Pipped at the post on Ebay

[mdhome]

Looks like I have just been pipped at the post at the last minute whilst trying to buy a Parhelia on eBay. This is the 2nd time on a trot his has happened in the last few seconds of bidding. Oh well I have another bid in for one with another 3 days to go. Hopefully 3rd time lucky

ps anyone have any good tips for using eBay.
pps. It seems that the Parhelia holds it value rather well.

Regards MD

[MultimediaMan]

Snipe baby, Snipe!

If you have no idea what an item is worth, but the price is low enough to generate interest for you to try bidding for it, hold off until at least the last 5 minutes of the auction: Of course, do a little research beforehand; Find out what others are willing to pay for a similar item. Now comes the hard part: What are you willing to pay for it?

After you get a feel on what you think will be the final bid range of the item, place a bid for the MOST you are willing to pay with less than 15 seconds to go in the auction.

One can debate the merits and morality of Sniping auctions, but it is a fact of life on eBay.

Having a computer with Multiple displays really helps...

I have one browser setup for watching the Auction (Monitor #1)...and another for getting ready to bid on the Auction (Monitor # 2). I get ready to place the bid right after I refresh the Auction on Monitor #1: Checking the amount...I bid the maximum I am willing to pay on my first bid on Monitor #2. It is hard to beat that one-two punch. Pay as promptly as you bid: I usually wait until I am contacted before I pay.

It is important to get what you want for the price that you are willing to pay...forgetting for even a moment what you are bidding on can and will result in "End-user Anxiety".

For example: I watched a couple of noobs get into a bidding war over a NIC worth no more than $30 New: The Final Selling Price was $55.10. If it weren't such an old Auction, I'd post the URL here.

Try to put yourself in the frame of mind that whatever you are bidding on is worthless to you until you buy it. Never lose sight of how much your money is worth, however.

My eBay feedback is spotless, and I try very hard to keep them that way.

[agallag]

I won my first ebay auction a few weeks ago. Ended up with a great deal on a digital camera. I lost a few to snipers before I tried sniping myself. I didn't make my first bid until about 35 seconds from the end. The guy that bid with 3 minutes left must've been pissed, because I ended up with quite a good deal. It was a Canon S50, which go for about $900 retail, or about $830 at the mom & pop electronics shop, plus 15% tax. I got it for $740, with no tax or shipping (I picked it up). All prices in canadian dollars of course. All in all, a good experience.

Make sure you research the seller before bidding on anything. Don't just look at the feedback rating, check out their previous sales to make sure their good feedback isn't just based on selling little cheap stuff.

[az]

A kind of unfair method is to use sniper software - it's better at the timing than you are. This is not allowed by ebay, though they have no way of knowing you did it.

That said, I think this destroys the spirit and it is unfair. I don't do it.

AZ

[mdhome]

Do any of you use the on-line versions of sniping programs or is standalone program that you run from your PC? I am currently bidding for a Parhelia.


Regards MD

[mdhome]

Originally posted by az
A kind of unfair method is to use sniper software - it's better at the timing than you are. This is not allowed by ebay, though they have no way of knowing you did it.

That said, I think this destroys the spirit and it is unfair. I don't do it.

AZ

Az, I quite agree. I was bloody miffed. With less than a minute to go I was outbided and didnt even have time to raise my stakes.

As an aside, I am not prepared to pay £240+vat +p&p for a Parhelia and the LX will probably not cut it for what I want so I will have to use eBay.

[Gurm]

There are online services AND downloadable software. The online services have big ol' PC's that are synched to eBay... they're pretty decent.

Moral? Ethical? Probably not. But they work.

- Gurm

[MultimediaMan]

Money talks, all others must bring doggie scoops.

I tried a few of the Auction software packages...two monitors beats them - everytime. The basic problem is how they tell time and the safeties in place are too slow to beat someone who is actually watching the auction. I have hit a couple of auctions with less than 5 seconds to go....The auction software is generally timed to go in 10-15 second blocks.

[RedRed]

any service you would recommend?

I am forever getting beaten on Ebay (UK)

[UtwigMU]

wisit bolha.com. I was the only bidder for 3 days when I scored the Millennium.

Then you just call the owner (look him up in the phonebook if his e-mail is name.surname@mail.si) and fetch the product.