Various lots on ebay

[sajungzak]

Does that happen alot people wait to the very last second to swoop in!!!

Man, that keeps happening to me too.

I did get lucky however a few months ago on a sorcerers table with perfect candlesticks. I was sitting there watching the last seconds tick by, waiting for someone to swoop in, and no one did! Maybe the price was high, but in my opinion9.99 usd and free shippingseemed well worth it.

[mikemacdee]

Does that happen alot people wait to the very last second to swoop in!!!

Man, that keeps happening to me too.

Half of ebay's users utilize programs that keep an eye on their watch list items, and automatically outbid at the last second. It costs them a chunk of change to use this setup, but it guarantees the purchase for them.

[IvenBach]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200-PLASTIC-SKAVEN-CLAN-RATS-AND-SLAVES-PART-PAINTED-L-/380739313083 Not bad about ~$1/mini. Do I just come across a lot of skaven or is everyone selling their skaven armies? I'd go for it if I had $$ and wanted a whole bunch of clan rats.

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Does that happen alot people wait to the very last second to swoop in!!!

Man, that keeps happening to me too.

Half of ebay's users utilize programs that keep an eye on their watch list items, and automatically outbid at the last second. It costs them a chunk of change to use this setup, but it guarantees the purchase for them.

Against all thoses snipers I recommend using a technique I would like to call the sledgehammer:

1. Think about the maximum amount of money you would want to spend on the chosen item.
2. Double that amount.
3. Visit the auction early (at least several hours before ending time) and place your bid, which should be so ridiculous high, that all the other bidders are disencouraged immediately.
4.

I invented this technique by accident but it actually works quite well and I recently used it succesfully to get my hands on an almost unused EQP. Think about all the time you spend searching on ebay but loosing the auction in the end.

Smash, don't tickle!

[tasoe]

I'm not crazy for that technique to be honest. What if you end up paying double than the maximum you wanted to spend?
Can you actually afford that? Then perhaps the double was actually the maximum ammount you intented to spend.

My method is simply decide the maximum ammount you would spend on something (be honest with yourself), and just bid that ammount at anytime during the auction.
No matter which time you are beat, it's ok because you gave it your best shot. Even in the last second you can be outbid and never say "*lemony goodness*, I should've bid more".
You can't say that cause if you really could bid more, you should have no matter what other bidders did.

That being said, I always try to make my bid in the last 10 seconds or so, cause it gives undecided people no time to react.
If the auction ends when I'm not at home, or asleep, I just make the bid some hours earlier and hope to win it.

But still, guybrush I adore the name of your technique, and the motto, smash, don't tickle. Also enjoy that EQP!

[knightkrawler]

You are screwed when there's another person using the tactic.
In any other case the item reaches a set value +/-, mostly this has been established or is assessable.
If two idiots are at it, the price reaches 2x value +/-.
It's that simple.

by the way, if many people use that tactic in economic dealings, the world is screwed. I think it happens all the time. Think about that.
It's irresponsible. That is my opinion.

[The Road Warrior]

...and never say "*lemony goodness*, I should've bid more".

This is how I do it. I decide how much I want to spend, and if I would be upset if someone won with a bid £1 higher than that amount.

• If it goes for more than I would be happy/can afford to spend then I can't complain.
• It is always possible to win and still pay less than your maximum bid, remember that even if someone tries sniping you they still have to bid higher than your maximum bid

[Guybrush Threepwood]

You are screwed when there's another person using the tactic.
In any other case the item reaches a set value +/-, mostly this has been established or is assessable.
If two idiots are at it, the price reaches 2x value +/-.
It's that simple.

by the way, if many people use that tactic in economic dealings, the world is screwed. I think it happens all the time. Think about that.
It's irresponsible. That is my opinion.

I thought about it but honestly don't understand how paying too much for a used product is irresponsible or in anyway would affect the world's problems? In my point of view the problems of our time primarly consist in overpopulation and desctruction of the natural environment/ ressources, but not in possible inflation due to trading on the second hand market?

My point was to ironically caricate the "sniper" debate on ebay and to emphasize that trying to save on 1 or 2€ when desperately looking for something on ebay most of the time doesn't pay off. It will probably result in not getting the article and having to spend more time on the internet looking for other auctions. In my opinion those hours are better invested in a financially remunerated activity.

And last but not least: Are you, sir, calling me an idiot?!

[knightkrawler]

I thought about it but honestly don't understand how paying too much for a used product is irresponsible or in anyway would affect the world's problems? In my point of view the problems of our time primarly consist in overpopulation and desctruction of the natural environment/ ressources, but not in possible inflation due to trading on the second hand market?

If two people are responsible for a product selling for double its perceived value... ah well.
This is not a forum for economics and ethics.

My point was to ironically caricate the "sniper" debate on ebay and to emphasize that trying to save on 1 or 2€ when desperately looking for something on ebay most of the time doesn't pay off. It will probably result in not getting the article and having to spend more time on the internet looking for other auctions. In my opinion those hours are better invested in a financially remunerated activity.

And here we're of one and the same opinion. When I want something desperately I always bid higher than my initial perception of value. But double? Hell no!

And last but not least: Are you, sir, calling me an idiot?!

Oh god, no. Reads that way, doesn't it? No, I phrased it wrong.
The situation as I described it seems idiotic to me. The situation and the actual price, not the people who cause it.
I have to say, I do not wanna be one of those two.
Sorry for posting something that clearly reads like me personally attacking you. Wrong choice of words.

Seriously, do you bid DOUBLE?!

[tasoe]

I would bid double myself, if only for the chance to use the phrase "I sledgehammered that auction".

Seriously though, I need a name for the technique I use, perhaps "unregrettable sincere estimation of budget disposal". Sounds catchy, doesn't it?