Bid bots on eBay ?

[Refrigerator]

I've been looking into building a budget gaming PC and i've decided to get a xeon X5650 or similar processor.
I've found this eBay listing here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302669107242?_trksid=p2045573.m570.l5997&_trkparms=gh1g%3DI302669107242.N34.S2.R4.TR4
One problem is that when i bid i instantly get outbid, i've tried this a few times.
Even now, while writing this post i placed a bid and got instantly outbid.
Have any of you had this issue or is it just me? The seller has 28 feedback of 100% which raises suspicion.

[grumpydoc]

Doesn't need to be a "bid bot"

Ebay's normal proxy bidding will do the same.

[imidis]

Yeah, basically you can sat the max you would like to let it bid for you. That items has 7 days on it, most won't bother bidding until that last couple hours, then there is always the ones that get in last minute to take it. Once in a great while I get a deal on something. But most of the time, I am not the winner.

[PA0PBZ]

Automatic bids as you can see by the grey color (and the bidding date/time):

[grumpydoc]

Yeah, basically you can sat the max you would like to let it bid for you. That items has 7 days on it, most won't bother bidding until that last couple hours, then there is always the ones that get in last minute to take it. Once in a great while I get a deal on something. But most of the time, I am not the winner.

I'm very good at getting second place which is annoying because it means I got the value right but some nutter was happy to pay over the odds.

[NivagSwerdna]

One problem is that when i bid i instantly get outbid, i've tried this a few times.

Hm... you don't seem to understand EBAY...  The reason you are being outbid is that the current high bidder entered a value higher than your bid... so your bid was accepted but their higher bid then shows up... effectively you have just nudged up the amount they will have to pay.   You need to understand https://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/bid-increments.html
Also... this auction has 7d to run... you should not be bidding!  All that bidding early does is give other people the chance to nudge up the high bidder's bids to explore their limits or to raise the price and become the high bidder... and subsequently to be outbid etc.  You shouldn't bid until there is so little time left that humans are unable to respond to your bid and out bid you.  So bid only in the last seconds of the auction and when you enter your amount enter a value at which you would be sad to lose... i.e. aim to win at a price you like or to be outbid at a price where you are glad the other person overpaid.
Or just stick to buy it now auctions. 

[Brumby]

One problem is that when i bid i instantly get outbid, i've tried this a few times.
Even now, while writing this post i placed a bid and got instantly outbid.
Have any of you had this issue or is it just me?

It is you - but it is a simple misunderstanding.

EBay's proxy bidding system makes sure you pay no more than you need to to win an auction.  It is NOT like an ordinary auction.

Let's say you bid $25 on an item.  If you notice, eBay calls that your maximum bid amount.  If you place that bid on an item with a $5 starting price, eBay's system will only use $5 as your bid.  The $25 amount is held on eBay's system and is not shown to anybody.

Now let's say someone else wants to bid and they are prepared to throw $100 at it, even though the "Current bid" (yours) is only showing $5.  The eBay system will use as much of that $100 as it needs to beat your bid - which is $25, plus an amount they call the "bid increment".  For $25, the bid increment is $1 - so you will be outbid by an amount of $25 + $1 = $26.

You see that you have been outbid and come back with a bid of $50.  The eBay system then repeats the process and your $50 bid gets beaten by the bid increment and the other person is still winning, but with an amount of $51.  This happens immediately, which is why you get outbid straight away.

Bid again with $60, $70 and $80 and you will get outbid every time.  It's not until you put in a bid that is greater than the other person's maximum bid that you will be winning.

The fun part of this is - you can never know what the other person's maximum bid is until you beat it (or get within the bid increment below it - which is not common).


It is this mechanism that allows someone to put in a big bid amount with the hope that the second highest bidder is not prepared to go as high.

It is important to understand that the final sale price is NOT dependent on the winning bidder.  It is the second highest bidder that sets the price to beat (plus a bid increment).  You could put $1000 on an auction, but if the next highest bidder doesn't go over $100, then you will only have to pay $101.

[wraper]

That's why smart people use bid sniping services to place a bid in last few seconds. Otherwise not so smart people who cannot decide what max value they are ready to bid start bidding wars thus causing items go for more. If there are enough dumb people to start bidding war, items go for more than you could get instantly by "buy it now".

[imidis]

Any recommendations on a sniping service?

[PA0PBZ]

Any recommendations on a sniping service?

Why? Just put in the maximum you want to pay for the item and be done with it.

[Lightages]

http://www.jbidwatcher.com/

[Brumby]

Also... this auction has 7d to run... you should not be bidding!  All that bidding early does is give other people the chance to nudge up the high bidder's bids to explore their limits or to raise the price and become the high bidder... and subsequently to be outbid etc.  You shouldn't bid until there is so little time left that humans are unable to respond to your bid and out bid you.  So bid only in the last seconds of the auction and when you enter your amount enter a value at which you would be sad to lose... i.e. aim to win at a price you like or to be outbid at a price where you are glad the other person overpaid.

