" wrote:

Most watched auctions end without any bids.

So why in all cases does another bidder appear if I bid?

If you bid on something that someone else has bid on, they set a limit and ebay will
automatically increase the bid by some increment. I think there is a place in bid history
that will show all the bids if multiple proxies are at war with each other.

Could it be the seller has another identity to shill up the price?

I'm sure that happens from time to time. The trick is to bid what it is worth to you and
no more. Another deal is coming down the road on most things if you have patience.

The other night, I was bidding on an item that I knew was non functional but it had
components that I could use right now and it was something I have a good chance of
repairing. For nearly 6 days, no bids other than my initial bid. Then late in the game,
two people bid on it. A 2 and a 5, iow, a guy that has made 2 purchases and one that has
made 5. I groaned, likely two people that have not read the offer closely and were
bidding thinking likely that it was functional.

This item was first listed as functional but when I asked the seller some questions, he
powered it up again and it didn't work. He canceled the first auction and relisted it as
not tested, as is, no return. Ebay speak, don't expect much.

Well these people got to $0.01 of my bid and stopped. I went to bed and when I awoke, I
had won the bid.

Ebay is not a perfect analog of auction with people and and an auctioner. For example if
you put down 50 dollars as your max bid, the price is currently at 14 and you see
something else you would like to bid on. You can't hold your previous bid at 14 and stop
there. That 50 you put down is at risk until the end of bidding. That part ****es me
off. I'm fully willing to stand by what the bid is up to the moment I decide maybe there
is something else worth putting my money into. So never bid high to guarantee getting
something. You can't turn it off and if an idiot is bidding, you are screwed.


Wes