OT- EBay proxy bidding question

[Russ Smith]

Figure someone here might know the answer.

I'm proxy bidding on an item, the auction will close about 6pm, I will be headed out of town at 4pm with no computer access. My bid is currently the high, but it's very close to my "max bid" (a couple of bucks off right now) and likely it will go up over my max bid. I am willing to increase my max bid and then if someone tops that fine. But, if I submit a new max bid now, won't it automatically bump the bid 1 dollar in effect meaning I topped my own bid by 1 buck?

Is there a way for me to increase my max bid(65 to say 75 dollars) without having to bid against myself now or do I have to wait until the bidding tops 65 and then bid again?

Never done it before I would like this item but only at a certain price nothing higher.

thanks,

 

[Stronso]

I think that if you want to enter a proxy bid you will have to enter a new bid thus topping your old one. Plus side is that you will, if you win, get the item at or below your max. But you would also be raising the bid $1.00

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by Stronso
I think that if you want to enter a proxy bid you will have to enter a new bid thus topping your old one. Plus side is that you will, if you win, get the item at or below your max. But you would also be raising the bid $1.00

Thanks that's what I thought and a co-worker agreed. His comment was "why did you put a max bid below what your actual max is dummy?" Which is a good question, as I said, never done a proxy bid before should have put my true max.

I guess if it hasn't changed by say 3 PM I'll just bump my max bid up on the assumption it'll go over 65 after I leave, only a buck I guess it's more wanting to avoid looking stupid bidding against myself (-:

 

[pinnacle]

go to www.bidnapper.com

register and they will give you a few free bids (i.e. you can bid on this auction for free)...put in the max you want to pay. They will bid in the last 10 seconds of the auction on your behalf..if you bid against yourself..it does not count - and bidnapper bids on your behalf..so you are covered..

I only bid on stuff using bidnapper...no sense in running up the price in advance only to be outbid at the end. they have not let me down yet..

 

[jf-08]

hmmmmmm.....

whatcha bidding on?

***heh, heh, I just so happen to have an extra $76 to blow***

 

[Stronso]

Originally posted by pinnacle
go to www.bidnapper.com

register and they will give you a few free bids (i.e. you can bid on this auction for free)...put in the max you want to pay. They will bid in the last 10 seconds of the auction on your behalf..if you bid against yourself..it does not count - and bidnapper bids on your behalf..so you are covered..

I only bid on stuff using bidnapper...no sense in running up the price in advance only to be outbid at the end. they have not let me down yet..

I didn't know this existed...very, very cool!!! Thanks sir!!

 

[maddogkf]

Thanks for the bidnapper link, buttwad. Where were you yesterday? I paid $301 for a pool cleaner that I waited up for until aftermidnight last night......

...and then one sold for $42 less this morning...

 

[maddogkf]

Originally posted by pinnacle
go to www.bidnapper.com

register and they will give you a few free bids (i.e. you can bid on this auction for free)...put in the max you want to pay. They will bid in the last 10 seconds of the auction on your behalf..if you bid against yourself..it does not count - and bidnapper bids on your behalf..so you are covered..

I only bid on stuff using bidnapper...no sense in running up the price in advance only to be outbid at the end. they have not let me down yet..

What happens if two people are "bidnapping" on the same item? He who hath the quicker finger getteth the girl?

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by pinnacle
go to www.bidnapper.com

register and they will give you a few free bids (i.e. you can bid on this auction for free)...put in the max you want to pay. They will bid in the last 10 seconds of the auction on your behalf..if you bid against yourself..it does not count - and bidnapper bids on your behalf..so you are covered..

I only bid on stuff using bidnapper...no sense in running up the price in advance only to be outbid at the end. they have not let me down yet..

Cool I just may try that.

 

[pinnacle]

if 2 people use bidnapper...they submit both bids and the highest wins..

 

[EndZone]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
Figure someone here might know the answer.

I'm proxy bidding on an item, the auction will close about 6pm, I will be headed out of town at 4pm with no computer access. My bid is currently the high, but it's very close to my "max bid" (a couple of bucks off right now) and likely it will go up over my max bid. I am willing to increase my max bid and then if someone tops that fine. But, if I submit a new max bid now, won't it automatically bump the bid 1 dollar in effect meaning I topped my own bid by 1 buck?

