[pntxjack]

Over the past couple of weeks I have learned some things about eBay.
If this is old hat, sorry. If it is not, good info, especially number two.
1) eBay tip (selling):
NEVER use a "reserve price" auction. A couple of weeks ago I listed an A* 400mm f/2.8 with a $2,000 reserve. The bidding barely exceeded $1,400. The auction just closed on my re-listing of Bertha with no reserve*, and the winning bid was over $2,200! Bidders just plain do not like to bid with no idea what the seller's bottom line is. (*I did have a starting price of $999.99 to avoid a possible complete and total disaster.)
2) eBay tip (buying):
NEVER place any bid at all AT ALL on an item until within the last 15 to 30 seconds of the close of the auction, and then bid it all--the maximum price you are willing to pay. eBay will not bid all of your maximum bid all at once, it will bid in increments just large enough to beat the highest competing bid.
Hope this is helpful.
Jack
PS
Another interesting thing happened. I had a PENTAX REAR CONVERTER-A 1.4X-L listed with a starting bid of $25. NOTHING!!! AT ALL--just silence. So, I raised the startng price to $99.99 and instantly got a bid in that amount. Tip #3: If an item is not selling, raise the price! It did sell for over $250.
J.

[vonBaloney]

Over the past couple of weeks I have learned some things about eBay.
If this is old hat, sorry. If it is not, good info, especially number two.
1) eBay tip (selling):
NEVER use a "reserve price" auction. A couple of weeks ago I listed an A* 400mm f/2.8 with a $2,000 reserve. The bidding barely exceeded $1,400. The auction just closed on my re-listing of Bertha with no reserve*, and the winning bid was over $2,200! Bidders just plain do not like to bid with no idea what the seller's bottom line is. (*I did have a starting price of $999.99 to avoid a possible complete and total disaster.)
2) eBay tip (buying):
NEVER place any bid at all AT ALL on an item until within the last 15 to 30 seconds of the close of the auction, and then bid it all--the maximum price you are willing to pay. eBay will not bid all of your maximum bid all at once, it will bid in increments just large enough to beat the highest competing bid.
Hope this is helpful.
Jack
PS
Another interesting thing happened. I had a PENTAX REAR CONVERTER-A 1.4X-L listed with a starting bid of $25. NOTHING!!! AT ALL--just silence. So, I raised the startng price to $99.99 and instantly got a bid in that amount. Tip #3: If an item is not selling, raise the price! It did sell for over $250.
J.

mmm...I tried to buy that. I'm the one that bid $250.

[jatrax]

NEVER use a "reserve price" auction.

Agree on that, I usually don't bother bidding on reserve items. Not worth my time to mess around trying to see if the seller is nuts or actually knows the price.

NEVER place any bid at all AT ALL on an item until within the last 15 to 30 seconds of the close of the auction, and then bid it all--the maximum price

While good advice, I often place an early bid just to hold my place so to speak, but only a low bid. The real action is as you say, in the last few seconds.

A* 400mm f/2.8 with a $2,000 reserve. The bidding barely exceeded $1,400.

Had that on my watch list but just figured it would be out of my price range, which it was. Glad you got your price and I hope it went to a good home.

[MadMathMind]

Over the past couple of weeks I have learned some things about eBay.
Bidders just plain do not like to bid with no idea what the seller's bottom line is. (*I did have a starting price of $999.99 to avoid a possible complete and total disaster.)

The other thing that scares off buyers is that if you put in a max bid higher than the reserve, it will bump your bid up to the reserve. In your example, someone might be willing to pay $2100 but really thinks the item is worth closer to $1800 and would prefer the price to stay around there. The end result is that bidders are scared away because they fear they will end up paying the absolute maximum they are willing to pay.

[EarlVonTapia]

2) eBay tip (buying):
NEVER place any bid at all AT ALL on an item until within the last 15 to 30 seconds of the close of the auction, and then bid it all--the maximum price you are willing to pay. eBay will not bid all of your maximum bid all at once, it will bid in increments just large enough to beat the highest competing bid.
Hope this is helpful.
Jack

Or you could just use Gixen, which is a free Ebay sniper. You just set it and forget it and you don't have to sit at a computer and manually wait until the seconds tick down to set your max bid.

GIXEN - Free eBay Auction Sniper

[tomwil]

1) eBay tip (selling):
NEVER use a "reserve price" auction. Bidders just plain do not like to bid with no idea what the seller's bottom line is.

Would it be acceptable to list the reserve price in the auction description itself, so buyers would know the price without guessing?

[RickC]

Would it be acceptable to list the reserve price in the auction description itself, so buyers would know the price without guessing?

It would be easier to just start the bidding at that price. I think people try to get around eBay's fees by doing things such as starting the item at a penny to get people primed to bid up to and above their reserve price. Kicker is eBay will get their money one way or the other!

[boriscleto]

Let's face it, it doesn't matter if your using a sniping tool or not the max you are willing to pay is just that and can be beat at anytime by someone who is willing to pay more regardless of what they use or do. To me half the fun is trying to wait and see if I can last second out bid someone else and get it for less than what I was willing to pay. Sometimes I win sometimes I lose and sometimes that item I thought looked good is a piece of crap.

And first bid wins ties...

[pntxjack]

Thanks all, and vonBaloney--sorry you did not win the auction. It was amazing to watch. Literally in the last two seconds, the price went from $99.99 to over $250--had to be some automatic thing or other going on. Jatrax--unless you are young, big and strong, you did not want that lens. Carrying it was pure agony, at least for an old guy.

[kaipa]

Another interesting thing happened. I had a PENTAX REAR CONVERTER-A 1.4X-L listed with a starting bid of $25. NOTHING!!! AT ALL--just silence. So, I raised the startng price to $99.99 and instantly got a bid in that amount. Tip #3: If an item is not selling, raise the price! It did sell for over $250.
J.

Hi Jack, I am the one who bought converter. My initial bid followed not because you raised the starting price, it was just a coinsidence.

Agree with your other observations.

[kaipa]

mmm...I tried to buy that. I'm the one that bid $250.

Sorry for outbidding you. I bid slightly more, not much.

[kaipa]

While good advice, I often place an early bid just to hold my place so to speak, but only a low bid. The real action is as you say, in the last few seconds.

Absolutely.

[vonBaloney]

Sorry for outbidding you. I bid slightly more, not much.

That's ok, didn't really want to pay even that much anyway but they don't come up that much. I've never seen one go more than $240 or so on ebay before...

[kaipa]

That's ok, didn't really want to pay even that much anyway but they don't come up that much. I've never seen one go more than $240 or so on ebay before...

I was hoping to get it for $99 as well The usual price is about $250. it is more expensive at KEH for some reason.

[stormtech]

Or you could just use Gixen, which is a free Ebay sniper. You just set it and forget it and you don't have to sit at a computer and manually wait until the seconds tick down to set your max bid.

GIXEN - Free eBay Auction Sniper

+1 for Gixen. I only use it a few times a year as I don't buy a whole lot on ebay, but the service is great. I like it enough that I pay the paltry $6 a year to help the guy out.