ebay - wierdbay...?

[RGDave]

I was a bit miffed to today to not get a crack at some irons on ebay (from Alchemy)...

I knew where I was trying to get to (bidding-wise) but it all went a bit odd in the last few minutes. Fair play to whoever "won" them and I hope Alchemy was fairly happy with the price....(I think they could have gone further!!)

It was all looking fine with 20 minutes to go but then ebay started upping the ante by a fiver....it got to approximately the "bottom end" price but I didn't want to go a fiver a time with 15 minutes to go (seemed guaranteed to light the auction fever). Anyway. I could have got them (of course) if I'd put in a maximum "way out there" like I have done in the past, then gone to the pub safe, but I tried to follow the action. Anyway, I tried to put in a price that was under a fiver up, but was told to re-bid.

What is odd is that I actually asked to place a bid that was ABOVE the final selling price. Is this normal?

Did I miss out because someone had put in a high bid which required other losing bidders to go up £5 a time, or is this the way it works. Surely any price above the final selling price would have sealed it??? Dunno...

Anyway, probably wouldn't have won, but surely lots of £2/3/4 bids with 10 minutes to go would push up the final price. Not upset to lose....there'll be other chances.

 

[TonyN]

I do wonder if after a certain amount of money, the bids have to go up in incriments.

Over £50 in £2's
Over £100 in £5's
Over £1000 in £10 etc.

Just a thought to get serious money moving and not really waste time over pennies, also, to up ebays fee, I am sure they now get 10% rather than a fixed price!

 

[The23rdman]

Use this, Dave.

JustSnipe

 

[medwayjon]

Yes, at certain intervals bids go up in incriments.

 

[Redwood]

Dave,

I think if someone had bid a price before you, and you bid the same price you don't win, for obvious reasons.

So, you probably tried to enter a price that someone already beat you to, although you couldn't see that as the screen may not have refeshed.

 

[Macster]

I never bid until seconds to go, and only then put the max I am prepared to pay, some you win.....some you dont......

But bidding early just helps prices rise ultimately, which is good for sellers and ebay, but not for us bargain hunters.

Similarly, when I sell, I usually put a reserve on, or a Buy it Now, as I never want to 'give something away' unneccesarily for a stupid price.

 

[TonyN]

Chris, I hope I am never interested in the same item as you, I click refresh untill 30 seconds to go, then bid my maximum, it has never failed me

 

[Dodger]

I for the life of me can never ever understand why with 4 days to go folk bang in bids??!!
For me I know my limit and enter it with seconds to go,as said some you win some you lose but showing your hand early in something you want just forces the price up.....stupid bastards all who do that.

 

[RGDave]

Thanks to everyone. I think I will revert to my old "chuck in the max" with an hour (or 30 mins) to go then not watch.

Certainly, at "real" auctions, the increments are quite big until the price gets near the expected, then folk start bidding smaller amounts. I've bought cars at auctions and a £2k car gets to about £1800 then goes in 50s, then 25s.

I got my Puma for £1875 (25 more than I'd planned), probably wouldn't have bid £1900....

Like I said, it was "just another" day, but I was surprised that the final price was actually lower than a price I'd offered....then again, who's to say that someone hadn't thrown in a big max offer, so I'd have needed to bid a couple of fivers more to get the green tick!!

Anyway....I'll be keeping an eye on Alchemy's shop, he certainly gets those irons looking ever so good....

 

[mono217]

Just slightly wierd the bidding system.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Mono - I thought with all your wheeling and dealing you'd have been the fountain of all e-bay knowledge

 

[mono217]

Mono - I thought with all your wheeling and dealing you'd have been the fountain of all e-bay knowledge

Haha thanks homer actually I do have an account and sell and buy but still some silly things on ebay.

 

[viscount17]

I think, from my limited experience of ebay, that it does this if the bid you put in doesn't exceed an existing maximum.

 

[RGDave]

I think, from my limited experience of ebay, that it does this if the bid you put in doesn't exceed an existing maximum.

I think this is it t.b.h. It still doesn't explain how I can put in a figure MORE than the final price and be refused.

If it's £100 and says I have to bid £105, but offer £101, then surely the winning bid needs to be more than £101, even if it's only £101.01