eBay fishyness.

[Russianwolf]

It is possible that other sellers pick off low bid items for resale. Both of the winning bidders on the items I was bidding on had over 1000 transactions.
Don't forget that power sellers and stores probably get huge volume discounts on listing fee's. Plus most stores host their pictures remotely so there are no ebay fee's involved with that. All I can say is that I think the eBay system as they now have it set up is so ripe for any sort of abuse that it's not even funny.

My wife does it all the time. She will buy name brand purses that she feels aren't selling high enough, then turn around and sell them herself.

[dbhost]

Yep, sniping. Guilty of doing it myself. A particular item type I had been sniped on previously, one of those ultra deals. I was willing to go to something like $100.00 on the thing, and I clicked through the bidding with like 2 seconds to go... I think I paid something like $35.00 for it...

"It" is a particular high end backpacking tent I used on several trips through the Cascades....

[phrog]

In any live auction bidding does not end until someone gives up..

This is what I had in mind when I posted my first msg. From a buyer's perspective, sniping seems the way to go but having been on both sides of the equation, I think that the live auction format is more fair to everyone. I'm sure there are those who will disagree. :-)
Richard

[jussi]

This is what I had in mind when I posted my first msg. From a buyer's perspective, sniping seems the way to go but having been on both sides of the equation, I think that the live auction format is more fair to everyone. I'm sure there are those who will disagree. :-)
Richard

The problem with that is you'd actually have to be in front of your computer during the auction. That's not always an option for everyone.

Plus I think Ebay works like a live auction, assuming people treated that way. Auction starts. You place the highest bid you're willing to pay and become the highest bidder. Someone comes in and places a bid and ebay automatically outbids them for you. Continues till he gives up or surpasses your highest bid. In which case you wouldn't have paid that price anyways which meant you give up.

If people put their highest bid, instead of one slightly higher than the current bid, I doubt sniping would be so prevalent.