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What's your winning strategy to eBay biddings? 2 ways approach but I don't know which is wiser...
Paradisefound
Posts: 8,588 ✭✭✭✭✭
I often wondered if staying "silent" with the last moment max blitz is better than trying to find out where the highest bid is by clicking up the incremental bids? Don't you want to know the highest bid to determine your max on the last seconds?
This maybe considered a trade secret for some so I understand........
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Depends upon how badly you want the item. IDs are disguised, but I suppose in some cases you can figure out who is bidding. Frankly, I never bid unless by snipe. Why tip your hand?
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I bid to where I’d be happy winning. Unfortunately , I’m a loser more often, and unhappy.
I usually wait until the last few seconds unless I am not going to be around the computer when the item closes. Then it it is something I really want I will put in a nuke bid that I would be willing to pay.
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Why would knowing what others bid have any effect on your max bid? Your max bid will either win the auction or it will not. If it was truly your max bid, then you should not be bothered if you do not win the auction.
I bid early so I get notice later when it is ending. I then wait till the 2 second mark. I put my highest amount willing to pay. Not a super bid. I get it or I dont
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I used to manually snipe but have mostly given that up. As often as not I got into a sniping war with someone else.
Now, if it is something I want, I put in a generous but not crazy bid. I either win it or I don't.
If it is an item I really, really want, I put in a nuclear bid and let it ride. I let the other guy snipe against me. I win those about as often as I did when I tried to do the sniping myself. Sniping isn't what it used to be now that so many people do it. It beats out the amateurs but not the dedicated bidders.
The one thing I still do is use odd increments. For example, if my top bid is $50, I'll bid $50.01 or something like that. Over the years I have won quite a few auctions by a penny when someone comes in at the last second and bids an even amount that matches mine before I tacked on the penny or two.
Let's have two bidders who think a coin is worth around $500. Bidder A is set on $500 firm and is unaffected by the excitement of an auction. He will bid $500 no matter what. Bidder B isn't as confident in the value, but knows it's around $500, but hopes to get the coin for $400. Let's also assume that any other bidders are out by $300, just to make things easy. It's just between A and B.
Consider two scenarios:
1- Bidder A places a bid with a day to go (or a week to go--the key is, there's plenty of time). Bidder B comes along and starts at $400. He sees that he's been outbid by Bidder A's prior $500 bid, so Bidder B goes to $425. Then $450, then $475, then $500. He's still losing to Bidder A, but now he really wants to win because he's invested in the excitement of the bidding process. He bids $525 and wins by one increment.
2- Bidder B places his bid of $400 at any time (it can be a snipe or early on). The auction sits with Bidder B winning at just over $300 (based on the other underbidders being the only other participants). Bidder A comes along and places his $500 bid as a snipe with 5 seconds left, leaving Bidder B no time to up his bid. Bidder A wins at one increment above $400.
The only time this strategy would fail Bidder A is if Bidder B also placed a $500 bid, and by sniping, Bidder A was the second bidder at that amount, and tie goes to the earlier bid. Otherwise, if Bidder A knows his max bid and will not go any higher for any reason, sniping can only improve the results.
I used to set my max bid early and let it ride. Since I've switched to sniping, my success rate has gone up - with both eBay and Heritage. I use a sniping tool (GavelSnipe): set my max bid early via the tool and let it ride. The same basic approach but I don't potentially "tip my hand" as described above.
By the way, because I'm in an odd time zone (NZ), manual sniping is often not an option.
Smitten with DBLCs.
Whatever overprice I feel comfortable living with. Most coins that are jaw dropping beautiful I’ve had to cowboy up and overpay for. It’s just the way of the world. Of course there’s always exceptions to the rule but in general it’s like that.
Happy hunting
Agree with Dimeman. If you really really want the coin AND you feel the need to not pay too much, you gotta be there at the close AND not bid before the last 90 or even 45 seconds.
If you put in an early high bid, somebody will come along and run you up just for fun. Early high bids cost $.
SBD....Silent But Deadly, with 2 seconds left.
If there are no bids I put in a lowball bid to "mark my territory". This also makes it less likely the seller will cancel the auction at the last second.
Then I use sniping software to place my max bid a few seconds before the auction closes. Win most - lose some - and I don't get emotional over any losses.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
Sometimes very true....
