Bidding against myself ??

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Originally posted by pickaberry:
I have been using AS successfully for months but am still unclear on the following issue - If I place have a snipe set for my max and also have a lower manual bid in that is the high bid right down to the wire, will AS bid against me or will AS recognize me and not enter my max bid.
Thanks
Martin

MTN

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eBay uses 'proxy' bids, so as long as you are using the same account to bid from AS, the only thing that will happen is that your maximum bid amount will increase. If you are using a different eBay account to place the manual bid then AS will certainly bid against you

Mother Mary Says, 'HONESTLY! you're just ruint!'

This is from AS facts:

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65. What happens if I am already the high bidder, and I snipe against myself?

This is one of the most common questions that we receive. Here is the answer straight from eBay:

"In most cases you, as a bidder, cannot bid against yourself. However, there are a few exceptions where this can occur, and I have listed these incidents for you below.

Let's say you are tied with another bidder and you hold the official high bid because you placed that bid amount first. If you place another bid, you will lost your favored "early bird" status. As a result of putting in another bid (causing you to become a later bidder), the system will increase your bid to one bid increment more than the previous bid just so that you can keep the position of high bidder.

Another instance where it would appear that you are bidding against yourself would be if your current high bid is between bid increments. If you were to place another bid, your bid will increase to the next round bid increment.

The high bid will always try to be a full bid increment over the next highest bid. If you are currently less than one bid increment over the next highest bid, then raising your maximum bid will increase the current high bid to a full bid increment above the next highest bid.

Also, in a reserve auction, if you are the current high bidder and the reserve still has not been met, your bid may be raised if you place another bid that meets the reserve amount. On reserve auctions, if your maximum proxy bid meets or exceeds the reserve amount set by the seller, the system will place a bid so that the reserve is met. This allows for an auction to be ended successfully

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That last paragraph makes my head spin - I am OK until the word proxy comes in..

and whats the reason for not disclosing the reserve to a bidder?

Mory, let's say the reserve is $100.00...my bid showing is $80.00, but I have the proxy set at$110.00. If, at the end of the auction, the bid of $80.00 is still the highest showing, Ebay will boost the proxy up to $100.00 to meet the reserve...thus the auction has a winner.

You know, games people play...IMO! ...I say, why not start the auction out at your min. and let it go?

I think the displayed bid on eBay will move to the reserve price as soon as it is met. In Mrs.Ms example the price would jump to $100 as soon as her $110 bid was placed.

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eBAy:
If your maximum bid is the first to meet or exceed the reserve price, the effective bid displayed will automatically be raised to the reserve price.

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Why have a hidden reserve price? A 'normal' bidding war takes 2 or more bidders. With a reserve you only need one bidder. He/she can start a bidding war with the reserve price and nibble all the way up to it.

I have re-read the whole 3 times -

Is any initial bid, the highest I want to bid, called a proxy?

Why not disclose the minimum acceptable amount and get on with the bidding. I can't see why my favorite auction house fools around starting a bid at a dollar when the minimum they will sell for is $50. Next to the item is a Buy it now for $59 so I know all gradual bids are a waste of time up to $50. Are they just trying to generate a bidding fever. I like listings that say no reserve. For me thats
an auction.

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Is any initial bid, the highest I want to bid, called a proxy?

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Yes.... >>Click Here<< for eBay explanation of proxy bidding.

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Are they just trying to generate a bidding fever.

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Yes, I think so... I'm with you, I don't care for reserve auctions and avoid them (when I can). Give me a minimum opening bid instead. If my bid won't meet a minimum, don't waste my time by making me bid against a secret minimum.

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Originally posted by Mory:
I have re-read the whole 3 times -

Is any initial bid, the highest I want to bid, called a proxy?

Why not disclose the minimum acceptable amount and get on with the bidding. I can't see why my favorite auction house fools around starting a bid at a dollar when the minimum they will sell for is $50. Next to the item is a Buy it now for $59 so I know all gradual bids are a waste of time up to $50. Are they just trying to generate a bidding fever. I like listings that say no reserve. For me thats
an auction.

