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Outbid at ZERO SECONDS! eBay needs to change how auctions end
eBay needs to change how they have there auctions end. The auction I was bidding on and was the only bidder for 8 days, I got out bid at zero seconds left.
2 comments
woodland_gnome
·2 years agoNo. There is no need for a change in eBay auction ending. They end at a particular time (they do need to go back to displaying the endtime to the second instead of the minute but the display is not the same as the actual timing). YOU need to change your strategy and not expect to be able to rebid if you are outbid.
Sniping is a defensive tactic that is the best single defense against shilling sellers. You have no need and no right to know anything about my bid to be able to bid effectively. If you can't decide your true maximum to bid in 7 days why do you believe you will do a better job in 5 minutes while in an emotional state over being outbid? On the other hand 5 minutes is plenty of time (particularly if it is extended by another 5 minutes as most auction extension proponents want) for a shiller to drive the price up to your supposedly hidden maximum and then retract the last bid if s/he goes over.
eBay's auction format is what makes it fair to those in up to 24 timezones with different work/sleep/computer schedules. Anyone can bid what the item is worth to them at any time and anyone can set up with a third party (there are reliable and secure ones which offer free limited use) to submit that bid in the last few seconds to get the defensive benefits of not having one's hidden maximum out there for others (again, including shilling sellers) to probe or otherwise base their bids on. Making it so those who are able to be there to react at the end have the advantage would be unfair.
Bid your TRUE maximum that you are willing and able to pay for that particular item as listed (don't forget to back out shipping etc.) WITHOUT REGARD to what others appear or don't appear to have bid. There is absolutely no need to figure out what others have or haven't bid or might bid* in determining your bid amount, since it ALREADY will have been figured into the price if you win. While some claim tactical reasons to place a lower bid early in the auction and then wait until near the end to bid your full TRUE maximum, I advise bidding only 1 time (can't repeat it enough: at your TRUE maximum) because you are never guaranteed a rebid (and there are circumstances where the prior bid prevents a rebid on that same auction). For several reasons later bidding is better than early bidding (doesn't use up your Limits, keeps your options open, doesn't leave your hidden maximum available for others, including dishonest sellers, to probe by "nibbling" at it) and I recommend using a third party "snipe service" (do a websearch, there are reliable and secure ones that are free for limited use or there are different fee schedules that best suit your bidding quantity and ratio of wins) to place your bid during the last few seconds using eBay's API rather than the not especially reliable web interface or, worse, mobile app.
*(other than to assume someone else will value the item about the same as you, so bid a bit ABOVE any round or roundish number you come up with to increase your chances of being on the winning side of what might have been a tie or a loss to someone else who knows this tip)
rfmtm
Mentor2 years agoHighest bid wins no matter when the bid is placed. Next time bid as high as you are willing to go and if yours is the highest at the end you win.