eBay bidding question

[NedsTJ]

Not sure where to ask this, but I figure more eBayer's hang out here (collectors board) than elsewhere, LOL!
I bid on and won and auction the other night. I got it for what I thought it would go for, but the bidding in the last 30 seconds was odd.
The items are some 1995 guide books of MK, Epcot and MGM. Someone had early bid, but I knew it would go for much more. With about 18 seconds to go I bid $42.57. High Bidder...for about 3 seconds when it said I was outbid. Cursing to myself (as I knew I should have just entered my max, lol), I quickly rebid $50 and managed to win the auction at $47.91. In looking at the bidding, I was surprises to see 4 bids in row, 1-2 seconds apart. Each entered with a it's own timestamp (ie, separate bid?).

I'm guessing this is some sort of snipe attempt? I'm just curious what was going on as if it was single, higher max, it would have simply jumped to that level and be shown as a "automatic bid". Or was someone using some sort of service or "tool" to bid for them? And to what end? Just enter your max and you either get it or you don't and you don't have to worry about spending to much?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If you are known on eBay for a particular item (as I am for Figment stuff), using eBay's system lets people know you are interested and can run the bids way up. If you use an outside service that does not start bidding until about ten seconds (or less) out you're not know to be bidding until the last few seconds.

e-snipe, for example, has probably saved me a lot of money.

 

[P11876]

Yes...it just sounds like several people sniped the bid at once. That sort of thing has happened to me before on several occasions.

My philosophy...always bid your max via regular bidding or esnipe...then, if you don't get it, you can rest assured that you at least made them pay! Lord knows others have made me pay before

 

[stowey22]

I was wondering if eBay is my best option for selling my Disney Collectibles? I have collected random things for many years but I am now married and I am starting a family and I rarely see my curio of collectibles anymore so I am think about selling them.

Thoughts?

 

[pixiewings71]

eBay can be good but you may not get what you think your items are worth. Also, research shipping costs well as they can vary and if anything is breakable know that you will need to pack them carefully to avoid breakage.