Bollox. I've just been outbid again.

[rileytoolworks]

Thought I'd finally bagged a decent tablesaw, but I was outbid at the last hurdle. Again.
I hate E-bay.

Bugger.

 

[Mattty]

Thought I'd finally bagged a decent tablesaw, but I was outbid at the last hurdle. Again.
I hate E-bay.

Bugger.

do you use a bid snipping software such as http://www.justsnipe.com/
?
Very effective and free
HTH

 

[andycktm]

Its ok ,proberbly the sellers,brothers uncles sisters daughter putting a late bid in :lol:

 

[Jake]

That or one of the online sniping services is the only way to go. There's only one sensible way to buy on ebay auctions and that's to bid once, absolutely as late as possible, and at the top price you are really willing to pay (ebay's bid incrementing process will ensure you don't overpay if your own top price is way above anyone else's).

Any other method of bidding only does the seller a favour.

 

[matt]

That or one of the online sniping services is the only way to go. There's only one sensible way to buy on ebay auctions and that's to bid once, absolutely as late as possible, and at the top price you are really willing to pay (ebay's bid incrementing process will ensure you don't overpay if your own top price is way above anyone else's).

Any other method of bidding only does the seller a favour.

Absolutely spot-on. I've no idea why anyone would bid any other way, but they do...

 

[wobblycogs]

What I really have no idea about is why people don't complain to ebay and ask for a fairer bidding system. It tries to mimic a regular auction but it fails terribly. There is a really simple fix for the problem so sniping: if anyone bids in the last 15 minutes the auction is extended by upto 15 minutes. This would benefit both the sellers and the buyers as the sellers will tend to get a slightly higher price and fewer buyers will feel cheated.

 

[Jake]

It doesn't try to mimic a regular auction at all, and it doesn't fail at anything.
You just need to adjust your mindset away from the conventional auction mode.

If you are prepared to pay more than anyone else you will win the item, whenever you bid. There is no unfairness if you haven't properly thought through the items value to you, and you subsequently get outbid. Should have got it right first time. Bidding late doesn't change that either.

 

[Harbo]

Bid at the last possible second but also put a maximum bid that you are prepared to pay.

Rod

 

[big soft moose]

Thought I'd finally bagged a decent tablesaw, but I was outbid at the last hurdle. Again.
I hate E-bay.

Bugger.

tell me about it - ive had exactly the same problem 3 times this week. There is a very nice wadkin single phase sliding table on their with about a day to run - but its just gone through 400 notes and acending.

i'm loosing faith in ebay - think i'll just wind up going to a dealer , where at least everything has a marked price and everyone knows where they stand.

the other thing that annoys me is when you get a bidding war between too other bidders that pushes the price to stupid levels - for example i was watching a sip scms on there which rrps new at 180 notes - and these two muppets pushed it to 250 bidding against each other with a clear "i will not be beaten" mindset

 

[rileytoolworks]

Hey guys. I was just having a rant! (and I had to do it on here because SWMBO LOML isn't aware I was even bidding!!!!) I'm not berating E-bay, or late bidders, and the saw went for more than it was worth to me. I just got excited because up until the last seconds it looked like I was going to get it, then 7 bids came out of nowhere!
As I say, it went for more than it's worth to me (taking into account it was 200 miles away), and I myself usually bid towards the end of an auction, with a maximum I'll pay. This time however I had to bid early as I thought I'd be working away from home at auction end.
Thanks for the replies though.

Adam.

 

[Mike.C]

What I really have no idea about is why people don't complain to ebay and ask for a fairer bidding system. It tries to mimic a regular auction but it fails terribly. There is a really simple fix for the problem so sniping: if anyone bids in the last 15 minutes the auction is extended by upto 15 minutes. This would benefit both the sellers and the buyers as the sellers will tend to get a slightly higher price and fewer buyers will feel cheated.

I think that it is perfect the way it is. As others have said the best way to bid is to put the maximum you are willing to pay in as late as possible. This way you will either lose the item, win it but not pay more then you would want to, or win it and get it for an absolute bargain price (I have had some brilliant buys by nicking it from right under the other bidders nose at the last second:lol: and I certainly do not apologize for it:lol: What do they say "Its all fair in love and auctions":lol: Its all about keeping your nerve, and everyone including you can do the same thing, so what is wrong or unfair.