Is there a way for me to increase my max bid(65 to say 75 dollars) without having to bid against myself now or do I have to wait until the bidding tops 65 and then bid again?

Never done it before I would like this item but only at a certain price nothing higher.

thanks,

WOW talk about timing I had the same question on something I was bidding on LAST NIGHT. I just bid again because the item was worth bumping it 1$ ....but it did not up the bid it just upped my max. It is smart enught to know that you are the same person and you would not bid on yourself. Oh and BTW I WON!!! $160 item for $81! I use EBAY alot but that is the first time I have run into that.

 

[Russ Smith]

Re: Re: OT- EBay proxy bidding question

Originally posted by EndZone
WOW talk about timing I had the same question on something I was bidding on LAST NIGHT. I just bid again because the item was worth bumping it 1$ ....but it did not up the bid it just upped my max. It is smart enught to know that you are the same person and you would not bid on yourself. Oh and BTW I WON!!! $160 item for $81! I use EBAY alot but that is the first time I have run into that.

Thanks again you are correct sir. I just upped my max bid 10 bucks and the current high bid is still me and it did NOT go up 1 buck.

Pretty cool, if I get it great, who knows my bid is currently 12 bucks below my new max bid so it may hold up. If I don't I may try the bidnapper thing next time since there are more than one of this item(a fly fishing reel) available at the moment. This is the only one that expires today which , coupled with the bid price, is why I bid on it when I did, only to realize later the thing expired 2 hours after I leave to go out of town.

thanks for the help.

 

[EndZone]

Originally posted by pinnacle
go to www.bidnapper.com

register and they will give you a few free bids (i.e. you can bid on this auction for free)...put in the max you want to pay. They will bid in the last 10 seconds of the auction on your behalf..if you bid against yourself..it does not count - and bidnapper bids on your behalf..so you are covered..

I only bid on stuff using bidnapper...no sense in running up the price in advance only to be outbid at the end. they have not let me down yet..

That is SWEET I normally dont bid till the last 30 seconds anyway except for when I need to go to bed and the auction ends in the middle of the night...thank you sir!

 

[SweetD]

I just put a bid in for a nice fly fishing reel and some bumb only bid $65

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
Thanks that's what I thought and a co-worker agreed. His comment was "why did you put a max bid below what your actual max is dummy?"

This makes sense when you'll be there to bid at the last second. If I want something that is currently priced at $50, but my max bid is $100, I won't automatically place my proxy bid at $100--in fact, I won't bid at all until the last 45 seconds or so, at which time I'll throw in a bid for $80 or so to see if that works. If it does I wait until the very last second and plug in my max--in this case $100. That last bid is insurance against people seeing my $80 and trying to top it by a few bucks.

It usually works, and by not inflating the bid too early with my max (people often "feel out" other bidders early and that inflates the price too quickly), I keep the price down.

As I type this I realize I'm an enormous dork.

 

[SweetD]

I hate Ebay there are some iteam that I bid on and some stupid person will out bid me and pay more that it would have cost brand new or from down the street. :twisted:

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by SweetD
I hate Ebay there are some iteam that I bid on and some stupid person will out bid me and pay more that it would have cost brand new or from down the street. :twisted:

True but if you're the seller that would be a nice deal.

The concept is sheer genius I worked with the founder, Pierre Omidyar, at General Magic before he left to form Ebay. He was an engineer and many people told him he was nuts giving up a secure job to start his own company. Magic is now in bankruptcy, Omidyar is a Billionaire, with a capital B, and a very nice guy gives to lots of charities from what I understand.

Classic case of finding a way to fill a need and making a living out of it.

 

[Ryanwb]

Originally posted by SweetD
I hate Ebay there are some iteam that I bid on and some stupid person will out bid me and pay more that it would have cost brand new or from down the street. :twisted:

Some guy got into a bidding war on a Playstation 2 game I was selling, the winner ended up paying like 52 bucks plus shipping when he could have gotten it at Best Buy for 49.99...plus the game was used. I guess the competiveness and feeling of victory is worth the extra few bucks