Always winning at Max bid???

who told you I was paranoid?

Auction numbers?

R2

Bid less.

all smartassedness aside this works well. What I do is let auction sniper do all the work. Lately I've been buying PS2 RPG videogames. There are usually 5-10 copies of each game that I am looking for online. I search the "completed" items and order them priced highest to lowest. This gives me an idea of what people have paid for that item and from those figures I decide its worth. I then snipe via bidgroup accordingly.

This doesn't work as well if it's a rarer item that doesn't appear as often on eBay.

I am have had this problem on two very expensive items I have bid on too. With bids very low until the last few seconds when it goes exactly to the price below my maximum bid, so I get at exactly the maximum I put in. To be honest this really does not look like a coincidence, and it makes me a bit worried about sniping to be honest, the last person who just under bid by the amount to enable me to get the item at the maximim was a private member too. I can't help thinking there is something happening. The auction numbers were
150020308731

190011996067

Could you let me know what you think?

I have looked at both auctions and nothing strikes me as "irregular"

Taking the second first.

This looks absolutely genuine - an item highly competed for. Sixteen or so bidders makes the risk of any type of "ring" very remote. If you look at the "underbidder" redz1940, he looks 100% genuine - he has chosen an "odd" amount to try and second guess his competitors (as you should - see my earlier thoughts on this subject)

If anything it confirms what you must have thought when bidding, that the current price level for this item is more £700 than what the others generally thought (around £500)

My other thought is that they were perhaps commercial buyers hoping to make their "turn" and that just left two genuine private buyers willing to pay almost "retail" prices.

The other item is much more difficult to assess - only 3 bidders (indicates a very narrow market) and two of you very close. The other bidder has also hidden his feedback which makes it impossible to see what else he bids on.

If he is the underbidder frequently (or conversely "pips you to the post" frequently) my guess is that he may be "marking" you and noting what you pay.

I collect old cameras - some extremely obscure and the literature is now quite valuable. I know that there are five international buyers in the area I am interested in and I can almost - but not quite - guess what they will bid!

Perhaps the best illustration is Schneider Trophy memorabilia - I will bid very highly for 1931 and only 1931 (my Uncle won that particular race) items. There are two others that will do likewise. In the end, we can ignore the rest of the market for we three practically determine it! (I note with concern a new entrant who pays double current prices - you have to notice these things because it influences your own bidding level!)

Is this likely in your case?

I am absolutely satisfied that AS is secure, if that helps. Its just that collecting anything does lead to paranoia at times!

Paul



The first auction