This is the way to minimise the amount you pay.  It's called "sniping".  Some people complain about it - but it is quite legal and complaining only shows that they were too timid in their bidding.  As said above, a snipe bid is a one shot effort right at the very end where you make a single bid that is at the highest end of what you are prepared to pay - and if it gets beaten, then you can live with the fact that the other guy paid too much.  This approach is called "Bidding for a win and hoping for a bargain".

Leaving a long time before the auction ends allows what is called a "bidding war" where several bids over a number of days pushes the price up a little at a time.  People can get carried away with this and the price can climb up to silly amounts.  They get uncomfortable putting an amount of $100 on an item that's only at $10, so they will try and win by "nibbling" - only putting in just enough to beat the other guy.  This approach is called "Bidding for a bargain and hoping for a win" and is next to completely useless against a snipe bid.

[Brumby]

Any recommendations on a sniping service?

Why? Just put in the maximum you want to pay for the item and be done with it.

Why?  It is very simple.  If you put in your maximum bid 3 days out, then other bidders have 3 days to nibble away at it.  If you place it 3 seconds out, then you aren't giving anyone a chance to do that.

[grumpydoc]

http://www.jbidwatcher.com/

+1

[NivagSwerdna]

That's why smart people use bid sniping services to place a bid in last few seconds.

I use www.gixen.com ($6/yr paid option) (previously I used jbidwatcher but the latency between myself and ebay was always a bit dodgy)

[Peabody]

I agree that sniping is the only effective way to bid on Ebay.  Only enter one bid during the last 10 seconds of the auction.  Enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay.  If you win, what you actually pay will be one bid increment above the runner up's bid.  Any other method only gives other bidders information about your intentions, and bids up the price.

[grumpydoc]

I agree that sniping is the only effective way to bid on Ebay.  Only enter one bid during the last 10 seconds of the auction.  Enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay.  If you win, what you actually pay will be one bid increment above the runner up's bid.  Any other method only gives other bidders information about your intentions, and bids up the price.

Used this way it effectively becomes a sealed bid system - with the slight variation that it is the 2nd highest bidder who sets the price, as you observe.

Once  you understand this it is fine.

[wraper]

I agree that sniping is the only effective way to bid on Ebay.  Only enter one bid during the last 10 seconds of the auction.  Enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay.  If you win, what you actually pay will be one bid increment above the runner up's bid.  Any other method only gives other bidders information about your intentions, and bids up the price.

I only would advise placing a small bid before that to enter the bidding of particular item if you don't bid domestically. Just to ensure that everything works fine. I had many cases when sniped bid was refused by the system for reasons like shipping address does not work for this item. I missed the item, while actually I could use address in different country or write a message to the seller.

[edpalmer42]

Any recommendations on a sniping service?

Why? Just put in the maximum you want to pay for the item and be done with it.

Why?  It is very simple.  If you put in your maximum bid 3 days out, then other bidders have 3 days to nibble away at it.  If you place it 3 seconds out, then you aren't giving anyone a chance to do that.

The other advantage to bid sniping is that there's no time for you to convince yourself to raise your earlier bid that wasn't high enough.  Your accountant will thank you.   

[mdijkens]

...placing a small bid before that to enter the bidding of particular item if you don't bid domestically. Just to ensure that everything works fine...

Thats what I do:
- See something interesting; place smallest bid; don't care you lose. Then you tested the bidding works and have a reminder from eBay later on
- Place max willing bid 25 sec before (just enough to be sure, to short for others to rethink their max)
- Be happy when you lose !  You did not pay more then you wanted !

[imidis]

Thanks, went with gixen, tested it this morning. 

[oldway]

Some rules that I always follow for the purchase of electronic equipment on ebay:

1) Never buy what you do not really need.
2) always inquire about the new price and the used price before making an offer
3) Always consider that the device is faulty even if the announcement says the opposite.
4) Make an offer at the end of the auction based on the maximum one is willing to pay .... not to be dragged into the game of bidding.
6) Pay attention to hidden fees. (customs duties, import tax, and so on ...)
7) Look at the seller's profile.
Do not hesitate to consult the seller in case of doubt.

[BravoV]

Some rules that I always follow for the purchase of electronic equipment on ebay:

1) Never buy what you do not really need.
2) always inquire about the new price and the used price before making an offer
3) Always consider that the device is faulty even if the announcement says the opposite.
4) Make an offer at the end of the auction based on the maximum one is willing to pay .... not to be dragged into the game of bidding.
6) Pay attention to hidden fees. (customs duties, import tax, and so on ...)
7) Look at the seller's profile.
Do not hesitate to consult the seller in case of doubt.

+1 , and at the end, its the item no 4 does matter, how much you are willing to pay, that is it, not even 1 cent more.

If you loose, then just walk off and let go, don't be agitated or annoyed, your life is not worth consumed by burning your brain in anger and bad mood just because you lost the bidding.

[grumpydoc]

I'm very good at getting second place which is annoying because it means I got the value right but some nutter was happy to pay over the odds.

It could mean there was just one other nutter willing to pay a higher price than the second highest bidding nutter. And they were both paying over the odds.

 

Except that I usually pip third place quite closely, but point taken.

[HighVoltage]

I use a sniper that bids 3 to 5 seconds before an auction ends.
Sometimes I win, sometimes I loose but I always stay with the set limit.