On occasion when I want an item but expect to get outbid in the end, I put in a strong but reasonable bid, MINUS a penny. For example, 99.99 instead of 100. That way the other guy gets it, but at the highest possible amount I can push it to without the risk of winning it myself. I don't normally bid out of spite, but sometimes I do for various reasons. There are definitely times I put in a bid that I figure won't be successful but at least if it sells for higher than that I can walk away not too disappointed.
Exactly the strategy and attitude I follow.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
I toss in my max bid when I see the auction. Usually 1 to 60 minutes before the end. Always though sniping to be kind of weasely.
If I really want it..... nuclear snipe in the closing seconds.
“I may not believe in myself but I believe in what I’m doing” ~Jimmy Page~
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947)
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
I use 2 of my ebay accounts to report the item to ebay as counterfeit, key word spam etc.
After it has been taken down, I use another account to contact the seller and make an off ebay offer and payment.
Works almost every time, and if not, just hit it again and again til the seller finally gives in.
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Just kidding.
Sometimes when I see someone has left a high bid with eBay early, I'll run up their bid just to see what they have left up to the point l'm willing to pay. That way i can remove the item from my watch list and know not to set the Snipe-O-Matic if they have gone nuclear.
1947-P & D; 1948-D; 1949-P & S; 1950-D & S; and 1952-S.
Any help locating any of these OBW rolls would be gratefully appreciated!
I usually snipe bid myself... I have "accidently" won auctions by placing a bid days before it closes for a price I think it would not sell for and end up winning.
I have a few tricks but there are a lot of people on forum that buy Dan Carr coins on Ebay so no way I tell LOL!
Yes it is, but if you can't beat'em, join'em.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
I get the snipe strategy but it has killed the number of nice coins auctioned on the site. I see $1000 coins that are at $400 with an hour remaining. Not many sellers have that kind of stomach.
I don't show any signs of life until the last two seconds.
If I was a pro or semi-pro, I'd use a sniper...these days I roll with a reasonable bid, and don't fret if I lose it.
i bid 1 million on everything in last 10 seconds to make sure I win
(that should unblock me from those babies that blocked me on apmex thread)
I bid on very few coins that are wildly toned and that I really want. I place my real max bid then wait. I do not bump it again.
rainbowroosie April 1, 2003
I don't bid on no reserves much. I find a reasonable priced buy it now and wait for the e bucks promo
I really like scenario #2....by going with..... let's say in this case $800 & 5 secs to go. VOILA
@airplanenut said:
2- Bidder B places his bid of $400 at any time (it can be a snipe or early on). The auction sits with Bidder B winning at just over $300 (based on the other underbidders being the only other participants). Bidder A comes along and places his $500 bid as a snipe with 5 seconds left, leaving Bidder B no time to up his bid. Bidder A wins at one increment above $400.
I’ve never bid on a coin on EBay. However I think leaving my max at any given time would work as in any other auction. I certainly wouldn’t have any regrets
mark
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
I mainly use AS
I say “ go nuclear or go to Walmart “
I do not buy much on ebay anymore... very little in fact. When I did, I would snipe in the last two or three seconds with a nuclear bid. Never lost something I really wanted....and never really overpaid - much.
Cheers, RickO
I don’t bid even bids, always dollars and cents. I’ve bumped my max bid a time or two though, when I really want something.
My War Nickels https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/nickels/jefferson-nickels-specialty-sets/jefferson-nickels-fs-basic-war-set-circulation-strikes-1942-1945/publishedset/94452
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I stop and look a little more when I see lots of bids on an item, so I think more bids equals more interest. Therefore, I never bid until the end.
whenever you give YOUR max bid to ebay, you can be assured they will look at that and advertise it in some way.
it only advances in the set up increments. BUT it does it every time another bid happens and hence pushes any bidder to bid more to get it. Manual bids and ebay max bids just do not help you as these only help ebays bank accounts. SPIKE IT is the solution ....nobody knows where your final bid is....
It's been my experience that you are often cheating yourself by not sniping . . .
1947-P & D; 1948-D; 1949-P & S; 1950-D & S; and 1952-S.
Any help locating any of these OBW rolls would be gratefully appreciated!