If you extend it by 15 minutes every time someone bids in the last 15 minutes, the only winner is the seller. Forget that and leave it the way it is.

On the other hand you guys are forum members so I would hate to find out I nicked it from under one of your noses.

Cheers

Mike

 

[wizer]

even tho I've been playing the eBay game since it's conception and been that last second sniper on more times than I care to remember, my heart still races when that bid goes in and I still get angry as hell when someone beats me. Even tho I firmly agree with deciding your highest bid and sticking with it. It just takes an hour or two after the auction to remind myself.

 

[misterfish]

I also do the last minute sniping and have got a few things that way. Something else I always do is always put a 'slightly over the amount I decide I want to bid' - in the case of my dust extractor and lathe I was successfull by only a matter of pence. I don't understand why somebody would bid £99.99, unles they're trying to bid up the amount hoping that somebody else will will go to £100.

Misterfish

 

[wizer]

I also do the last minute sniping and have got a few things that way. Something else I always do is always put a 'slightly over the amount I decide I want to bid' - in the case of my dust extractor and lathe I was successfull by only a matter of pence. I don't understand why somebody would bid £99.99, unles they're trying to bid up the amount hoping that somebody else will will go to £100.

Misterfish

indeed. I if my bid is £400 I always bid something like £412.33 I don't understand why, but it's very effective. er just don't copy me

 

[Dibs-h]

Thought I'd finally bagged a decent tablesaw, but I was outbid at the last hurdle. Again.
I hate E-bay.

Bugger.

do you use a bid snipping software such as http://www.justsnipe.com/
?
Very effective and free
HTH

www.goofbay.com is good as well & free, not to mention finds misspelt stuff as well.

 

[OPJ]

How is using this sniping software different to placing a maximum bid and watching the bids increase gradually that way?

 

[Jake]

Primarily because so many ebay users do not understand how an ebay auction works and don't put in their real maximum bid. They just put in enough to make them the current highest bidder and maybe some margin.

If you wait to the last second, those people don't get a chance to say "doh, that's still less than I am prepared to pay" and put in another bid.

If everyone understood the system they would put in their real maximum bid first time, and timing of bids would be irrelevant.

You can see the effect in any of the stupid bidding wars that go on - in which two bidders fight each other to get the price up. Daft. Both would be better keeping their hands to themselves, and shoving in their real maximum at the end, to see who values it more absent the competitive urge just to 'beat' the other person.

 

[Dibs-h]

I always bid relatively late and almost always bid the true maximum of what the item is worth to me or what I'm willing to pay.

I don't like bidding early as I have seen what I believe to be shill bidding in some instances - to raise the amount the item goes for, and as bidders identities are now masked it makes it even easier for folk to shill bid and fleece the punters. With late bidding - in the last 5-30 secs, it's a lot harder for sellers to do it.

As for against rules - Fleebay wouldn't\don't give a 5hit. Higher bid - higher fees.

 

[big soft moose]

How is using this sniping software different to placing a maximum bid and watching the bids increase gradually that way?

because if you place a high maximum bid early, it will be apparent to those bidding against you and risks them starting a bidding war with your auotomated bids (for example if you maximum bid is £50 current bid £10, when joe blogs bids £12 he will automatically be bid 14 , so he bids 16, automatically 18 etc all the waym up to the point where he bids 51 and beats you )

sniping software puts the bid in at the last few seconds of the auction and thus avoids the competitive urge to bid more from other bidders (so with the example above joe blogs bids £14 and thinks hes winning, then in the last three seconds your snipe of 50 lands, and he doesnt have time to react so you win.)

I understand the system but my problem is with working out how much old machinery in particular is worth, so where to place the snipe.

 

[9fingers]

Sniping is definitely the way to use ebay -even though it frustrates other sellers when you beat them.

Setting the snipe level is easy if you are totally objective about it. Bring in emotion and you are sunk!

Ask "What is the max price I am prepared to pay such that i won't regret bidding that much if I win". That is the snipe level.

It does not matter what you are buying - if you pay too much you regret it and if you don't offer enough you kick yourself.

An unsuccessful snipe costs you nothing and a successful is about 1% of the sale price - max 10$/ min 0.25$. Well worth it in my book.

The sniper will bid when you are away from the computer at work or in bed and will even snipe on multiple auctions only stopping when it has won you as many items as you specifiy. These are called bid groups.

Bob