ebay bidding question

[Polar Bear]

I'm watching an item on ebay.  As the current bid is low I decided to put a low marker in myself.  Imagine my surprise when 'bidder 4' had matched my bid 4 hours ago but until I bid it didn't show.  Can bidder 4 also be bidder 3?   It's a stupid system that is confusing in my view.

[robgul]

Sounds like some of these "numbered bidders" are the seller's brother-in-law to me

Rob

[Polar Bear]

Sounds like some of these "numbered bidders" are the seller's brother-in-law to me

Rob

I think you may be right.  I've been outbid with 1 second to go.   Hope bidder 7 likes it. 

[sas]

Ebay has an auto-increment system where they'll store your maximum bid, but only bid the minimum needed to be the current lead in the auction. E.g. Bidder_4 could've set a max bid of £1,000,000 on your item, so when you put your bid in Bidder_4's bid was automatically increased to match yours, and gets priority since it was put in first.

[border-rider]

Sounds like some of these "numbered bidders" are the seller's brother-in-law to me

Rob

I think you may be right.  I've been outbid with 1 second to go.   Hope bidder 7 likes it. 

You've been sniped, Mr Bear.

Not much you can do about that except use sniping software yourself and set the limit at what you are prepared to pay.  That maximises your chances, but you'll always lose if the money gets too silly.  Which may not be a bad thing...

[Polar Bear]

Ebay has an auto-increment system where they'll store your maximum bid, but only bid the minimum needed to be the current lead in the auction. E.g. Bidder_4 could've set a max bid of £1,000,000 on your item, so when you put your bid in Bidder_4's bid was automatically increased to match yours, and gets priority since it was put in first.

Yeah, I understand that but Bidder 4 did not appear as a bidder until after my bid even though their bid was timed 4 hours before mine.  How does that work then?

You've been sniped, Mr Bear.

Not much you can do about that except use sniping software yourself and set the limit at what you are prepared to pay.  That maximises your chances, but you'll always lose if the money gets too silly.  Which may not be a bad thing...

Indeed.  I'm not unhappy about it.  I don't bother with sniping.  I set my max before the end of an auction and if I'm beat then so be it.  There will always be another one along ...

[border-rider]

...and if I'm beat then so be it.  There will always be another one along ...

Wise words.

[Charlotte]

I snipe because it works.  It works because not everyone snipes.

I've had some terrific bargains getting my bid in during the last 10 seconds.  It's not cheating, it's just giving yourself maximum competitive advantage.

PM me for a referral to a bidding site for three free snipes 

[Biggsy]

Sniping has saved me a lot of money too.

I use the free service at Vrane.com: Amherst Robots: Internet Software Robots

You have to trust them with your eBay password.  Mine hasn't been nicked in the several years I've been doing that.  Ignore the "$", it actually bids in the listed currency.

As for there being "another one along", there may not be, or at least not for a long time!  And the price may go high again if you bid your full whack early.