I hate it when people can't use eBay.

[soop]

I was watching an auction last night where someone was selling (at auction) several games I wanted starting at 89p.  I watched in horror as the prices went up and up... past what they would cost using buy it now from other sellers.

The only thing I can think of is that there are some people out there that can't use eBay properly, and only search for items sold in the UK. (So they're unaware that the item they just bought for £15 is available elsewhere for £10)  anyway, these people have ended up costing themselves money, and negated the opportunity for others to pick up a bargain.  Nice news for the seller, but bad news for everyone else.

[Opethian]

ebay pitfalls:
price gouging
bid jacking
??

[apachacha]

I was watching an auction last night where someone was selling (at auction) several games I wanted starting at 89p.  I watched in horror as the prices went up and up... past what they would cost using buy it now from other sellers.

The only thing I can think of is that there are some people out there that can't use eBay properly, and only search for items sold in the UK. (So they're unaware that the item they just bought for £15 is available elsewhere for £10)  anyway, these people have ended up costing themselves money, and negated the opportunity for others to pick up a bargain.  Nice news for the seller, but bad news for everyone else.

There are people who refuse to send items to some countries, and there are times when shipping on a supposedly cheaper item can cost two to three times the price from the same seller, from the same country.

[soop]

ebay pitfalls:
price gouging
bid jacking
??
Profit

There are people who refuse to send items to some countries, and there are times when shipping on a supposedly cheaper item can cost two to three times the price from the same seller, from the same country.

Agreed, but in this case I've factored in most of that.  He was giving free shipping for each additional item, but for every game I was interested in, they could all be obtained cheaper anyway.  Plus, with the extortionate cost of postage in the UK, I'd guess most of the bidders were in the UK too.

[nat]

Yeah, the "bidding wars" between two people on items is aggravating, to say the least. A recent auction that I ended up winning had the price jacked up by two dipshits bidding back and forth over the course of days just to "out do" the other. The idiots didn't even end up winning, but they f*cked the price for me. It still wasn't a bad deal for me, but it could've been a lot cheaper if those other bidders had half a brain.

I guess nobody has ever heard of "bid once, bid your maximum."

[soop]

Yeah, the "bidding wars" between two people on items is aggravating, to say the least. A recent auction that I ended up winning had the price jacked up by two dipshits bidding back and forth over the course of days just to "out do" the other. The idiots didn't even end up winning, but they f*cked the price for me. It still wasn't a bad deal for me, but it could've been a lot cheaper if those other bidders had half a brain.

I guess nobody has ever heard of "bid once, bid your maximum."

^ This.  Also, bid in the last 5 seconds ^___^

Oh, and if I find something I want starting at 99p or something, I also bid the minimum to prevent them from re-listing it.

[RR1980]

This happened to me before as a seller. I was selling a CIB metroid Famicom Disk and I first listed it for BIN $9.99USD which is a pretty reasonable price for it and after a week of listing no one bought it so I decided to relist it as an auction starting at 99 cents and it ended up going for over $20 because these 2 guys kept trying to outbid each other. I think once someone bid on something they might have this mentality like well I am already this much in already might as well spend this much more just so they would win the auction so by that point how much the item is worth is irrelevant 

[grahf]

I've been a victim of "auction fever" myself, many times. It kind of gets personal when someone else is trying to get the item.

One thing I really like about Yahoo auctions, is that they automatically extend the auction time if someone bids in the last few minutes(hours?) of the auction. It almost solves the sniping problem.

[apachacha]

This happened to me before as a seller. I was selling a CIB metroid Famicom Disk and I first listed it for BIN $9.99USD which is a pretty reasonable price for it and after a week of listing no one bought it so I decided to relist it as an auction starting at 99 cents and it ended up going for over $20 because these 2 guys kept trying to outbid each other. I think once someone bid on something they might have this mentality like well I am already this much in already might as well spend this much more just so they would win the auction so by that point how much the item is worth is irrelevant 

I guess it has to do more with the size of their egos

[SuperPlay]

By any chance was this an auction by deedlit_of_lodoss?

I have seen this happen time and time again with listings by this seller!

[jperryss]

I've been a victim of "auction fever" myself, many times. It kind of gets personal when someone else is trying to get the item.

One thing I really like about Yahoo auctions, is that they automatically extend the auction time if someone bids in the last few minutes(hours?) of the auction. It almost solves the sniping problem.

I've yet to hear a negative for this method and think all auction sites should do it.

[soop]

By any chance was this an auction by deedlit_of_lodoss?

I have seen this happen time and time again with listings by this seller!

Yes!  It was actually!

[Senshi]

By any chance was this an auction by deedlit_of_lodoss?

I have seen this happen time and time again with listings by this seller!

I've noticed that with all that guys' auction. Does this have to do with him being in the UK? Are UK bidders more "desperate" for this stuff since they don't have to pay for shipping from another country?

[soop]

By any chance was this an auction by deedlit_of_lodoss?

I have seen this happen time and time again with listings by this seller!

I've noticed that with all that guys' auction. Does this have to do with him being in the UK? Are UK bidders more "desperate" for this stuff since they don't have to pay for shipping from another country?

I ain't.  Nearly happened toay with his Granzort, but it stopped £1 short of the next least expensive.

[SuperPlay]

I am UK based and use Ebay quite regular.

I think that this is a case of Shill Bidding where the seller has friends etc. who will place bids to increase the auctions price.

Funnily enough before this guy appeared there was another seller who had used to list PCE items at the same starting price and auctions followed the same story where prices at the end of the auction were vastly inflated.

Also this seller (and the old ebay name as well) always list auctions as private which always makes me suspicions. 

This is not typical with ebay PCE pricing in the UK.  I have only seen this behaviour recently with this seller.