Why would someone bid 16 times?

rebeccauk

I'm selling a pair of ladies shoes and with 3 days to go it's had 17 bids....I was surprised to say the least especially as I only have 2 watchers.

Went into the bid history to have a look and the bidder who is currently in the lead has bid 16 times...with what looks like the minimum amount each time..... on the second to last most recent bid someone else has come in with a slightly higher bid and she has outbidded them again... I'm just wondering why this has happened? Is she trying to scare off other potential bidders by making it look like this item is more popular than it is and therefore that they will have stiff competition????

AnnaLicious_2

That would be ebay automatically bidding up to her maximum bid limit. So for example, if I see you auction with a current price of 99p, I may bid £5.00 as that's the most I'd spend on your item. Ebay will then put in a bid for me of £1.50, £2.00, £2.50 and so on until I beat or am beaten by the maximum amount of the first bidder.
I don't think I explained that very well, someone else may do better than me.

rebeccauk

No I get it! Thank you! That does make sense...so it was just automatic! It seemed to bid so mnay times because the counter bidder put in an offer that was a fair bit higher than the first asking price :-)
Thank you!

DelilahFP

I think you explained it very well! That is indeed what happens. Of course, it could also be a bidder who has not yet learned the technique of winning...so they see another bid, panic and place a next step up bid - instead of keeping an eye on the item and not bidding at all - then coming in at the last 5 seconds with a chosen top bid price, thereby fooling the other bidder who thought they were the only one bidding!

techspec

Items with one bidder can also show more than 1 bid.

Eg item starts at 99p. I bid 99p. Thats one bid.

I then decide i want to go up to £3, so i bid again. Item shows 2 bids - but both are by same person and item is still 99p.

I then increase my max to £5. Bid is still 99p, but item shows 3 bids - all by same person. It looks like buyer is bidding against themselves, but they are just making sure they win, by increasing their limit.

Problem is, unscrupulous sellers can then put a shill bid in - knowing the buyer as set an higher limit.

olias

rebeccauk wrote: »

No I get it! Thank you! That does make sense...so it was just automatic! It seemed to bid so mnay times because the counter bidder put in an offer that was a fair bit higher than the first asking price :-)
Thank you!

If you just click on 'show automatic bids', then it will show you the sequence of bidding, and which bids were automatic, made by the ebay system.

Olias