Bid Groups?

That is where you want to bid on more than one of the same item, but you only want to win 1 (or maybe more if you want)
eg: there are 4 of the gizmos up for auction at this time. They may be the same seller or perhaps 4 different sellers. You want only 1 gizmo but you want to cover all of the auctions to try to get that 1 gizmo.
SO.. first and formost get all of them logged on your ready to snips.
second. on your ready to snipe page look on the right side for a small place to click on folders: Manage.
When that screen showes up. look on the left hand side. Set up the name, color and also click on the group bid box.
Then go back to your ready to bid page. hit update and let things settle down.
Then: click on the little box at the front of all 4 of those 4 gizmos. Then just above the area there you will see a box that says move to: before you click on that box be sure to change the file to the new gizmo file. then click on the move to: gizmo
Now, all 4 gizmos should change to the group folder color. Make doublely sure that you had listed it as a group bid when you first set up that folder.

Now the computer knows that you really only want one of the 4 gizmos. So it will keep bidding on those 4 gizmos auctions until you win one. Then it stops.

You might want to practice doing that with somthing cheep just for the practice. Once you get used to it it is the greatest thing to come along.

Good luck.

Coral,

Shop gave you a good general answer, so let me give you an example of one way I use bid groups (I use them all the time!).

About every 6 months, my HP printer needs a new ink cartridge. If I go to the local office supply store, I can buy one at retail for $25 - $30. However, I can pick one up on Ebay for about HALF that amount INCLUDING S&H. There are probably about 100 of my type ink cartridge up for auction on Ebay at any time. The KEY is I only want to win ONE!

Now I COULD snipe an auction, wait to see if I win, if not, find & snipe another, etc. until I finally win one. (Ugh! What a tedious PAIN!) OR I could snipe several auctions selling the same ink cartridge, but then I'd need to babysit(check) my snipes religiously to see when/if I won, so I could then CANCEL all the other remaining snipes, else I could very probably end up having MULTIPLE wins when I really only wanted ONE. That also is a lot more work and more restricting than I REALLY want to put up with!

OR....I can set up a BID GROUP! (In fact, I even have an empty ink cartridge bid group set up right now ready to go for the next time I need one!)

1) I set up a bid group (I named it "InkCart.") like Shop described.
2) I browse the ink cartridge auctions and set up my snipes like normal, EXCEPT instead of submitting it to "My Snipes", I submit it to my "InkCart." bid group. (The last time I did this, I had over a dozen snipes scheduled to bid on ink cartridges over about 3-4 days.)

Now here comes the really neat part! AS will snipe ALL those auctions in that bid group UNTIL I win ONE (I actually LOSE most of the auctions due to "Bid too low" or "Proxy outbid" because I'm doing lowball bidding looking for a bargain!!). Finally, when I win one of those sniped ink cartridge auctions, AS IMMEDIATELY and automagically CANCELS any remain snipes in that bid group -- I don't have to do anything! That protects me from winning MORE than I want! I can also keep adding snipes to that group UNTIL I win however many I indicate when I set up the group. I've only ever wanted ONE of what I've set groups up for, but AS allows you to setup for however many you want to win.

Once you become familiar with bid groups, you'll think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread and use them all the time!

One key thing to keep in mind: Once a bid group has successfully won the number of items you wanted, it becomes locked/inactive. If you decide you want to win MORE of that particular item, you'll need to set up a new bid group (no biggie!).

Hope this helps!

Snipe on (in bid groups!)

Jabbergah

Jabbergah,

Thanks for the eloquent explanation! You gave me a new idea on finding printer ink now! I just love it when a plan comes together!

You have to love bid groups. Once I learned how to use them, it made life so much easier. Jump in!

<-M->

Hi Magic!

The first time I used AS bid groups was for bidding on ink cartidges!

I've had good luck getting my ink cartridges off of Ebay for the last couple years or so. One thing you need to be aware of is that many of the ink cartridges being sold are past their "sell by" dates. I try to bid only on the ones that aren't too old. Also, there are a fair number of re-manufactured/refilled cartridges. No biggie, unless you specifically want an original manufacturer cartridge (which I do). Just read the item descriptions carefully, and skip over the ones that don't meet your expectations.

(I've also gotten my last 2 toner cartridges for my fax machine off of ebay.)

Like in any Ebay auction -- "Buyer beware!"

Snipe on!

Jabbergah

Hi. I for one am lazy. Sooo... After I have won one from my bid group name and want to start over like you do. All I do is go to the folder manager and change the number wanted on that folder. To me it is quicker than canceling and redoing. That way I can start all over again without the hassle of canceling and reprograming the same folder by name and color.

I have several Bid group folders working all the time and some just sit and wait until I need another one of the gizmos.
As you say. They are the best thing since tv dinners.

A good example. This eveing I had 2 different auctions in a group bid folder. They were for a bunch of gizmos that retail at about 3.00 each. well, I set my price at 2.00 each. I lost the first set to someone that paid well over the 3.00 retail rate each. A couple of hours later I won the next batch of those same gizmos for well under 1.50 each. HE HE HE. I just went about watching the boob tube and let AS do the job.

The shop

Shop, what did you set your snipe time at? I am curious to see how long they are taking.

The one I lost I had set for 8 sec. It is registered as loged at 10 sec. The winning sniper was at 4 sec.

The second one, I had set for 6 sec and was loged at 30 sec. I guess the others had spent their money on the first auction. Tooo Bad.

I feel like my symbol when I snipe and win. Shop

Lol, yes I know what you mean. It does really fit the occasion! You think this is me , sniping


but, no, this is me!!

Thank you all for your very helpful (and humorous!) replies. I also buy ink cartridges on ebay. I refuse to pay full price at a retail store. Even Walmart charges about $36 for a color cartridge. Now that I know about bid groups I'll definitely use it when I need new cartridges. I like the idea of AS continuing to bid for me until I get the price I want to pay.

Thanks again for all the help. It sounds like another addiction just waiting to happen.

BTW, I won another auction with AS tonight! Woo hoo! I set my snipe for a 12 sec lead because the auction ended at 8:03 p.m. I have another lined up to bid in a little over an hour from now. If that doesn't win (I'm not feeling confident) I'll set up a bid group because there's lots more where that item came from.