Hi, I missed the first part of this discussion...I admit I don't have time to read everything here in detail. However, on the point of online or ebay bidding. Check out bidz.com (jewelry, etc. auction). They have a system whereby if anyone puts in a bid in the last 15 seconds, the auction is extended another 15 seconds. One MUST be present in order to get a "deal," which is what I'm sure we're mostly looking for. If not present one could lose a great item for literally a single buck. Yet...if 2 people really want something I've seen the bidding go nuts in a matter of a few minutes...hysteria?? And if one has a limit, obviously they won't be able to compete, or even want to.
As far as putting your "max" in, it will not necessarily work...it's risky. I've seen some items on bidz go waaaaay over what is normally bid (they often have repeats). I suspect that sometimes there is malicious or ignorant bidding which can get the price into the stratosphere. Theoretically, if one really wants something, one could bid a million dollars and assume that it will come to rest at a "real" value before that amount. ;) I think the bidz system works quite well for buyers. HOWEVER, lately they have put reserves on almost everything...which to me says that things are not going great for them. On the other hand, they do offer "second chances," either to the high bidder, or sometimes to any bidder listed on it when there is a reserve. Auction Bidding, in general, is an interesting topic! :) I personally would not use bidding software. Just as I would not use it in a real-life auction. I need to be present for the end. And, BTW, for a real-life auction, it pays to be there early-on, to see what the crowd is like, what the temperament is, who is bidding heavily, at what time in the auction your item of interest will appear (early? late when everyone is either tired or spent out??). I feel that ebay has not "adapted" adequately! I rarely frequent the site, although I had been a regular seller/buyer way back when. To be a seller now, one MUST accept electronic payment...something I don't trust as a seller...particularly since the feedback system is now one-sided. There are as many sneaky buyer tricks as there are seller's (tricks). :) Ger ----- Original Message ----- From: Merle Sprinzen To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 6:35 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Sniping software But if you were willing to pay more than $200 if there was a bit higher, then you should put that higher bid into the snipe program. If you put the truly highest price you're willing to pay into the program you'll never lose on an item you were willing to pay more for. On Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:25:53 -0500 "s.l. rexrode" <[email protected]> writes: > > Sniping is common practice because I feel eBay has set things up > this way. Years ago, I suggestedto eBay that they conduct their > auctions more like real life auctions. This could easily be done if > eBay wouldextend an auction 5 minutes if any bid came in during the > last 5 minutes of an auction (or "x" number of minutes).This would > simulate real auctions by the common practice of the > "going...going....gone" method of selling.Bidders could still bid up > to their maximum and I feel the seller would get the best price this > way. Perhaps if eBayinstituted this method of selling, most of the > bids would come in at the end, but then again many eBay auctionssee > a flurry of activity at the end. If I bid, say $200 (whether on > eBay or a live auction) and the next bidder came in at $201, chances > are I would consider bidding $202 (or higher) depending upon how bad > I wanted that item. Attimes, it would be nice to have a second (or > third) chance at something.....on eBay that is. > Lee > Rexrode ____________________________________________________________ Banking Click here to find the perfect banking opportunity! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=9qVuGy7Ys6TF3HHSXY5ETgAAJ1D2EGWQJgc2Zfu3rGBZpu80AAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAXeAAAAAA= _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
