ebay listing/bidding, confused

[Elfeda]

last week I have done first bidding..and after 5 days in last 30 mins or so there were bids from 2 or 3 accounts..and ended at very big amount. I actually thought the similar one got relisted at half the initial asking price, so this wouldn't go that high.

went around to check polytunnels and reclculated the stuff with I have in hand i.e 50mm tubes, timber bits, doors. so still toget some pipe and plastic..then I should ask to put them together. so builder cost extra. even than not more than £350...

so again can't I get 2nd for £350 with extra''ss?? again back to ebay... this very greenhouse I tried to bid is showing in the list with starting date from y'day. it doesn't say..re-listed...It has all old updates .

I just wondered it has been re-listed or those higher bids were unreal and made by the same guy who listed???

[bearded bloke]

last week I have done first bidding..and after 5 days in last 30 mins or so there were bids from 2 or 3 accounts..and ended at very big amount.

Thay's called "sniping" see here for explanation ... Snipe eBay Auctions Last Second Sniping to Win Bids | eBay

[Elfeda]

BB, I know about sniping..but I feel the person who listed the item has tampered the price?

[veggiechicken]

Maybe the first buyer couldn't complete the purchase so its been re-offered?
Maybe the seller has 2 of them?

[Elfeda]

re-offered has been always mentioned as re-listed?

[veggiechicken]

I've actually no idea how it works. I buy very little from there. Have you looked on Freecycle/Freegle/Gumtree for a GH? Much cheaper that way!

[Scarlet]

I hate eb@y! That flurry of bids in at the last minute. OH loves it for cycling stuff, unfortunately he also fancied a skate board ramp for the kids one year....dismantle yourself, it took 6 of us to unscrew the bl@@dy thing, a lorry to stick it on (a friends!) and it remained in my yard for months I slowly burnt it. It kept me warm through the winter

[vixylix]

Good chance that either they bid themselves, or the sale didnt go through for some other reason.

It can sometimes be worth emailing the seller and offering them your previous bid price to go outside of the auction if it is relisted.

Sometime it works, sometimes you have to bid all over again, but worth a try!

[Kirk]

No use getting bothered by it. You sensibly appeared to have stopped at a maximum price for yourself then in effect walked away. There are likely others that are probably better Guntree and Freecycle as VC points out.

As ebay is a sort of hidden bidding system you have no real idea if there was a valid higher bid but the bidder walked away from or if the seller was adding bids themself to get the price up. Very likely the latter.

Another thing that occurs is that the seller has 5 and advertises 1, that gets bid on and sold then the 4 next higher losers get approached with some tale and offered the item at their bid price. So the seller sells all 5.

I will look for bits on ebay (just purchased some torches) but will not enter into an auction, I either buy it or don't bother. Simply if I want something I want it, and checking other bids and hoping I get whatever in a day or two just is not worth it. Can you imagine getting a trolly of food at a supermarket then having a bidding session at the checkout for every item?

[Elfeda]

Kirk,

Thanks for clarifying on the things I really got concerned of. me have some constraints leaving me to buy new or rely on ebay only if there is any good help available . also size of the frames is a factor ,like to get one big one as I do not want to spend 2 times on man and van hire.


another question what can I chek for the GH's which are allready dismantled and they have instructions in hand? are they safe enough to pick?

I have never entered into bidding war unless it is sensible. I will let it go.

[Elfeda]

vivylix,

I did enter my first bid again.. and that is my max (really want to pay lesser to it..).

So if he has takers, that is fine by me..but no more higher bidding.