I am really starting to hate E-Bay

[Kilted in Maine]

Twice this week I have lost out on last minute (or actually - last second) bidding!!!

[Maclachlan]

The trick is to bid the most you are willing to pay for the item and step back. Ebay will automatically bid to that price for you. To go more than you wanted just to get the buy will lead to even more frustration. Best advice is to just keep trying!

[Big Paul]

Just keep trying!!

Those just weren't the deals for you!

[turpin]

Agreed. I felt the same way, hanging out trying to get the lowest price possible, and missing out at the last second. Then I discovered the automatic bidding function, which has a lot of advantages. You decide the most you want to pay and put that bid in. Ebay bids automatically for you according to pre-set bid increments, and keeps you updated as the bid price approaches your maximum, or if you win or lose. The key is to look at what other similar or identical items have sold for and put in a bid in that range. You will only pay whatever the auction raises the bid to, not necessarily your maximum.

Check out some of the buying tutorials for more info. Ebay can be a good friend. The key is to know the value of what you're bidding on. Don't hesitate to aske the sellers questions.

[Kilted in Maine]

I know about the automatic bidding and should have made better use of it.

My first "loss" was a kilt pin that had no bids at all. I had been eyeing it for a couple of days leading up the the end of the auction. I was also watching the counter and there were no additional views. So, I thought I was a shoe-in, placed a bid and lost it when some one swooped in literally "seconds" before the close.

The second was a kilt that I did use the automatic bidding and actually increased my max (problem btwn "what I want to pay" and "what I can justify to the wife"). I went beyond the later. Again, this was minutes before closing came in and won it.

You are right, probably lost for a reason - must keep looking!

[BEEDEE]

Try sniping. I use My Snipes https://www.snipeswipe.com. You enter your maximum bid and they put it in for you at the last moment. That way, nobody sees your bid until the last moment.
BTW - I hope it wasn't the Sterling Silver Dagger Pin. If so, I apologize for grabbing it at the last moment.

Brian

[RakesOfMallow]

I always have good luck at the last few seconds...as long as I can actually sit there and monitor the auction closing to the last second. Otherwise...I usually lose out with the auto bid because someone outbids me. There is a fine line...put in too high a maximum and the item gets bid up to a large amount, wait till the end and possibly miss out. Just remember, there is often another one being listed a week or a month or a year later. I've found this out the hard way and overpaid for something I thought was rare, only to find it popping up regularly a few weeks later. Best of luck!

Tom

[Big Paul]

I've found this out the hard way and overpaid for something I thought was rare, only to find it popping up regularly a few weeks later.

I did the very same thing... Live and learn..

[Kilted in Maine]

ARRRHHH - I got sniped by BEEDEE!!!!

I really wanted that Sterling Silver Dagger Pin

[DTrain]

The biggest problem I see with ebay is finding the true pearls of value amongst all the garbage. And since when did ski jackets get to be sprinkled all over the "Kilts, sporrans" section? It drives me nuts.