eBay auctions

[DealorNoDeal]

I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but I've found them to be bonkers.

People seem more interested in winning the auctions than paying a sensible price. I've seen stuff going for silly money as people race to outbid each other.

The only stuff I've been able to buy at a reasonable price is when it's either fixed price or you can make an offer.

Is it just another form of gambling I wonder.

[ladymuck]

If that sort of thing is going on then it may be because the seller has someone bidding to push the price up for them. I've occasionally used it to buy and sell and haven't had that happen. If something goes higher than I'm willing to pay then I just stop bidding.

[DealorNoDeal]

If that sort of thing is going on then it may be because the seller has someone bidding to push the price up for them.

I did wonder about that.

[GJABS]

Humans, are human after all - this type of behaviour is to be expected.

And it can go the other way too.

.. as back in 2012 I put up an auction to go on a (heterosexual) "date" with my good self. Obviously for a laugh.
It got a bid!
From my mate Jim.
For £0.01
with free postage!
and he won!

But then my account got banned on there for selling "sexual services" or some such guff.
Grrrr!!

[vetran]

Humans, are human after all - this type of behaviour is to be expected.

And it can go the other way too.

.. as back in 2012 I put up an auction to go on a (heterosexual) "date" with my good self. Obviously for a laugh.
It got a bid!
From my mate Jim.
For £0.01
with free postage!
and he won!

But then my account got banned on there for selling "sexual services" or some such guff.
Grrrr!!

poor feedback ?

[AtW]

Item did not match description

[mattster]

If that sort of thing is going on then it may be because the seller has someone bidding to push the price up for them. I've occasionally used it to buy and sell and haven't had that happen. If something goes higher than I'm willing to pay then I just stop bidding.

I don't think so, necessarily, it's just some kind of auction fever that takes over inexperienced bidders. I sold a bunch of stuff I didn't need any more quite a few years ago on eBay (mostly used fishing lures), and the bidding on some of it was crazy at the end. Quite a number of items went for more than the new price, and these were most definitely used. It also wasn't the case that they were rare, or impossible to buy new any more.
The best way to use ebay for buying is to keep a level head, set a maximum bid, and don't worry too much if you don't get it. Sooner or later you might get a bargain. I don't know if sniping tools are still a thing, but years ago I used to use one to buy, the idea being that it fires in a bid with just a few seconds of the auction remaining - that was quite effective.

[DealorNoDeal]

Quite a number of items went for more than the new price

Yes, I have seen that. In many cases people could have bought the same item cheaper on eBay through a fixed price listing.

[DealorNoDeal]

.. as back in 2012 I put up an auction to go on a (heterosexual) "date" with my good self. Obviously for a laugh.
It got a bid!
From my mate Jim.
For £0.01
with free postage!
and he won!

See what I mean about people paying too much.

[ladymuck]

Crazy bidding is a feature of all auctions but I'd have thought it more so in real auction houses where you can eyeball your opponent. Maybe I'm just old...