My best Skyauction bidding tip

[Lucky4me]

I'm not sure if this technique has been discussed here or not. Maybe it will help someone who is new to bidding.
The tip is, don't bid until the last 30 seconds of the auction.

It's simple. Wait until the countdown clock turns to 1 minute. Look at the second hand on your watch and place your bid exactly 30 seconds into the last minute. Make sure to put in the highest autobid you're willing to pay. No one else will have time to place another bid and outbid you if yours happens to be the highest autobid. It's a little nervewracking at first, but at least you don't have to wait around to see what's going to happen. :lol

This has worked for me countless times, most recently on an RSG.
I think this may tick off other bidders, especially high bidders during the auction who don't use autobid, but nothing is stopping them from doing the same thing. I also think bidding this way keeps the prices down, rather than driving them up by having bidding wars during the auction.

 

[spiceycat]

good tip.

I have had to use it for the last few bids.

It does generally work.

however if the person before you also used autobid and he put more into autobid than you did - you will still lose this bid.

some people don't understand how autobid works and immediately puts in the maximum.

 

[Lucky4me]

Right about the person before you bidding more, but that's the chance you take. That someone is doing the exact same thing you are.
I watch a lot more auctions than I bid on and you usually see a pattern of those who are new to it and bidding like crazy versus the seasoned bidders who wait it out. I prefer to take my chances and wait. If it goes above my limit before I even bid, que sera.

 

[NHLFAN]

I'm not sure if this technique has been discussed here or not. Maybe it will help someone who is new to bidding.
The tip is, don't bid until the last 30 seconds of the auction.

It's simple. Wait until the countdown clock turns to 1 minute. Look at the second hand on your watch and place your bid exactly 30 seconds into the last minute. Make sure to put in the highest autobid you're willing to pay. No one else will have time to place another bid and outbid you if yours happens to be the highest autobid. It's a little nervewracking at first, but at least you don't have to wait around to see what's going to happen. :lol

This has worked for me countless times, most recently on an RSG.
I think this may tick off other bidders, especially high bidders during the auction who don't use autobid, but nothing is stopping them from doing the same thing. I also think bidding this way keeps the prices down, rather than driving them up by having bidding wars during the auction.

It's the Ebay Way ....It's called SNIPING and it's nice that they don't give out the email address of the last second winning bidders.

 

[PhotobearSam]

this worked for me twice in the past 2 weeks.

There are some people who bid lots to begin with and I always wonder why because they never seem to win in the end.

There is this bidder named GreyBear that was bidding on all the Vistana auction he saw but I never saw him win any...I noticed his name as it was close to mine. His bids were always up to $160 and I got mine at $26 as a snip that he was not bidding on that day...I will always wonder if he ever won one

 

[HulaHoop]

I've been reluctant to try it since I don't know anything about skyauction, but it's very tempting! I'd appreciate your input.

 

[spiceycat]

I have an excellent results with skyauction.

the bids you make plus the fees (for a RCI timeshare $195 exchange plus $15 their fees) is exactly what you pay.

nothing more.

RCI dooesn't always explain to skyauction exactly what they have.

on my first winning bid of Celebration World resort when ask for comments I mentioned I was bringing my cat, Spicey, and I wanted a pet-friendly villa.

they immediately told me that pets were not allowed. WHich I knew was not true. when I questioned them they finally checked with either the resort or RCI. Now in their advertisement of this resort they now mention that is it pet friendly.

so RCI is not always giving skyauction all the information.

but yes I love winning a bid. and even better yet staying a week at a timeshare for $211 (the lowest bid - not using home away from home)

 

[Alice Sr.]

Do you have to be a RCI owner to bid on these? Spiceycat if you have a chance would mind explaining how you went about getting Celebration World, is it a resort or timeshare? You could PM me if you don't want to hi-jack the thread. Are there other options besides Orlando property?

I have never checked this board out because we only stay on-site but it is really quite fascinating the things I have been finding out about!

TIA,
Alice

 

[lawgs]

skyauction is open to any one .....but the inventory is usually from excess timeshare weeks that RCI has, which they sell through various outlets.....which may or may not require an RCI membership


celebration world is not the celebration that is part of the disney concept.....it is a timeshare resort located about 3 miles from the maingate entrance to disney off of 192

 

[NHLFAN]

good tip.

I have had to use it for the last few bids.

It does generally work.

however if the person before you also used autobid and he put more into autobid than you did - you will still lose this bid.

some people don't understand how autobid works and immediately puts in the maximum.

LOL...

I placed an autobid on SkyAuction tonight when the timer hit one minute and I was outbidded by another bidder who won with a "lower bid" than mine!

I don't think SkyAuction's server can handle the flood within the last minute like Ebay can...

