Understanding Bid History

[natkn77]

Trying to understand this bid history. You can see that the current high bidder bid $72 19hrs ago but the 2nd place bid was more recent at 10hrs ago.  Are the bid times shown in the history the time when the bid was placed or when the amount was set for auto bid or something? And if the current high bid was an auto bid how do they not have any previous bid in the history from when they set up the auto bid? I am assuming when you set auto bid and your max the first thing it does is place a bid so you are the current high bid. Thanks

[soh.maryl]

When a bidder uses an actual sniping service, he can set up the actual time he wants the service to jump in with his bid.  He does not have to have made any previous bids.

Not sure that's what you are asking, however.  

[nobody*s_perfect]

The time shown in the bid history is the time that the bid was originally placed.   Bids are shown in order by amount, not by the time they were placed. 

The bid is shown only once on the bid history unless you choose the display option "Show automatic bids" (which IMHO just makes it more confusing).

All bids on eBay are "automatic" bids; it's not a separate option, it's just the way eBay bidding works.  

An early, high bid will just "float" at the top of the bidding history as other bidders come along and place bids that aren't high enough to outbid it.  

[mudshark61369]

@natkn77,

If you enable the Show automatic bids option on the bid history page you will probably see that t***t bid shortly after o***n did.  If you login the classic way without using the app more information is available including time stamps down to the second when a bid was placed. Bids in bold were bids that took the lead until out bid. 

I disagree with what nobody*s_perfect wrote about automatic bids.  If a person only bids the minimum amount showing when they bid, that is an incremental bid. An automatic bid is one for more than the minimum amount showing. eBay will only use as much of that bid as is necessary to keep the bidder in the lead by one more increment if others bid, until they are either outbid or win the auction. Read the info in the link below about bidding on ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/bidding/bidding?id=4003

Because you are a new member, you will only be allowed to place a few bids, because of ebay's new buyer limits. (link below)   What is not explained in the link, are open transaction limits. An open transaction is any purchase not yet paid for, or bids on auctions that have not ended.   Bids are considered open transactions (OTs)OTs used back to use again., because each one is active until the auction ends.  You may be out bid, but a seller could decide to cancel another bidder's bid for some reason, or another bidder could retract their bid, so you might win the auction.  At first you only get 4 total open transactions to use at one time.  Once you pay, or lose an auction, you get the number of you used OTs (bids) back to use again.  There are ways to get the new buyer limits increased. That info is in the link too.

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/buying-limits-restrictions/buying-limits-restrictions?id=4012

The best way to win eBay auctions is to wait until near the end of an auction, then place an automatic bid for the most you are willing to pay for the item.  If no one else bids you can win the item for less than your maximum amount.  The later in the auction you bid, the less chance of another person reacting to your bid.  Sniping mentioned in the first link can be done two ways.

1) Manually, while watching the countdown clock which takes some practice since the info you see on your screen may be many seconds old because of delays between the time info is sent, then received and displayed on your screen.

2) Using a bid/sniping service to place a bid for you. Their servers are closely synched to ebay's servers and they can bid at the very last second.  Some charge a fee, and before engaging one read its reviews.   Good Luck

[mudshark61369]

@natkn77,

One more thing.  When you find an auction you want to bid on, place the item in your watch list, NOT the cart.  The cart only works with fixed price items.  If you win an auction you can place it in the cart, because it has essentially become a fixed price item.  What is easier is just to pay from the listing page.  Most experienced members only use the cart to pay for multiple items at one time, or to request a total with combined shipping if you buy more than one item from a seller.