Why bid in last seconds rather than use automatic bidding?

[brecs]

eBay's Tips for Winning Auctions  says, "Bide your time. You stand a greater chance of getting the item by placing your highest bid in the closing seconds."

Why is this better than putting in my maximum bid a few days before the end and relying on automatic bidding?

[quiltgeek]

"Automatic bidding" is eBay's phrase for ALL auction bidding. That bid you place in the last 3 seconds of the auction is just as much an automatic bid as all the other bids placed earlier or later.

If you bid several days before the end of the auction that gives other bidders all the remaining time to find the listing and bid one or more times against your current showing bid. 

If you bid in the last seconds of the auction, it's much less likely that other bidders will be able to bid after you.

'

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@brecs wrote: ... Why is this better than putting in my maximum bid a few days before the end and relying on automatic bidding?

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Because many bidders are reactive bidders. If they see that they are outbid, they will bid again, sometimes again and again and again, until they are in the lead or until they reach a point where the are not willing to go any higher, thus driving up the winning bid price.

This might be because their first bid did not reflect what they were actually willing to pay. Or maybe they have no idea what the item is worth, but when they are outbid, they figure it must be worth more so they bid more. Or it might be because they just can't stand the idea of being outbid. 

So by placing your bid during the final seconds of the auction, you remove the chance that other bidders will bid against you again after seeing that they have been outbid.

[woodland_gnome]

It is also the single best defense against dishonest sellers "shilling" their auctions with other accounts.  AND keeps you options open.  AND doesn't use up your Open Transaction Limits except during the few seconds between when you bid and when you lose or pay (assuming you pay immediately after it ends).

[simba6]

Once you place a bid it hangs over your head like the sword of Damocles. If you change your mind of find a better deal your stuck unless your out bid.  A bid jut before the end lets you know right away if you won or have to keep looking.  Then there is the "nibbling" that takes place on your bid if placed early.

[little.font.lord.leroy]

Proxy bidders, bid the most they are willing to pay and hope to win the item. Snipers bid the highest the are willing to pay, and hope for a deal. I do both, but more often snipe.

If an item is at my highest mark to start, I will bid that amount and hope no one is willing to bid more. If an item starts at $0.99 the seller is inviting sniping and bidders who will nibble at the bids, so I don't place a proxy then.

[brecs]

Yikes, so many helpful replies! I don't know which one to Accept as Solution -- I assume there can be only one. Is it better for Community's ecology that I select one rather than not?

[nobody*s_perfect]

Pick the one that would be the most helpful when this thread comes up in some member's future search on this issue.

[soh.maryl]

My personal opinion:  Neither is better.  It's basically up to the buyer, whatever he feels works best for him.  

[mudshark61369]

@brecs,

  "Why is this better than putting in my maximum bid a few days before the end and relying on automatic bidding?"

The top Tips from all of previous replies condensed are:

1)  Because many bidders are reactive bidders. If they see that they are outbid, they will bid again, sometimes again and again and again, until they are in the lead or until they reach a point where the are not willing to go any higher, thus driving up the winning bid price.

2)   If you bid in the last seconds of the auction, it's much less likely that other bidders will be able to bid after you.

3)  It is also the single best defense against dishonest sellers "shilling" their auctions with other accounts.

4) My suggestions:

A) If you cannot be near your device when the auction is going to end, then place an automatic bid as late as you can in the auction.

B)  Search on line for  Bidding / Sniping services.  There are several articles and lists of the best services to use if you want a service to place a bid for you in the last seconds.

As for picking one of the tips as the Solution there is not just one.  You do not have to accept a solution for the topic.

[rmassey988]

I just don't get how after 20 years of EBAY tactics people would bid up! early. 

Item starts at $1  7day auction.

I bid a $2 just to get it into my reminders.  Item is going for $800-$1k

come back the next day and 2 people have driven it up to $1k with 5 days left. 

People are free to do what they want but from a Buyers Game Theory perspective this is terrible strategy for all potential buyers including the winner.

Great for the seller tho. 

[janet9988]

An advantage to placing a max bid early is, in the case of a tie, the earlier bid wins.

[12345jamesstamps]

Sone auctions where I live end at 5 or 6 AM. I would never get up that early to bid at the last minute. So I do the highest bid I would bid. Have to realize all the people around the world in different time zones. I also like to do 3 bids in a row...one higher than the other. It keeps these .50 bidders away. The less bids on an item the less it will be seen....those key words..."highest numbers of bids"...everyone looks for these to see what everyone is bidding on.

[kh-taylarie]

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