So your best bet on Skyauction would be to place your highest bid with autobid whenever you find a listing you like or run a chance on losing it anyways.

 

[Time4Orlando]

If you don't like the hassle of bidding and waiting, I think www.DoOrlando.com sells these weeks outright for cheap. I also think they have SkyAuction auctions available on their site as well.

 

[lawgs]

of course cheap is a relative concept

we got Vacation Village at the Parkway one bedroom for the week on sky auction, the site you lists charges 399$ plus 15% tax for the same time period

the cost to us was much "cheaper" than what they had listed

but thanks for posting a site to look to

 

[Time4Orlando]

No problem! $399 + 15% still isn't bad for highly-traveled times!

Less than 2 months for Orlando!

 

[lawgs]

just musing about this, we did get this for next month so it could have been like last minute inventory

we would probably jump on 399$ if we did not know we could get timeshares for less on skyauction

all in all skyauction has allowed us to extend our timeshare portfolio

when you consider a timeshare cost an owner an intial investment then MF + TAX + RCI Membership + Exchange fee...it can work into about 800$ + to use the week ( or less if you do not exchange and just use your week )

 

[Time4Orlando]

Do you have to sit through a timeshare meeting if you buy from SkyAuction? When I called DoOrlando, they said that if you buy one of the weeks, you are not required to sit through one, but they will probably ask you to.

 

[spiceycat]

NO!!!

most of the time on the skyauction weeks I have won - the resort doesn't even call. I have never been called on my skyauction weeks.

now on my RCI exchanges the resort always calls.

 

[Lucky4me]

I just grabbed an extra vacation through RCI for $229. I can't believe it!
It's the first time in 5 years I found something that cheap through them. I got a 3 bedroom at Cypress Pointe in December. Not too shabby. Skyauction Ready set go had availibility at Cypress pointe as well, but only for a 1 bedroom. So, once again, I'll be staying off site. For the accomodations we're getting and price we're paying, there is no comparison.
I compare the Cypress Pointe refurbished units to the units at OKW. Very similar in size and style. The only difference is location. OKW is on a golf course on Disney property and the grounds are just beautiful. CP is smack dab in the middle of a hotel and restaurant chain row on 535. Our view will most likely be a parking lot or a strip mall. Since we spend most of our time in the parks, it doesn't really matter to us.

Another website to get cheap condos ($249 for space A) is http://www.getravelop.com/html/ge_index2.asp
You have to be a government employee, but if you know someone who is a government employee, they can get you a condo for the same rate plus a $49 exchange fee. Still a deal considering they rent outright for $700-$800 a week and cost a lot more than that to own.

Oh and as far as sniping? I never knew it was called that as I rarely bid on ebay. I wish everyone would bid that way on Skyauction because I think it would keep the winning amounts lower.
NHLfan, I'm not sure how that could have happened? Maybe your computer clock is different than the Skyauction site clock? I wait until the minute hits, then count 30 seconds, then hit the autobid. No one else should be able to bid after you unless they waited 35 seconds-but then you're taking your chances your bid will come in too late as it does take a few to several seconds to process. Maybe you bid too late? Maybe they've caught onto our trick?

 

[NHLFAN]

NHLfan, I'm not sure how that could have happened? Maybe your computer clock is different than the Skyauction site clock? I wait until the minute hits, then count 30 seconds, then hit the autobid. No one else should be able to bid after you unless they waited 35 seconds-but then you're taking your chances your bid will come in too late as it does take a few to several seconds to process. Maybe you bid too late? Maybe they've caught onto our trick?

Here is the email response from SkyAuction why my autobid didn't win...seems a little fishy to me

Hello
What was the amount you entered as your regular bid? Your regular bid
amount is what counts to get your bid in place and then your autobid can
continue to bid for you.
Your autobid is not valid unless your straight bid is high enough to
outbid the current winning bid.
Your regular bid amount needs to place in order for your autobid to
place. Your autobid cannot bid for you unless you have an acceptable
bid amount. Once you have an acceptable bid in place then your autobid
will continue to bid for you if a higher bid comes in.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Regards,
XXXX XXXXXXXXX
Support Agent
Skyauction.com

 

[SplshMtn99]

I used the technique today & won. Well, I might have used a 45 second technique...but I still won!!!

Thank you. It was my second attempt at SkyAuction. First attempt I did everything wrong by bidding thru-out the auction & driving price up. Second auction, I won at $221. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank goodness I didn't win the first auction. I would have paid over $300.

ETA: It was a ReadySetGo auction. I picked Cypress Pointe Grande Villas; a 2 bedroom condo for December 2005. Oops, I meant $221, not $211. (typo) Still great!!!

 

[lawgs]

what resort did you get ?

it probably was not a ready set go auction ....have never seen them go for 1$