ebay snipping

[Andyfr]

I also agree with Dave. I have sold a lot of things on Ebay. I start the auction at the price I'm willing to sell for, if I get any more it's a bonus. If an item is desirable bidders will use proxy bidding to make sure they are in with a chance. As for buying, I always use proxy bidding to set my limit and bid when it has a couple of days to go. I do this just in case there is a problem with my Internet connection - still on modem dial up out here in the sticks. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I also got a great deal a couple of weeks ago (not on Ebay though) when the seller closed the auction early. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Gatorboy]

I have sold items as well on eBay, but I have a different theory: I do NOT use a RESERVE and I start the bidding at a ridiculously LOW price. Granted, if I only get 1 bidder I will loose my shorts (for the low price), but you would be suprised the number of bids that come flying in. As a seller this is just what you want -- you want many people putting in bids, so then you get the perfect bidding war set up.

Only on rare occasions have I lost money on an auction item.



Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann

 

[Von]

Dave,
I have done that with cheap items. But will not take the chance on higher priced items. I listed one item once three times that had a $950.00 reserve. First time it got to $250.00, second time only $68.00, and third time was the charm, sold for $1195.00. On higher priced or rare items you have to have the right buyers on at the right time. If they are out of town or not on line that week you could lose big time! But for low ticket items the "$9.99 no reserve" way works when you just want to clean house.

 

[Andyfr]

I think you are right Dave. I have seen sellers like yourself start the bidding at £1 for an item which would be worth a few hundred only to see the auction close with the item fetching more than it could be bought for in the store.

I don't do it because with my luck I would only get £1 /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif.

 

[Gatorboy]

Von, you are correct on the type of auction. If you are selling items that do not appeal to many people, then you must go the way of reserve.

Here is one of my old ebay auctions -- notice the starting bid, final bid, and how many bidders I had.



Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Franz,

I don't understand a seller who does not like the high bidder?

Al

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I love the high bidder, especially considering I have been the guy in front of the croud singing at auctions. The last few times I've sold on Epay, my experience has been snipers are killing off any auction action. Everybody seems to be into sniping, and with that mentality, the number of bids that come in is severely limited. When I see 30 hits on an auction from people looking at it in the first few days, and then see no bids, till the last couple minutes I figure I'm limiting my available bidders to those who can snipe in from hispeed connections. That AIN'T an auction.
By telling bidders I will end whenever I feel like it, bidders will either bid or not, but I feel it will encourage action. The Ebay system as currently configured is corrupted to favor buyers who use hi speed connections. Hopefully there will be a replacement for Ebay soon.

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color=blue>The Ebay system as currently configured is corrupted to favor buyers who use hi speed connections.</font color=blue>

That statement is totally FALSE! If you look at one of my previous posts above in this thread, I tell you how to snipe using 2 windows. I have sniped with equal success when I had a 33K modem vs. cable modem. Bottom line -- HIGHEST BIDDER wins.

Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann

 

[cp1969]

I always use proxy bidding. I don't want to be tied to the computer, so I figure out the max I'm willing to pay, submit it, and leave. If someone else puts in a last-second bid that outbids me, fine--they paid more than I was willing to. I don't see how that saved them any money, or cost me any.

 

[Gatorboy]

Apparently you didn't follow my example above with Clyde and Jane.

Why would you be tied to your computer? You know the exact date/time it will end.

Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann