Bidding on an item with no bids (HELP!)

You would only pay $500 if no one else bids. You might want to go ahead and put a bid on it before the seller pulls the auction.That happens alot. Your snipe wouldn't up your own bid as long as you only have one id. Or use the same one for both if you have more than one.

Thanks!

By putting a regular bid now, I meant a minimum to hold it.

I would disagree about making an open bid on eBay. Placing a bid signals interest and that seems to attract bids from others. The point of AS is to conceal interest until the very end.

I have encountered a handful of auctions that ended early, but with literally millions of auctions going on at any moment, I think you will find that only the tiniest percentage are ever ended early. I would definitely say that it does not happen with the frequency that "alot" suggests.

I think if the price is started out low, there is a very good chance the seller will end the auction early to avoid a last minute bid that only covers the starting price. Ok, maybe "alot" was the wrong word to use in general. BUT!! it is the only way you can be sure the seller won't pull the auction and you have no chance at all.

It would have to be a VERY low opening bid, and even then, the seller can cancel bids and end the auction.

I've wavered back and forth on the matter of bidding early, as an auction I was interested in WAS canceled for the price being less than half what it should have been, or would have been. As a general rule, only inexperienced sellers will cancel an auction. The rest know snipers abound for low current price auctions. (I buy collectables)

My current thinking is to NOT bid early. I have to vote with Chatter.

I am with MG on this one, I have never seen an opening bid attract other bidders attention and there is definately no proof that you placing a low ball opening bid will make one bit of difference to the final bidding price.

I have placed opening bids and ended on that bid and I think an auction with no bids is more likely to attract another bidder.

I also havent seen many auctions ended that have bids on them, but have seen quite a few cancelled with no bids.

If you do have a opening bid on the auction and the seller pulls the auction, you can still contact them and see if they will accept a price or open to negotiations.

I guess MG and I are a little less paranoid than some.

I agree, I rarely see auctions end early.
And AS is all about concealment.
Also, placing a minimum bid doesn't
guarantee they won't end the aution early. They could cancel everyones bids or any single bid
at thier discretion.

J_Stars

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Originally posted by Chatter163:
I would disagree about making an open bid on eBay. Placing a bid signals interest and that seems to attract bids from others. The point of AS is to conceal interest until the very end.

I have encountered a handful of auctions that ended early, but with literally millions of auctions going on at any moment, I think you will find that only the tiniest percentage are ever ended early. I would definitely say that it does not happen with the frequency that "alot" suggests.

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I vote w/MG & Lexie on this, sort of --

I like to stomp BINs and place opening bids to hopefully prevent sellers from ending auctions early. HOWEVER, unlike MG & Lexie, I AM paranoid! So I cheat, sort of. I don't want people looking at my bidding history of my sniping ebay ID to find out I'm a sniper. So I stomp BINs with a DIFFERENT ebay ID, then swoop in with my max bid snipe from my sniping ID to hopefully win. I also occasionally DO BINs and will use my BIN stomping ID for that, too.

Oh yeah, I DON'T use one ID to bid up items listed by other....

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Oh yeah, I DON'T use one ID to bid up items listed by other....

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Sure Sure Jab

It is really all about appropriate tactics for that particular item..

If the item is not scarce, then it is better to follow the principles that govern most mature snipers - ie don't show your hand, bid your max in the closing seconds.

These are proven sniper tactics and will generally get you the item at a bargain price, certainly lower than if you had joined in a bidding war like so many "newbies" to ebay.
Even if you really want it, like a bus, there should be another along soon.

However it must be said that a "marking" bid to show the seller there is some interest in his item is neither here nor there in terms of forcing the price up - providing if you just bid $1 or a £1 more than the minimum. For good or ill, It does show your hand though.

The main problem is if the item is genuinely rare. In that case I always bid early - it does show my hand, but it also might make some other collectors think twice before engaging in a bidding war. I know this factor does dissuade me from bidding if the converse is true - there are several Korean, German and Swiss collectors who appear to have limitless pockets!

However, generally I think it is a good thing to show interest, as it does put you in a better bargaining position later if the seller does withdraw. It also enables you to approach the seller if the reserve price is not reached. Of the last ten auctions in this category, I have managed to buy seven of the items (in the case of the other three the price asked was unrealistic)