posted on November 5, 2000 01:25:03 PM
For the life of me, I cannot understand why any Ebay user who's been around for more than a week would participate in running the bid up on an item they want.
It goes something like this:
Item "X" bid history:
bidder A 52.01 10/12
bidder B 51.01 10/12
bidder A 43.43 10/11
bidder C 28.00 10/10
bidder B 24.10 10/9
bidder C 20.00 10/8
bidder A 18.45 10/7
bidder B 15.02 10/6
bidder A 14.00 10/6
bidder B 11.11 10/6
bidder A 10.00 10/5
This, while being great for sellers, is astonishingly stupid for the bidder to do. Why give other parties an opportunity to get used to the idea of paying more? If they can check back periodically to raise the bid, why don't they just check back toward the end (like they're doing anyway) and simply leave a last minute bid?
I have to be honest; I love to snipe at the end, taking full advantage of a bid not being run up. That being said, I still don't get why they jack up the price systematically. It's just plain foolish. Yes,, it may hurt the sniper, but it sure doesn't help the early bidder---as he ends up paying more for the item (if he wins it) because he gave his hand away so early.
posted on November 5, 2000 02:11:57 PM
Lets pose and answer some of the questions you've asked.
Why don't buyers just put in a last minute bid (i.e., snipe)? well, some haven't really thought of that strategy..and of those who know about it, its pretty darn inconvenient at times to have to show up at the last minute to bid.
Why do some bidders continue to bid up the item? Well, there are several answers. Some people actually *like* bidding - the give and take, seeing if they can outbid the other person (snipers don't have *all* the fun, you know!)
Others are constantly changing their view of what an item is worth. Although there are some here who would argue that people know, to the nearest penny, what something is worth, the fact of the matter is that the "value" of a particular item at an auction to a particular person is generally changing all the time. Generally, the value tends to go up, as they get outbid they find a way to justify to themselves why the item really is worth "just a few dollars more".
Some people feel that this is an AUCTION, and hence feel like the "ethics" of the situation require that they act like that, by putting in a series of bids.
So, in short, although if we were all perfect, logical individuals we'd all snipe with one last-second bid, the reality is that the world is full of people with different priorities, values, etc., and this results in different behavior.
posted on November 5, 2000 02:15:07 PM
Welcome to AW stu5000
I'd guess that they think eBay's like a real auction or something. TOS scare tactics probably contribute to the frenzy, too.
Your not going to get many sellers to agree with your opinion. Folks around here love when that happens. They dance, sing and congratulate each other about it.
posted on November 5, 2000 02:15:22 PM
or
it could be one interested buyer and a shill.........this makes for only 1 stupid bidder for chasing the lead and one thief........
posted on November 5, 2000 03:19:09 PM This, while being great for sellers, is astonishingly stupid for the bidder to do. Why give other parties an opportunity to get used to the idea of paying more?
It is actually sniping rather than placing a legitimate bid that drives up prices. Once upon a time on Ebay (a whole two years ago) a seller could list all their items with a starting bid of a dollar and know that they would get a fair price for almost all. Back then it was exciting for the bidders and the sellers. Most auctions now close with a single bid (or no bid), and that single bid is nowhere near a dollar. Most sellers are not willing to put their stuff up at a dollar because of the "watch and snipe" syndrome. Ebay has become an online mall in many catagories not an auction. "one bid wins" is not an auction, it is a sale, and any "Ebay user who's been around for more than a week" will know to list his/her auctions at the price they are willing to sell it for and be happy with a single bid. This does nothing to benefit the bidders.
posted on November 5, 2000 03:24:14 PM
Could just be the learning curve.
I'm trying to win something presently, I'm watching 2 and bidding on 2. I know the retail price, but I want to get it for less than that naturally. So, I put in a proxy on 1 auction a few days ago, it gets outbid. I look at some of the ones I'm watching, check the completed ones for a general price and then go back to one of the auctions and put in another proxy.
This one ends around midnight, maybe I'll win, maybe not, but I know what I'm willing to pay and whether that runs the price up or not isn't really the point. The point is I'll either get it for what I want, or I'll have to go pay retail.
Others can chase me or not as they see fit.
Fun ? Yes, I think so.
Personally, I think that is why online auctions are so popular, they have added in that element of fun in buying something that was washed out some time ago. Buying can be fun- but the mass marketing of the walmarts etc has really turned it into herd mentality, that's why folks like it so much when you treat them so well, it brings back the joy of buying something.
What you must remember is that "sniping" DOES NOT prevent any bids per se.
The only thing it does is decrease early bids by thiose who choose to snipe.
The only reason an item gets only one bid, is because it's, perhaps, not that great an item---or maybe there are many others like it.
If a bunch of bidders all sniped one item, there would still be a series of bids---only they'd be close to the end of the auction. Unless of course the first sniper placed a very high bid, than the only bids that would get in would be ones that met the mandated minimum at that split second.
Still, the seller gets a good price--or at least one that was competitive based on what others were willing to bid.
posted on November 5, 2000 04:39:14 PMThe only reason an item gets only one bid, is because it's, perhaps, not that great an item---or maybe there are many others like it.
Or because it is very expensive and very rare, and it atttracts ONLY serious bidders, thank goodness!!!
