5 Minute Auction Extension for Bids in the Last Minute

[zapdandal]

Dear EBay and Community.

One of the things I think is poor sport is people who bid on an item in the last minute, especially in the last few seconds, which often prevents other people bidding again when the price goes up.  It is the mentality of bid at the very last moment to secure the item before anyone gets a chance to bid again.  Often people have had the winning bid for days, and are pipped at the post with someone who was always going to bid higher anyway, but just waited to the last minute to potentially outbid, and not giving any further opportunity for consideration to raise the bid.  It is one of the travesties of eBay.  Quite frankly, nobody should really need to wait to bid on an item in the last minute.  Their mind should have definitely been made up on the item by that point.  It's just a scam to bid and often outbid, just to secure the item, when indeed some others with a little consideration on the new price might indeed bid again.  Please implement this policy eBay.

[padi*0409]

Ridiculous idea, the whole eBay auction setup works well and is designed for last minute/second bids, nothing wrong with that. As Papermoon has said if you have put your highest bid on the item then you have no reason to whinge if you get outbid.

I nearly always place my bids within the last minute for various reasons. Why don't you just do the same ?

If you can't be physically there for the auction close, then there's plenty of auction snipe sites you could use. 

[padi*0409]

To add to my previous post, what I would like to see eBay do is stop sellers using the "private listing - bidders' identities protected" on their listings, unless the item is of a personal nature or very expensive (as it was intended for). Sellers using that either do not get a bid from me or I would certainly be bidding in the last minute. There are a number of reasons for that, it can hide shill-bidders and prospective buyers cannot see feedback left for that particular item, to name just two.

[papermoon.lady]

Yes, it can definitely be misused. Some of my favourite sellers use this feature and I do trust them, but there are certainly negative features, like the ones you mentioned. In particular shill-bidders are favoured by this feature.

[jonnjenn]

Nah, highest bid wins whether it's placed in the first minute or last 2 seconds.

[just-a-fewcpks]

That's right.

[papermoon.lady]

Besides, the additional 5 minutes you wish to be added would be there for everyone, and anybody would be able to bid in the last few seconds of the additional 5 minutes...

[papermoon.lady]

If you place your very highest bid early, I think you should not have any regrets if that is really the maximum you are willing to pay.

[kopenhagen5]

Many people bid in the last seconds to disable a seller from placing shill bids using other or friends accounts. (Bumping up the price)

That is the main reason I use a program such as Gixen. It bids my highest price in the last few seconds when I know I am not going to be on the computer.

[katistrophik]

You have 8 bid retractions on yoour account, so I would be reading up all you can about the correct protocol before you find yourself sanctioned.

Adding time to auctions achieves nothing if you are not bidding correctly and eBay will not change this

[repentatleisure1952]

Kat... I don't think the OP has any worries on that score. eBay ignores the Asian sausage machine retractors where 6k to 8k bid retractions are a Tom Jones song.

[papermoon.lady]

If he has many bid retractions, I think it would be better for him to bid in the last minute too, as bid retractions usually occur when people bid early and then see something else they like better or at a better price.

[just-a-fewcpks]

You have 33 bid retractions over 12 months, and you say, others should make their mind up, etc.  Really!

[zanadoo_56]

If you opt to use a snipe service (like Gixen) you can set and forget.  Put your highest bid, and if there's a demand for the item watch the bids rise in increments and with any luck you may be the higest at the end.  If you are not then you weren't going to win no matter when the auction finished.  Think about it!

I'm a collector and I bid for some items from overseas and those auctions can finish at anytime (like when I'm asleep!)  That why it is handy to use a snipe service to bid.

Here's another tip.  Go to WatchCount.com, enter the listing number and you will find out how many other people are watching the item.  The more watchers there are the more competition you may have when bidding.  I never bid above what I am prepared to pay.  If I miss out so be it.  The item was too expensive. 

With eBay you never know when an identical item might come up....and you might get it cheaper.  Also  see if the item is available to buy instead of at auction.  If the price difference is low, forget the auction and buy it outright.....it saves you a lot of hassle, especially if there are a lot of watchers for the auction item....where the price may exceed the BIN price.

[gutterpunkz05]

While I do not like snipers or the use of bots to bid,  I do not see ebay changing the system, and doubt that adding extra time will work on ebay.  Simply enter your maximum bid and either win or lose.

Time extensions  are available and do work  effectively on a number of online auction sites, however on occasions it can depend on who can stay awake the longest.