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Mory, it is a proxy IF you let's say..the bid showing is $50.00 by someone else..you bid $100.00...Ebay would bid $51.00 of your $100.00 right away because that is the next increment...the, as someone else bids, it would bid the next increment, etc. til you won or were outbid over the $100.00 proxy. Proxy generally means allowing someone or thing to bid as needed for you up to your max amount. In sniping, it is a one shot proxy bid at the last moment.....I'd debate reserves..I hate them...but you'll get in to a war in here ! LOL!

Yes, Puppy is correct. As soon as any bid first hits the reserve price, ebay jumps to that as the current high bid and displays it with (Reserve Met) following the bid price.

This can be quite a surprise to some naive bidder assuming a Reserve auction behaves like any other, only posting up in increments, when all she wanted to do was find the reserve. (But I'm over it now!)

As far as a reserve price goes, I always figured it was so the seller got his price and didn't lose money, without displaying a high start price that discouraged bidding. The idea, I suppose, is to draw people in, generate interest, and let bidders talk themselves into paying more than they initially might have wanted to, bit by bit. It seems to work, though sometimes the seller aims too high and doesn't get the reserve met.

When that happens, I sometimes wonder if I should contact the seller to see if they will change their mind. I haven't done it yet, though.

Got It Now - Thanks to you both - Now I know why I don't . = I don't need to know, It's just
feels good to think I know why I spent what I did.
I had as much fun bidding this week on $2 VHS tapes as buying a jet ,
I am learning not to bid on anything that is more than 4 hrs from closing. That way I win more and pay less. Thanks mory

I've contacted sellers with reserves before to inquire as to the amount of the reserve. Most of the time they will tell me, and then I decide if I want to bid or not.

Usually though, I pass on the reserve auctions, at least until someone else meets the reserve For the items I usually bid on, if the seller has set a reserve you can bet it's not in line with what that item usually goes for. Serving pieces of my grandmothers china pattern for example, usually go for around $130. There are a few 'professional' sellers that routinely set a reserve of $250 or more on them (or so they've told me when I inquire). More often than not they don't sell.

Mother Mary Says, 'HONESTLY! you're just ruint!'

I hate waiting and waiting and then fiding out the reserve is set way too high!

On MY "reserve" auction, the reserve was met within the first 24 hours!
I got ONE e-mail that asked what the reserve was and before I could reply
the reserve was already met!

Jabbergah                                                    

Yes, well, of course your reserve was a tich low! LOL!

Jabber, I see snipers in your future!
Not long now... Good Luck.

Puppy, I agree..I would be shocked if it didn't happen, but if not, he has done very well!

...one sniper is apparently in the hunt! Got an e-mail from a guy that said he PLANS to bid LATE in the auction, but will be out of town until Tuesday -- not to get nervous about not hearing from him right away if he wins. Wonder if he uses AS?!?

Jabbergah                                                    

Lol, are any of us going to gone til Tuesday?

...of value, the current winning is bid is near the upper end of what most of the e-mails I've received speculated. Only ONE e-mail suggested the value should be $4000 plus! That too is OK with me!!

Funny thing, I found an online vintage guitar shop that had an IDENTICAL guitar, right down to color. The difference was this one was a working instrument -- it was well worn & BEAT! -- whereas mine is a closet queen! The price for THAT one? -- $2900! Mine should see at least a few more $100 just for the condition of "her highness!"

Jabbergah                                                    

...that guy who said he was going to be at the airport???

Jabbergah                                                    

Also, your high bidder has only placed one bid. Since then there has been 5 bids that didn't take him out of the lead.

I think that is a good sign! (one nuke down, one to go?)

Well, my granddaughter just stopped by to invite me tonight for dinner. I'll bet I miss the closing!! You got to stay here til I get back or post the details, Jabber!! LOL!

Oops, just realized we're not under the lamp post. Sorry about that.

