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I don't understand Ebay Auctions.

by FredFarnes
11 replies
Why is someone bidding $9.99 for $10.00 gift-card?
PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA $10 GIFT CERTIFICATE CARD PAPA CARD!! - eBay (item 120520864953 end time Jan-23-10 21:28:38 PST)

Surely they're not doing this to save one penny.

What is the motivation?
#auctions #ebay #understand
  • Profile picture of the author Cornerstone
    Doesn't make sense to me either. I'm sure the seller is either getting them very cheap or building a list of some sort
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  • Profile picture of the author George Wright
    building positive feedback.

    George Wright
    Signature
    "The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book." Mickey Spillane
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    • Profile picture of the author FredFarnes
      Originally Posted by George Wright View Post

      building positive feedback.

      George Wright
      That's an idea, thanks.
      Signature

      So, you want to sell me another way to easily make "X" dollars in "X" days? ROFL too funny! IM success requires hard work and lots of time. Most newbies do not survive the steep learning curve. Anyone who says otherwise is probably selling you a fantasy.

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      • Profile picture of the author Lee Wilson
        Look at the bid dates. The person with the highest bid will pay the minimum bid increment plus the last highest bid. That person placed his max bid two days ago, at that time the highest bid was 5 dollars. If no one had bid since then he would win the auction for $5.50. he's lucked out because it's now been pushed up to $9.61, he now has to pay his max bid of 9.99.

        Some people buy like this all the time, the worse that can happen is they pay the full bid price. If you buy like this every week then some of the time you luck out and get a bargain.
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        • Profile picture of the author FredFarnes
          Originally Posted by L Wilson View Post

          Look at the bid dates. The person with the highest bid will pay the minimum bid increment plus the last highest bid. That person placed his max bid two days ago, at that time the highest bid was 5 dollars. If no one had bid since then he would win the auction for $5.50. he's lucked out because it's now been pushed up to $9.61, he now has to pay his max bid of 9.99.

          Some people buy like this all the time, the worse that can happen is they pay the full bid price. If you buy like this every week then some of the time you luck out and get a bargain.
          So the bidder was trying for a lower price, but willing to pay up to the max value of the item?

          I can see how that would be a strategy. Thanks for explaining it.
          Signature

          So, you want to sell me another way to easily make "X" dollars in "X" days? ROFL too funny! IM success requires hard work and lots of time. Most newbies do not survive the steep learning curve. Anyone who says otherwise is probably selling you a fantasy.

          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1659292].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author Lee Wilson
            Originally Posted by FredFarnes View Post

            So the bidder was trying for a lower price, but willing to pay up to the max value of the item?

            I can see how that would be a strategy. Thanks for explaining it.
            That's it. The bidding is automatic so you place your max bid and forget about it. If it's stuff you want anyway then you have lost nothing but do this often and a certain amount will end up a good deal.
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            • Profile picture of the author FredFarnes
              Originally Posted by L Wilson View Post

              That's it. The bidding is automatic so you place your max bid and forget about it. If it's stuff you want anyway then you have lost nothing but do this often and a certain amount will end up a good deal.
              I understand the strategy, and I'm sure that's what happens sometimes, but much of the time that is not what's going on.

              See here, $20 item currently bid up to $20, bidder made his offer (not automatic) when it was at $19.99
              eBay.com Item Bid History

              See here, $25 item currently bid up to $25, bidder made his offer (not automatic) when it was at $24.50
              eBay.com Item Bid History

              See here, $5 item currently bid up to $5, bidder made his offer (not automatic) when it was at $4.50
              eBay.com Item Bid History


              I can find lots more like that. It doesn't make sense?
              Signature

              So, you want to sell me another way to easily make "X" dollars in "X" days? ROFL too funny! IM success requires hard work and lots of time. Most newbies do not survive the steep learning curve. Anyone who says otherwise is probably selling you a fantasy.

              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1659357].message }}
              • Profile picture of the author Lee Wilson
                The $5 one (if I got it right) placed the bid when the previous bid was 99c.

                The other two, hard to tell. One of them has a low post (edit: feedback, not post count) count which is a good indication of shill bidding or a newbie who just doesn't get it, this is common.

                The third one doesn't make sense. He has a high post count so should know the system. It's not likely a shill bid because the previous bis was at 24.50 so shilling it would be silly, the seller would pay more in fees.

                I've been selling on ebay for about ten years things still don't cease to amaze me, most you can find a reason but sometimes you have no idea. Years ago I was selling computers on ebay, lot's of them. let's say the price started at £1 auction but also had a Buy it now option for £250. Often the bids would go to £270 - £280. Not only did this mean they paid an extra £30 odd for no reason, they also had to wait for the auction to end before we could collect payment and send the item. This didn't happen rarely, it was about 5% of the sales.

                We once asked a customer if he realised he had done that and he said yes but he was having so much fun with the fierce bidding that he didn't want to bail out of the bidding war!

                When you sell on ebay you learn a lot about peoples buying habits, especially if you test things. I have learned a lot from selling on ebay that I apply elsewhere.

                It's 4.30am, I think I'd better go to bed
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      • Profile picture of the author FredFarnes
        Here's another example, bid $19.75 for something worth $20 ??

        AMAZON.com $20 gift card certificate NO EXP *NEW* - eBay (item 160396614338 end time Jan-24-10 06:54:56 PST)

        Saving 25 cents?

        It doesn't make a lot of sense, any ideas?

        Here is another one, the current bid is $20 for an item worth $20
        $20 AMAZON.COM GIFT CARD / CERTIFICATE - eBay (item 160397371267 end time Jan-24-10 15:08:13 PST)

        Is there some benefit when you use a gift card? See here, paying $25 for a $25 item, savings = $0
        BRAND NEW $25 **AMAZON.COM** Gift Card/Certificate - eBay (item 220542475732 end time Jan-24-10 18:01:21 PST)
        Signature

        So, you want to sell me another way to easily make "X" dollars in "X" days? ROFL too funny! IM success requires hard work and lots of time. Most newbies do not survive the steep learning curve. Anyone who says otherwise is probably selling you a fantasy.

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  • Profile picture of the author George Wright
    There is a way to contact buyers. Ask a few of them. I did this once. A marketer who happens to be a Warrior sends email offers that just didn't make sense to me. I finally asked them why they did this and that and when they told me it made perfect sense and I do it now myself.

    George Wright
    Signature
    "The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book." Mickey Spillane
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    • Profile picture of the author FredFarnes
      Originally Posted by George Wright View Post

      There is a way to contact buyers. Ask a few of them. I did this once. A marketer who happens to be a Warrior sends email offers that just didn't make sense to me. I finally asked them why they did this and that and when they told me it made perfect sense and I do it now myself.

      George Wright
      Funny you should mention, I did that already, waiting for a reply!
      Signature

      So, you want to sell me another way to easily make "X" dollars in "X" days? ROFL too funny! IM success requires hard work and lots of time. Most newbies do not survive the steep learning curve. Anyone who says otherwise is probably selling you a fantasy.

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1659444].message }}

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