Bidding Early, why?

CDC4

Can some of you enlighten me the purpose of bidding early on auctions and bumping the price? Most of the time it serves no point since they will ultimately get out bid later.

So when you bid early do you think you're actually going to win that lot?

gmoneystyles

Sometimes I will bid early when a new item comes out to mark my territory. But usually there are no bids yet.

SKINSFAN

I do it to track something i have a interest in but really dont plan on going full out on at this time as it saves me from keeeping it on my watch list that can get full quick

1420sports

it's fun

NathanSr

To let the seller know that I am interested. This way if everyone waits til the last minute to bid, the seller is likely not to cancel all bids and end auction before the 12 hour mark.

gaspipe26

Bidding late is the reason starting prices get higher and higher. Before sniping, bidding was fast and furious and most lots started with low starting bids because the seller could see the interest in his item. Now sellers take the worry out by starting the item at a "what I'll let the item go for" starting bid. Personally sniping is the worst thing that ever to Ebay.

lostdart58

I bid early on items that I only want to pay no more then the opening starting price on.........

WarHoundR69

If I'm interested in a lot I place one early bid, at my maximum, and rarely bid a second time. I win about 40 to 50% of the time, many times well below my max. On other occasions I've beaten snipes by as little as 6 cents. I get a kick out of that. I don't have the time or energy to stress over shill bidding or snipes or shipping charges. Life is too short.
I enjoy this hobby but I refuse to allow collecting to become an obsession.

AkbarClone

I do it for two reasons (both previously mentioned).

1. To track it, without having to add it to my watch list (Too often I already have 100 items being watched)

2. To announce my intentions. Many times I have won a great card with little competition, as I believe others that I compete with on a regular basis see my bid, and decide not to even bother and challenge me.

Wabittwax

<< <i>I don't have the time or energy to stress over shill bidding or snipes or shipping charges. >>



I wish I had the money to not worry about shilling or other people driving my bid up. Sniping is the only way I do it. As a seller though, I hate sniping. The item almost always goes for rock bottom if I don't get many early bids.

Davalillo

Some good points here.

Nathan has an excellent one in that many sellers will end an auction early only if there are no bids.

Others as Art says have no intention of winning but they want to track the bid.

Another point is that if you see Spence or Louchios or ShoppingLucy bidding its easy to give up thinking I will never beat these guys on something they want. On the other hand, its easy to bid them up if you want to see them pay for what they get.

Ever since one of my buds told me that certain sellers were having their friends bid up bidders known to be high bidders on cards they want, I snipe everything.

Dav

mikeschmidt

I bid early to track the auctions I'm interested in. And I sometimes bid early in a 'bid low, win a few' type strategy.

When I'm really interested in an auction, sometimes I'll bid low - but my snipe will be 10-20x [or more] of my original bid. It's just a tracking mechanism for me.

jradke4

I bid on cards that I like whenever i feel like it. As others of said its makes it easier to track. Sometimes, i can forget about a card that I wanted to bid on. Then by the time i leave work and get home....check ebay only to find it finsihed while in transit. Bidding early doesnt bump up prices. If you are the only one that wants it you only pay the minimum. Sometimes I will only bid on items that i dont want to pay that much for...so if i see some one has bid i probably wont in that case.

SooperDave

I only bid early to knock off a "Buy It NOW".
DM

WarHoundR69

<< <i>

<< <i>I don't have the time or energy to stress over shill bidding or snipes or shipping charges. >>



I wish I had the money to not worry about shilling or other people driving my bid up. Sniping is the only way I do it. As a seller though, I hate sniping. The item almost always goes for rock bottom if I don't get many early bids. >>



We all have one thing that Bill Gates, with all his billions, can not buy and that is 24 Hrs. per day. You can always get more money but you cann't buy time.
That's why I bid on what I want and if I get it at my price - that's great. If not there is always tomorrow when something else will be available.
I don't worry or care if someone is trying to get a few extra bucks, they will end up with a few extra dollars. I'll have more time to enjoy my life.

divecchia

<< <i>I only bid early to knock off a "Buy It NOW".
DM >>



This is one of 2 reasons why I may bid early. The other reason is if I can't get to a computer and have no free snipes left. Then I must bid the max I'm willing to pay. This might happen once a year.

Donato

Wabittwax

Placing a sniper bid takes the same amount of time than placing a regular bid on Ebay. It might actually be quicker since I'll have esnipe minimized below in the tray. It's a click away.

Onlypsahockey

Ever since one of my buds told me that certain sellers were having their friends bid up bidders known to be high bidders on cards they want, I snipe everything.

That really blows!

This is the type of thing we need to share on these boards. If I had proof of a dealer doing this, even if it was one of my favorite sellers, I'd NEVER bid on the guys cards again. PERIOD!

I'd sing it from the highest hilltop too. List it everywhere I could & email anyone bidding on his stuff.

Again, That really blows!

JMO, Bob C.

Morgoth

Dealers have buddies who are dealers. You don't think they say hey bid on my overgraded PSA 8 that I am unloading on ebay because no one will touch it at a card show? Dealers view it as keeping the market straight. It's bad for buisness if high dollar cards like a 53 Mays start bringing 60% of SMR. It's not just dealers the also have customers who are their friends bid whenever they need some help. Don't people always wonder how some big name dealers get 120% of SMR for a common HOF card and joe schmoe runs the same card and it brings 60% of SMR, I am looking at you Mr. 61 Clemente.

Onlypsahockey

Dealers have buddies who are dealers. You don't think they say hey bid on my overgraded PSA 8 that I am unloading on ebay because no one will touch it at a card show? Dealers view it as keeping the market straight. It's bad for buisness if high dollar cards like a 53 Mays start bringing 60% of SMR. It's not just dealers the also have customers who are their friends bid whenever they need some help. Don't people always wonder how some big name dealers get 120% of SMR for a common HOF card and joe schmoe runs the same card and it brings 60% of SMR, I am looking at you Mr. 61 Clemente.

Morg, you're saying that's okay?

I think its actually larceny. At the very least its deception or even shill bidding. These are not terms I want associated with the dealers from whom I purchase my cards.

It's bad for buisness if high dollar cards like a 53 Mays start bringing 60% of SMR.

It's also bad for business to screw your customers.

JMO, Bob C.

Morgoth

I am definately saying it's not OK to do this. I am just saying it's a reality. I am suspicious of alot of dealers but I know there are alot good ones too. Dealers have tons of tricks they do to keep cards priced high and make cards appear "rare" when they are not. I just try and find good people and try to have fun but there is a shady side to the hobby but PSA has made it tons better not perfect (I bought a creased PSA 8 63 Mays one time)

SlangNRox

I beleive I got shilled for around $80 the other day on a card I really wanted. I bid high because I wasn't expecting to be around a computer when the auction ended, but I was so the bidding went just past my max bid and stupid me bid again. Guess thats what I get for wanting a pop 1/0 for my registry set

alnavman

I bid early if it's a card I'm seriously interested in...as noted by others it keeps it off my watch list but in my eyesight for the future.....I only bid on cards I want and hope to win.

ctsoxfan

I wonder what would happen if everyone (and I mean everyone) sniped. No more auctions at .99 opening bids, no more real auctions either. I snipe, but as a seller I love to see early bids and large numbers of watchers. It's a double-edged sword.

Bighurt4

I would rather see a lot of bidders rather than watchers. I tend to bid if their are no others, otherwise I watch. I will also bid early if the card is close to it's expected closing price.

Brent