...that high bidder's bid is over a week old. He placed his bid, than e-mailed me requesting specific additional pics. He was the incentive for me to add all those additional pics. I figured if I was going to all the trouble to do the extra pics, why not make them available to ALL potential bidders! The e-mail question/traffic has really slacked off since I posted that additional description with the extra pics. Apparently, the questioning is no longer "What is the item?, etc.", but the more introspective, "How much can I afford to bid?" I'm hoping BUNCHES!! LOL!

Jabbergah                                                    

Well, you know we ALL have our fingers crossed for you! Hey the other large item is doing quite well too!

Let me ask a question: Are you comfortable selling an item you know little about -Something you know is worth say $300.

And does that make you post it with a longer auction time?

I should have said - I have two Queen very big double Wedding Ring hand sewn quilts, one Red & one Yellow. Feel they are worth $300 but who knows?

Just MY opinion, but the length of an auction depends more on how rare it is than it's value. Items that have 100 listings or more of like items, doesn't seem to be much advantage to listing for more than 3 days, 7 tops for the more expensive things. Items that only show up once every blue moon, I'd go for the max length.

I have bought and sold items in excess of $1000. Mrs.M I'm sure can top that by far, and Jabber (if he hasn't already) is about to.

Mory, that is a speciality in itself. Before I put them on, I would do a lot of investigating. Some are worth about that, some much more. Do a web search. Check Ebay. Get as much info as you can...and then, just like Jabber, take lots of good pixs. I still say a long auction does not benefit. I would never go over 5 days and generally I don't do one over 3 days, even if it is in the thousands! Generally people bid two times..at the beginning and the end. The less time they have to think about it, the better...just like a car salesman does! Just want to add this thought...people that bid on special items such as this, don't just happen on them, they are looking at the listing daily!

Mory, I'm not a long-time seller, but I'll share with you what >I< do:
1) The first thing I do is an ebay search to see if what I'm thinking of selling is already being sold. If so,
2) Then I study the listings of a few of the items that are most similar to mine to get an idea of what my description should include and say.
3) I follow the similar items in their auctions to see what kind of bid action they get and final bid prices. Would I be happy with similar prices?
4) In listing, if you feel you don't know as much about the item as you'd like, admit right up front to that, and just describe the item to the BEST of your ability. Welcome questions.
5) Take some good pictures, similar to the ones you saw in similar listings.

That should at least get you started. I'm sure others on here can add lots of good tips!

Jabbergah                                                    

A guy came to look at them from a local Ad I placed. Said $300 was high but he would buy the Cedar chest they were in for that so sold the chest. Now have to sell the quilts .
I can consign them to a local Antique shop for
25%. I wont because I did one last year - they bought it for themselves and raised the price.
I'm sure going to start looking at listings. A woman in my town just started a service of listing things on E-Bay for a fee, I think that is a possibility - & I can take the pictures.

If it is a problem for you to get them mailed, etc. , you might consider that. Also, you really need a paypal setup.

...oh yeah, you can check out similar items to see how long auctions THEY do. Mrs.M likes short auctions. If there are PLENTY of bidders out there for the particular item you have, then short is OK, BUT if you have a fairly rare item, you want to give as many bidders as possible have a chance to look at it in which case you'll want a longer auction.

One key thing about timing -- statistically, the time that the traffic is the HIGHEST on ebay is Sunday night. Thusly, it makes sense to time your auction to end at that time regardless of how long of an auction you run. For instance, If I run a 3 day auction, I'll start it Thursday night, a 5 day auction starts Tuesday night, a 7 day auction starts Sunday night. I've only ever run 2 10-day auctions(costs extra) and I started them Thursday night -- I wanted 2 weekends worth of bidders to have a chance to see some my items and still end on a Sunday night.

Somebody posted a link on this forum a while back about the best days to start the various length auctions.

Jabbergah                                                    

I think it was Sara.

I know by my own experience Tues. and Sunday 5-8:30 pst is a good time to end an auction.