by assuring the seller ends up with a reasonable price or retains the item if it doesn't surpass the shill's bid price. A lot of people don't bother to check the bid history to see what's going on. I always check to see what's happening but I think I'm in the minority.

[Aysedasi]

I much prefer to set my maximum and slam it.......

[AndyHayes]

Shill Bidding Detector Tool

 

Useful Shill Bidding Resource

[kipwilliams]

He's a Nibbler and someone must already have had a higher bid in. Is he second or lower in the list of highest bids?

 

eBay only shows the lowest high bid you would need to win.

 

I don’t worry too much about how many bids there are on an item. Everything in an eBay auction usually happens in the final 5 seconds. There are people who are either trusting their reaction times enough to hold off entering their bids until then or using bid sniper services (like www.ezsniper.com) to place bids right before the very end. They usually determine the price. Their strategy is keeping the price from getting driven up early in the auction and catching others with their maximum bids too low with no time to react at the close.

 

Of course, the person with the highest maximum bid always wins but timing can really decide what they wind up paying for something.

 

[tnt]

If I am winning an auction and my high bid was $50, regardless of what the bid was up to at that point (I could be winning for $41.00 at the moment, ebay will automatically bid up to $50 dollars for me) and I raised my high bid to it would show another bid from me of the same amount I am winning the auction for. So I could have a winning bid of $41.00 and raise my high bid and the bidding history will show two bids in a row from me for the same $41.00.

[AndyHayes]

True enough. Sniping is the only way to sensibly take part in auctions now.

 

My favourite Sniping Tool

 

The one above (no affiliation) charges 10p (20 cents) each time that it snipes for you. If you don't win it doesn't charge you.

 

You just have to hope that there aren't any of those fools that start having a bidding war with 6 days to go

[Aysedasi]

I use bidslammer. I can't remember what it charges me but I've managed to get some great items (not just pens!) using it.

 

Yes, the 6-day 'bidding wars' are absolutely infuriating aren't they? I sit there shouting at my screen for them to wait!

[Heirphoto]

Triojo and TNT are right on the money. I'm a long time eBay buyer and seller and this is normal bidding.

 

 

If you place a high proxy bid, everytime someone bids against you, but not higher than you, ebay bids against your proxy and shows your return bid. The name showing three or four times in a row is not the nibbler, it is ebay placing your proxy against the nibbler.

 

While shill bidding does take place this is not an example of it. And yes, sniping is the second key to winning any auction.....actually having the highest bid is the first. Snipe all you want but the highest bid still wins.

 

 

I have always heard that with an auction, YOU, the buyer sets the final price. But remember, if you win, and therefore pay the highest price you also paid more than anyone else thought it was worth <g>.

 

Tony

 

[DRP]

As a general rule, I will bid early and put down the top amount I am willing to pay. In that way, if a "sniper" comes in at the last second and matches my bid, I win because I had the earlier date.

 

I'll occasionally bid something low just to see if I draw fire. Then, I may bid higher. Or, I'll see that bidding is going up and I will cover my bid with something a bit more. Usually my initial number is my high bid. If bidding exceeds what I am willing to pay, I tell myself that I didn't need it that much.

[Deirdre]

I don't like tipping my hand about my interest in an item unless it's something where I just want to get notification when someone else bids.

[Ethereal]

I really like this sniping tool http://sourceforge.net/projects/bom/

and it's completely free. The only problem is that when you actually view the auction page through it, it takes you to ebay deutschland, so everything's in german, but I like that too. lol.

christa

[GBM]

This is a funny thread with a lot of good information in it...

 

"Yes, the 6-day 'bidding wars' are absolutely infuriating aren't they? I sit there shouting at my screen for them to wait!"

 

This is a funny statement because really it comes down to who is willing to pay the most for the item... when the bids are placed makes no difference in the end... except if you think it might cause some people to give up on it... so if that does take out some people psychologically that is part of the battle...

 

I like to put in a bid to show that I am interested... then come back at the ' last minute' with my best bid.... however, you guys are almost all on FAST INTERNET CONNECTIONS.... while I am not... I can't do that last 15 second bid or I will likely not get the bid in at all.... it takes me more than 30 seconds to refresh.... so my heart is pumping that last few minutes trying to time my bid as close as possible without missing out completely.... LOL

Greg

[Deirdre]

Greg: auctionstealer.com

[GBM]

So are you saying that something exists to help out people connected at 16 kbps ?

LOL... that is actually what I am connected at... funny in one way.... but NOT REALLY... LOLOL

Thanks Deirdre , will check it out...

Greg

[rgarciasandoval]

Hi all

 

Many people for convenience just place the bid and walk away, the auto-bid-raiser from e-bay will take care of your money while you are ...making some more money Besides convenience this will help you to not going beyond certain amount of money, maybe you will regret for biding too much once your pen arrives.

 

But also there is e-bay countdown tool for those who likes the excitement of biding in the very last 8-10 seconds, besides excitement in this way you can help (lets say) to keep the price not so high, if you bid a lot of money since your first bid maybe some guy in the biding excitement will try to surpass you and will put the price insanely high (just take a look on 8-days auctions for celluloid Montblancs from the fifties).

 

So, first thing, get as much money as you can (LE-celluloid auctions goes wild), and bid just in the last 10 seconds, for keeping an eye on the price as long as auction goes, click on the Watch this item option, but try not to bid all your money on your first try.

 

Well this is just an opinion...I lost my last two e-bay auctions, one because I was away from the computer (I bid all my money and walk away), and the other because ...well I just have not enough money... any way a lot of money, some patience and some luck... because at the end (like for a lot of things) everything is about money (how much you can put on the bid)

 

Very best

 

Ricardo

[tspin46]

Recently I was pleasantly surprised to win a new Pelikan M400 honey for less than $100.00 on e-bay. I placed the required minimum bid and won as the only bidder. I have since found the same pen on sale through a reference on FPN for the same price and at under $100.00 an M400 is a great pen value.

 

I had no plans to increase my bid and didn't check the auction at the close. I bid what I was willing to pay. If you do that you will win your share of items for the price that you are willing to pay or for less.