How to bid and win for a lower amount - the secret eBay sellers don't want you 2 know

Brooke_Daver

TKPeters wrote: »

Proof it doesn't always work; Item number: 280175343100

X reg Rover 75 1.8 Classic SE with TEO (TED?) Number Plate (Car Worth £1600 trade) Auction 99p start & BIN £2650, I bid £500 & currently £1750 with 4 days left ????

Early 1.8s with a few miles up them are the kiss of death in the trade, that's more a £900 car than a £1600 one.

ormus

spoke to 3 mates today, all said much the same thing. they would allow you 1000/1500 quid for it, in part ex.
they would advertise it at approx 2495 quid and be thankful to get 2k for it!

superjaggybunnet

I agree with Avoriaz as well.

It has worked more often than not for me.

moomin_white

late bidding doesn't always work. Last night i won an item i had bid on the day before and someone else use an auction sniper to try and win the auction. They didn't. And i didn't bid particularly highly, just what i would have paid for it.
Bidding late can often lose you an item, because if there is also someone else bidding late with a higher amount-they will win.

StaffsSW

The problem with early bids is that it tends to attract "vultures" - an item with an early bid will give out the signals that it is something worth having.

Which has more appeal - an item with 9 days left and a couple of bids, or one with 9 minutes and no bids?

Bid once, bid max, bid late.

Avoriaz

moomin_white wrote: »

..Bidding late can often lose you an item, because if there is also someone else bidding late with a higher amount-they will win.

It makes no difference. If someone else bids higher than you, then you will lose to them no matter when you each bid.

The “bid once, bid your maximum and bid late” maxim is the best way to bid.

If someone else is prepared to bid more than your maximum, they will win whatever.

Bidding early tempts others to outbid you and also might tempt you to yourself get sucked into a bidding war and bid over your own maximum.

Neither of these are desirable.

When you lose, so what? There will be another auction along soon that you can win at a lower price.

Overpaying is not a good buying strategy.

codger

moomin_white wrote: »

late bidding doesn't always work. Last night i won an item i had bid on the day before and someone else use an auction sniper to try and win the auction. They didn't. And i didn't bid particularly highly, just what i would have paid for it.
Bidding late can often lose you an item, because if there is also someone else bidding late with a higher amount-they will win.

The late bid didn't fail because it was late.

It failed because it was lower than yours.

To say that "bidding late can often lose you an item" is nonsensical. The amount is everything -- not the timing.

tlck9

Hintza wrote: »

I really did try this a few years ago because as OP says the psychology of it should deter other bidders but in reality the old soaks will see right through it.

Oh 26 bids and item still only 99p...hmm could have fun here and push this guy up it should be easy to figure out his max and at least make him pay it for a bit of sport...never mind shilling it.

Surely as a seller you can see this bids as not increasing and therefore see the person is willing to pay more for the item than is currently bid

Is this correct?

Eg if a buyer had 3 bids of 1.00 then it is assumed that they have increased their maximum bid? is this correct

codger

I'm not aware of any method of determining the maximum amount any bidder is willing or is likely to go to.

Would that there was one!

tlck9

codger wrote: »

I'm not aware of any method of determining the maximum amount any bidder is willing or is likely to go to.

Would that there was one!

I only asked, because I was selling something and I noticed two people bidding, one was going up onsingle bids and the other who was highest was going up obviously with a maximum bid

However I had a bid of £30 and then three further bids of £30 from the same person, I assumed this would mean that she had bid £30 at some point but then decided to increase her maxmium bid and then did it again, each time regsitering the same bid but added a further number on the bid

Its ended now, but it does seem that this is the case, thus being able to determine as a seller who has bid and if they have submitted a further "highest bid" when they are still the highest bidder