My first ever eBay bid

Thanks, Djizasse! Very informative. I really like the two window approach, and that's great info regarding being on the confirmation page for the maximum bid. That hadn't occurred to me. I was just thinking that I'd have to do it earlier in order to get past that page.

Green light. Repeat. Green light.

I feel like I should pick some meaningless auctions to hone my sniping skills:



[I'm too lazy to replace the image with one of someone watching eBay with their finger on the mouse button. ]

Adam said:

I feel like I should pick some meaningless auctions to hone my sniping skills: ]

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Wait!

I've got a bunch of useless crap that you can practice on, right down to sending me money.

Good one, Alex! Nah, I was just kidding. I'm gonna hold on to my cash for a final assault on the punk that outbid me on the one thing that I want. What I lacked in experience on this first eBay bid, I can partially make up for in tenacity and moderate resources.

I might try a last minute bid on a similar item that so far has no bids on it, just to try some of the good advice that's been posted here.

What were you after? Do you know about Advanced Search and Completed Listing Only?

If you really want to win bids start bidding with unusual numbers. I always bid like this: xx.01

Adding the extra penny always beats out the person who bids to the dollar. Try using xx.x3 or something. Always works.

And always bid at the last 30 or fewer seconds. Any bidding before just drives up the price.

-pat

Alex2507 said:

What were you after?

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It's still up for a few days. I'm too paranoid to mention it here until the auction is over. Not that I don't trust everyone who comes to view this forum...but I don't.

pzaur said:

And always bid at the last 30 or fewer seconds. Any bidding before just drives up the price.

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I learned my lesson, Pat! Others mentioned that, and thanks for the advice. I was watching another similar item that only had one bid for days, so I guess that I figured that this item would be the same. Turns out, that was wrong. I'm more prepared now, though.

As for bidding just above a dollar amount, I had thought of that...and that's also good advice. I just figure that I'll put in a max bid that will either win this hands down...or make the other person pay a lot more than they had expected. The first outcome is preferred, but the second would give me some satisfaction given that the person kept coming back and jacking up the bid well past what it was to get past my other max bids. Yes, I do have a little bit of a vengeance streak in me...

Adam said:

I just figure that I'll put in a max bid that will either win this hands down...or make the other person pay a lot more than they had expected.

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Ahh...the sweet satisfaction of losing an item and making the winner pay a lot more!

-pat

Well, I just used the good info from you all to win my first item. It's not the one that I've been talking about...that showdown will be later this week. However, I wanted to try out the techniques. Putting down my bid with under 30 seconds to go. Turns out, I was the only bidder and got it for the opening bid, but it was good practice. Even though there was no competition, I had no way of knowing that - especially given that apparently a few of you all wait until the very end to bid. Quite an adrenaline rush, being my first time.

Adam said:

Well, I just used the good info from you all to win my first item. It's not the one that I've been talking about...that showdown will be later this week. However, I wanted to try out the techniques. Putting down my bid with under 30 seconds to go. Turns out, I was the only bidder and got it for the opening bid, but it was good practice. Even though there was no competition, I had no way of knowing that - especially given that apparently a few of you all wait until the very end to bid. Quite an adrenaline rush, being my first time.

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See buddy told you it was fun. It is a rush for sure, bidding and winning....

I jut use a sniping program to enter my max bid during the last few seconds of the auction so I don't even have to be at the computer when the bidding ends!

Adam said:

Quite an adrenaline rush, being my first time.

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You think that's an adrenaline rush? Wait 'till you get screwed the first time!

GlocksRock said:

I jut use a sniping program to enter my max bid during the last few seconds of the auction so I don't even have to be at the computer when the bidding ends!

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Now that's clever. I'll have to look into that.

Thanks, GR!

Alex2507 said:

You think that's an adrenaline rush? Wait 'till you get screwed the first time!

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I'm preparing myself for later this week. This other bidder might be a tough nut to crack. Either that, or they'll crumble like a cookie when I smack down the max bid with 30 seconds left...

Adam said:

Now that's clever. I'll have to look into that.

Thanks, GR!

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No problem... http://baygenie.com/#AuctionSniper

GlocksRock said:

No problem... http://baygenie.com/#AuctionSniper

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Genie in a Bottle...nice. I haven't heard that in a while.

Adam said:

I'm preparing myself for later this week. This other bidder might be a tough nut to crack. Either that, or they'll crumble like a cookie when I smack down the max bid with 30 seconds left...

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I was thinking more along the lines of when you end up with an item that is not as described or faulty. A few years ago I got on eBay and thought it was the cat's meow. After about 100 transactions I had maybe 3 that weren't right. I then could see that the risk was all mine and the seller was better protected. I know that there is a recourse but for me it was not worth the hassle. Matt34 and Ed Hardinson? are 2 members here who have had crazy stuff happen to them.

Let's say that my first 100 transactions were in the first 2 years. My next 7 transactions were in the next 2 years. You see what I'm getting at? Winning an auction is a rush and getting the package makes a regular day seem like Christmas but a good porking makes you wake up and smell the coffee. When it happens to you try to take it like a man. LOL

Oh I just have to say it: It's kinda like prison sex. You may not like it but you do have to take it and it's really not so bad once you learn to relax a little.

Happy Bidding.

Alex2507 said:

I was thinking more along the lines of when you end up with an item that is not as described or faulty.

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Ahhh, gotcha! This time, I bid on something in which the person has had 100% positive feedback since 1999, so I feel pretty safe about it. I'm typically a risk-averse individual, and I look into things before I cough up any cash. This item was also < $20, so I'm not in too deep.

As for prison, ummm, luvin'...too many comments...must not type them out...

It is fun though, right Adam?

jamie2112 said:

It is fun though, right Adam?

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eBay or prison?

Yeah, eBay is kinda fun. There's only one item that I want right now, and I've got a few days before I need to gear up for the final assault. I have to say, I'm more of an Amazon.com man - see it, click it, instantly own it.