bidding up to the max bid

[stripp70]

How is it that when I set a maximum bid (usually a high number) the other bidder keeps bidding right up to the point where their bid is just below mine. As if they are waiting to pounce, How can they know what my max bid is before placing their max bid? hope that question makes sense. Its a good strategy, I'm just trying to understand how it works. If I keep bidding on something to get the max bid I wont know it ahead of time, only when i get max bid in which case im told im the highest bidder. That makes sense right?

[eburtonlab]

No one knows your maximum bid but you, at least up until the point where someone bids within one bid increment of it or outbids it.

If you are concerned with others bidding you up and discovering your maximum, wait until the end of the auction to place your bid.

If you are setting your maximum based upon the value of the item up for auction, is it that much of a surprise that someone else might place a very similar value on the same item, and then place a bid very close in value to your own?

[stripp70]

that makes sense.