In a message dated 4/6/2001 5:52:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
fprodget@yahoo.com writes:
> In my last year or so of ebay experience, I have
> ALWAYS been outbid in the last seconds when having the
> high bid. It is useless to place an early bid for the
> world to see, someone always tops it. As a result, I
> now track interested items and I place my bid as well
> with about 10 seconds to go (as long as it is not gone
> up to the usually ridiculous amount a lot of things
> sell for on ebay). It is the only way I have won a
> bid.
>
>
>
I have been outbid in the last few seconds too, several times. I am also
guilty of going in at the last minute, like John, and bidding an item I have
been watching. I have found that the only answer to the problem is, as at a
real face to face auction, to set the maximum amount of money you will spend
for an item, bid that amount, and forget it. On the engine I just bought, I
really needed it, I blew the engine in my daily driver, and it was gonna cost
me a mint to strip the old block, have all the engine work done, replace all
the parts that need replacing, etc. I weighed the expense of that against
the ebay engine (plus the $100-150 shipping) and set a maximum amount and
bid it. Funny that my original bid held up and no one sniped, so I got the
engine for a flat bargain if it proves to be what I think it is and what the
seller represented it as being. But I had enough of a cushion above that
amount that if anyone had sniped, it is doubtful they would have outbid me,
OR they would have paid what I would not have paid.
--David C.
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/// (If they are dupes, this trailer may also catch them.)
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