You guys RELAX!!!

[Seattle799]

I think the difference is between whether you want the item vs. whether you want to get a good deal on the item.

If you want an item and are willing to pay what it's worth or a little bit more, it's good to bid early to "scare" off bidders just looking to get a good deal.

If you want to get a good deal, and don't mind if you lose the item to someone willing to pay full price... then you GOTTA snipe it.

[thehoodedcoder]

in regards to this. how much time left until you bid on an ebay item.

if im not overly concered that my bid gets in i do 2 or 3 seconds from wifi on my laptop. i have about 70 percent success rate at 3 seconds. i have 100 percent success rate of getting my bid in at 4 seconds and about half of the time can 1 increase bid in with the time it registers and the time i see im no longer the highest bidder

kevin

[Craig M]

Robert GT...I see that you probably think that every thread is pointless with your low post count since being a member here in 2009.

Why did you post today, it's pointless!!!

[travrosty]

Originally Posted by Craig M

Robert GT...I see that you probably think that every thread is pointless with your low post count since being a member here in 2009.

Why did you post today, it's pointless!!!

he happens to be right, though.

[Craig M]

trav...even you got sucked into it. Making a pointless post in a pointless thread.

Good one!

[boneheadandrube]

Originally Posted by Craig M

Robert GT...I see that you probably think that every thread is pointless with your low post count since being a member here in 2009.

Why did you post today, it's pointless!!!

When "post whores" start threads like this it usually deters lurkers from participating. Thanks for creating a thread that tells others how you think they should bid on ebay. How should I order food at a restaurant? I need your input on that to be sociably acceptable, please help me.
GB

[deadballfreaK]

There is no one way. I put in early bids and I snipe and I get great prices both ways. I also get run over like a turtle trying to cross an interstate both ways.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by boneheadandrube

How should I order food at a restaurant?
GB

I recommend ordering the food before eating it and paying for it afterward.
Sometimes menus, especially those with pictures, are helpful.

As for bidding, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Cat picture selected to attract rather offend lurkers.

[buymycards]

I know some of you (many of you) think this thread is pointless, but as a buyer and a seller I enjoy the threads that discuss bidding habits, sniping, and closing auctions early. These threads give me some insight which may help me receive higher prices for the items I am selling and they may help me save some money on purchasing.

If a lot of people feel the way that Craig does, which is no bidding until the last few minutes of an auction, then that may support letting your ebay auctions run until the end even if you receive some decent offers to end an auction early.

This is the same reason that I enjoy Pawn Stars, Auction Kings, etc., because I can improve my negotiation skills and bidding skills from watching these shows. In fact, one of the guys that I have purchased many collections from told me the other day, "Don't go all Pawn Stars on me when you counter offer".

As far as the sniping goes, sometimes I will put in my max bids several days in advance and that is as far as I will go. I don't use a sniping service. The sniper still has to set their max snipe above my max price, and if I get sniped, that is OK because the sniper was willing to pay more than I will. If you let an auction sit at 99 cents for too long you might get several bidders involved who wouldn't be bidding if if the item was already bid up to $20. Then you get into Tony's scenario, where several bidders jumped in when the price was low and now their manhood is at stake and they don't want to lose.


It does seem that some of the newer members are making way too many pointless threads but I am enjoying this one.

[Leon]

I think discussing bidding makes a good thread. We almost all bid in auctions for our cards. What could be more relevant to what we do? On ebay, I snipe with about 5-7 seconds left, approximately 95% of the time. In auction house auctions I usually put in a marker bid early, then wait till the last day and last hours to see how things shape up....and to decide what I will go for in earnest. Even if I HAVE to have something I will usually use these methods. Every now and then I will try the straight HIGH bid methodology very early on, in order to dissuade some bidders. But that usually doesn't work. I remember about 10+ yrs ago, it was the first day of a Lipset Auction. He had 8 of the E94 overprints in one lot. No bids were placed yet. I called Lew and asked how high I could do a straight bid. He said I could bid anything I wanted above the minimum. The starting bid was $1000. I told him to put an $8000 bid in for me. He thought I was crazy but did it. That was the first day and first bid on the lot. It held up for the next 2-3 weeks and I got it for that bid plus the BP. LL