Do you have a strategy on ebay????

[SamMarlowPI]

lol!!!! I lose a lot too!! So, most of the time when it's not too expensive I use the "Buy it now"!! [huh]

same here!
i bid if i can freakin' remember...lol

 

[Dr Doran]

If I find something that is mislisted or poorly listed/described, I will bid a small amount early because it prevents the seller from revising the description. The other thing it does is make it unlikely that another bidder will win the item with a lowball buy it now offer.

Then, I will bid what I am actually willing to pay for the item at the last minute either manually or using a snipe program.

Clever.

 

[GWD]

Now now [shakes index finger]. Play nice.

That was actually a compliment! Military Snipers are a subject I find very intriguing.

 

[Dr Doran]

That was actually a compliment! Military Snipers are a subject I find very intriguing.

Sorry.

 

[pablocham]

In my opinion the most confounding thing on ebay is the solicited buy it now. Somebody puts up an item for auction starting at .99 or 9.99. Then a buyer sends them a message requesting a buy it now price that is low relative to the actual worth of the item, but high, perhaps, relative to the seller's perception of the item's worth. As an example, let's say I am selling an old leather jacket that some idiot painted on and that I hope to get fifty bucks for, but is actually an A-2 worth at least $1500 in a fair auction. Some intelligent buyer sends me a message that he will buy it if I give a buy it now price of $250. Why do sellers fall for this? If somebody sends me such a request and gives a figure that is higher than what I value the item at, it tells me five things:

1. the item is worth more than their offer.
2. there is some demand for the item that may not be reflected by the number of people listed as actually watching the item or by the number of hits the item has received.
3. the buyer doesn't think they can actually afford (i.e. the item will sell for more than they are willing to pay, though they may actually pay the money anyway out of spite or competition) the item if the auction goes through to the end. Really just another way of saying #1.
4. there is probably something wrong with the way I have listed the item.
5. I have failed to properly research the item.


This approach of contacting sellers and asking for a buy it now price is something that I have often considered, but never actually followed through on. Mostly this is because I worry that the seller will post the buy it now price and somebody else will beat me to the button. If it is an item that I really want, I am fine taking my chances in a fair auction for a mislisted or poorly listed item. Also, I would feel somewhat underhanded or sneaky doing this, even though I don't think it is underhanded at all. In fact, my own strategy of lying in wait so as not to alert the seller to the actual value of the item is probably more underhanded.

Why do sellers fall for this? Also, why don't more people do this? Or, do more people do this?

 

[MJrules]

My good Lounger, PLENTY of superb stuff just happens to go unnoticed. Plenty. I have found marvelous things for a pittance and the Lounge is full of tales of people who have gotten e.g. a fedora for cheap on the Bay.

Ah, thank you for the encouraging and confidence-building words, kind sir.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I think lots of people do what you describe. I can't count the number of auctions for high quality vintage i've been watching that have been ended because "the item is no longer available" or "there were errors in the listing", never to be seen again.

bk

 

[cookie]

I ask myself, what is the absolute maximum amount I am willing to bid on this item, then I bid it and sit back.

Or...if I definitely want to win it, I will snipe. I wait until there is about 30 seconds left and then put in a bid quite a bit higher than the top bid. That way, they don't have time to catch me. Also, I put in an odd bid, i.e. $45.32 or some such amount. I win a lot doing that.

If I really want something and it is available on a "buy it now," I just buy it if the price is right. No hassle that way, no guessing, and I don't have to wake up at 3 in the morning to snipe.

karol

If you are waiting up you should use a sniper service - most are free. I use gixen.com

 

[cookie]

I prefer Buy It Now, too. I don't wake up at 3 AM to snipe, though--I do it way ahead of time so I don't forget about it. I just put in the highest highest highest amount I'd conceivably pay, usually higher than I expect anyone to go. If I still lose then, I just think it went for way more than it was worth, considering my high bid is also sometimes more than I think it's worth (I just don't mind paying more if I really really want something. Unless it's just insane).

An old friend of mine used to be in the second hand furniture auction game and always used to bid a little bit higher for an item. The dealers always gave him heaps for paying too much. His answer? - yeah but I got it right?lol