The darnedest thing happened tonight!!!

[Mamabear (Guest)]

My husband and I were bidding on an item on ebay that Rafsupply had to be auctioned and we ran it on up fairly well. Time was running out so we decided we would give it one last bid. I typed in some silly amount and it immediately came back that someone had already bid that same cent amount only $1.00 higher. So I thought ok, I will do this again only use an amount a lot sillier. Would you believe that it immediately came back that someone had already bid that same exact cent amount only $1.00 higher. Has anyone ever had this to happen to them on ebay?. For instance,one time I used a certain amount plus 1 penny. So immediately it came back to me that I had been outbid by $1.01, then I used a certain dollar amount plus .03 instead of the 1 cent earlier. Immediately it came back to me that I had been outbid by $1.03 ,I did this all within one minute or less. Isn't this strange? I know what I think about this but I believe this deserves some further study. It seems that there is a computer program that automatically outbids the person who has just recently made the highest bid, but this happened in the last 10 minutes of the auction of that item. Happy Woodowrking!! Mamabear (Betty)

[DB]

It may have been a proxy bid, which means that they have put in a maximum bid on the item say $200 and you bid $150 then the proxy bid is automatically $151 or whatever the bidding increments are for that item.

Happy bidding and work safely

[Mamabear (Guest)]

I appreciate your reply but something is amazing about this. I just done the same thing to another product and another seller and the same thing happened again. The way I found out about this is, that it makes no difference how weird my bid is the exact same figure only $1.00 higher will pop up. I understand the proxy thing but this is not proxy bidding at all. There is just too much coincidence in my figures that I use in bidding. Happy Woodworking!! Mamabear (Betty)

[Raven]

Betty,
It is proxy bidding. The computer automatically will go up in increments of a buck or whatever its set at, so if you bid 1.03, it will go up one dollar higher than that.

Raven

[Mamabear (Guest)]

If that is their way of proxy bidding I will always back off and let the computer have it because I feel it is a very dirty game to be playing. You know there was a song out a few years ago "Take this job and shove it" thats the way I feel about that bidding. Happy Woodworking! Mamabear {Betty}

[carla (Guest)]

hi, mamabear,

my partner tricia and i have been buying and selling thingamies on
ebay for a couple of years now (our ebay name is "wa6ube", tricia's ham radio call sign)

there's really only one way to have a good chance of actually
getting the bid on some item you really would like to get, and
its not at all difficult, but does take a little care to do......

its a little hard to get used to, compared to regular auctions
where you can keep waving a number tag til the price gets
higher than you'd like........but its the way the ebay
system works.....its really more like the "sealed bid" system for bidding on government surplus items, where you put in your bid, and, when the bids are opened at a particular time, you get the item if yours is the highest bid.......

if you really want something, you mustn't let anyone else know you're interested......wait to the very last few seconds before putting in your bid......

of course, if someone else wants the item, they will be doing the same thing......so, like the "sealed bid" system, it all depends on who puts in the highest bid.....

we have a nice old ships clock on the wall behind the computer, that was originally from a wartime "liberty ship" freighter, with a large dial and easily read second hand.....when an item is coming up on ebay, we check the time with the bureau of standards web site, and correct the second hand on the clock....

then, by watching the clock, we can "click" the "place bid" icon...or logo, or whatever it is, just a very few seconds before the ebay listing closes......

true enough, sometimes we find that someone else has done the same, and put in a higher bid, so we'll not get the item after all.....but thats the reality of bidding......if you decide you'll only pay just so much for an item, and someone else will pay more, well, alright, it was worth it to them.....

we've had good luck buying and selling old thingamies on ebay, but do be careful, cos there are some people there.....as in any large group.....that aren't honest.......i'd never buy anything really expensive on ebay, on the theory that you shouldn't gamble more than you can afford to lose.....usually, tho, its not too hard to get some reasonable impression of a seller, from the way they write about themselves or their items.....but you never know for sure.....

cheers

carla

[Mamabear (Guest)]

Carla, That is some good info for me to know. I really appreciate you telling me this. Happy Woodowrking! Mamabear (Betty)

[pampine]

Yes, this is proxy bidding, I do it all the time (that is, bid an amount much higher than 'necessary') whenever I bid early to try to discourage other bidders, looks like it works. :) Another good trick, not silly at all, is to bid an odd number, say $51.11 rather than $50. It's war out there, nothing's unfair.

Pam

[Mamabear (Guest)]

Pampine, thanks for your reply. BUT if at Ebay I am going to have to give as much or more than I can purchase that item or one better for at a reputable dealer you better believe I will go to the reputable dealer rather than take my chances on Ebay. I have been learning some horrendous stuff about Ebay and I will not be taking too many chances with that site. I have come to the conclusion : it is my money that is at risk. So I had rather be safe than sorry. Happy Woodworking! Mamabear

[pampine]

Of course, you set your price, seldom deviate; but if you're looking for old tools, it starts to get more reasonable.

One trick I've learned is to ask the seller a question, any question, the more germane the better. If s/he replies, even with an "I don't know", it's likely the transaction will work out.

Pam