Peter Smekal stopped searching for bargains long enough to write: "Hi all, slightly OT maybe, but what do you think is a good eBay-strategy: 1. Decide for a maximum bid, place it early, and then stay cool and just wait and see if you win, or 2. Observe the bidding "from outside", and get involved in bidding just at the end, with the risk of getting infected by "bidding frenzy" (rising your maximum bid several times, like the gambler who just wants to play just one more time to hit the jackpot)?"
I've pretty much given up on eBay. I've seen too many items sell at higher prices on eBay than they go for at KEH. However, if you must bid anyway, I suggest that you research the item thoroughly to establish the marketplace price for it. After you do that, you can determine what percentange of the marketplace price you're willing to bid. I always place my maximum bid between 50% and 70% of the market price because of the high fraud risk. I will occasionally go slightly higher if the seller has a 100% rating and I really want the item. I have better things to do then sit there refreshing auctions and trying to put a bid in at the last moment. On the few items that I do find interesting, I bid what I'm willing to pay and forget about it. I lose more auctions than I win but I don't get burned. I realized a long time ago that the $ saved / time spent ratio was far too low to continue putting any real effort into it. Tom Reese
