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Bidding Basics

If you are satisfied with the item and think that the seller has an acceptable feedback record, it is time to enter a bid. Just below the Place Bid button is the bidding history for the item. It shows how many other bids have been placed and who is the high bidder. The start date and time, plus the remaining time for the auction and where the item will be sent from, are also indicated. Activating the Place Bid button will bring up an text box in which you can enter your bid. Next is a button that says "Continue." Below that button is a line that says "You will confirm in the next step."

A new page is displayed that has information about the item, shipping information, the payment methods that the seller will accept, and the Confirm Bid button. Under the button is a reminder from eBay that confirming the bid means that if you win the item, you are in a legally binding contract with the seller. If you are sure about the item and your bid, go ahead and activate the Confirm Bid button.

eBay will automatically bid for you, up to your maximum bid. This automatic bidding is called "proxy bidding" and is a key feature of eBay. Should you win the item, you will have to pay only one increment above the second-highest bid. eBay uses a formula to calculate bid increments. The greater the cost of the item, the greater the increment.

Lets look at a hypothetical situation:

• You are johndoe7, and are looking at an item, a digital camera, that has 2 other active bidders, janeroe11 and samspade54.  The bid increment is one dollar.

• Janeroe11 is the current high bidder at $126.00.  Her last bid was $150, the most she is willing to pay, and eBay incremented her bid on dollar over the second highest bidder, samspade54, whose maximum bid was $125.00.

• You, johndoe7 want to bid on the camera, but don't know what Jane's maximum bid is, only the current high bid.  You try a bid at $127.00.

• Janeroe11 is still the current high bidder, but at $128.00.  eBay accepted your bid, and then automatically increased her bid by a dollar.

• Because you took this class, you understand what is happening, and decide to increase your bid to your maximum, which is $175.00.  You are now the high bidder, at $151.00, a dollar over Jane's secret bid maximum.

• Samspade54 bids again, at $155.00.  You are still the high bidder, but now at $156.00.

Shortly after you place your bid, you will receive a confirmation e-mail message that also contains a link that will bring you directly to your item. If you are outbid, eBay will send you an e-mail message to inform you. The message will also contain a link so you can re-bid. Many people wait until the last possible moment to bid, so eBay sends you a reminder e-mail message when the auction is almost over. If you want to view the bidding, just activate the link on the item. As the end of the auction gets near, activate the Refresh button on the screen, and an updated page with the current high bid will be displayed. If you are the high bidder, that information will be on the screen. There will also be a graphic of a green check. If you are no longer the high bidder, there will be a graphic of a red letter "X."  When the auction for the item ends, you will receive another e-mail message informing you whether you did or did not win the item. If you check the item's page after the auction ends, it will state that you have won or have not won. If you won, there will be a button that says, Pay Now. If you wait for your announcement e-mail message from eBay, you can click on the item's link in the message. Once there, you will find the Pay button.  (AFB eBay 101)

How To Bid To Be Sure That You Win The Auction

If you find an item on eBay that you simply must have - no matter what, there is really only one way to be sure that you win the auction.  You want to try to be the first bidder.  This means that you want to check new listings as soon as possible - and often.  And, use eBay's email alert to tell you when this item is listed - in case you might miss it.  With this method, you need to check your email often.

You need to bid ALMOST the very most in the world that you would ever pay.

• If this is the only one you've ever seen, you may never get another chance.  You don't want to be screaming after the auction that you would have paid that much if you'd known!

• If someone else has already bid on the item by the time you found it, bid now and bid HIGH.

• If you bid high enough now, you may scare the other bidder enough to stay away.  This is especially true if you have a reputation for bidding high enough to get what you want. Other bidders will know in advance that they don't stand a chance.  Bidding less than your highest now will just start the competition bids from growing and growing.

And, you need to snipe at the very end.

• You can't sit back and feel sure that no one else will try to snipe in a higher bid at the last minute.  This is when you snipe in the very, very most you would ever pay.

• You may be tempted to write the seller and offer him the moon if he will shut down the bidding immediately. Don't. This ruins everything an auction stands for. Other bidders deserve their chance against the richest and the fastest. Besides, this method could get you and the seller ousted for good.  (eBay Auction Secrets)

Learn How To Snipe On eBay

First - what is sniping? Sniping is bidding last minute. In some cases, it is "last-second" bidding. Someone may be the only bidder on an item for days and feel sure they were going to get that item. Someone else comes along just near the end and outbids them.  Sniping requires a high speed DSL or even faster cable Internet connection.  See my site High Speed Internet and Broadband Solutions for more information on your options.

The point of sniping is to bid so close to the end that the original bidder would not have time to go back in and outbid you. So, you win! Maybe. The risk with sniping is that you don't have time to go back in and bid again either. If the original bidder had a high enough bid, eBay's system lets them outbid you even if there is only 1 second left.

So, sniping must be taken very seriously. You must bid the very highest amount you are willing to pay, and the original bidder cannot feel safe with a very small buffer in their bidding amount. And, there may be two or three others waiting until the end to snipe right along with you. Watching the last five minutes of an auction can be amazing!

How do you snipe? We can tell you exactly how through Internet Explorer, and the same principal applies to any browser. Here are the steps.

• Go to the item page at least 10 minutes before the auction closes. If the price is too high already, you may not want to bid at all.

• Resize this page so it goes all the way across the screen but only three quarters of the way down.

• Click on File, New Window at the very top of your browser, or just click on the IE shortcut again. This opens a second window.

• Resize the second browser so that it is also about three quarters of the screen. Using the top blue part of this window, bring it down (with your mouse) so that the bottom of it shows from underneath the first browser window. Now you can see both browser windows at once and click from one to the other easily.

• Go to the item page with the second browser window.

• Sign in (so you won't have to take the time to add any information while bidding).

• Reload the first browser to see the price and how many minutes are left.

• Go back to the second browser and type in your bid.

• Click on Review Bid.

• Click back to the first browser to see how much time is left. Is your bid still high enough?

• Keep reloading until there are only 30 seconds left (use the stop button after you see the time - you don't need to wait for the photos again). If the internet and eBay are acting with normal speed, you may even wait until there are only 20 seconds left.

• Click on the second browser window and click on Place Your Bid.

• Click on the first browser window and reload.

• It should be almost over and you should see your high bid. If no other snipers are at work, you probably just won, and the original bidder is out of luck!

• Last, you need to keep reloading until the auction is officially closed just in case another bidder out-sniped you.

One way to get your snipe bid in at just the right time is to use a sniping service. BidSlammer Sniping Service is one which will do your sniping for you automatically. You simply give them specifics in advance (when the auction ends, your top bid limit, etc.), and your sniping is done on time no matter what kind of internet connection you have, even if you forget to check the auction's end, or even if you aren't home. You can even try it for free. 

How do you protect your bid from other snipers?  There is only one way: bid the very highest amount you would be willing to pay.  Then, if someone else bids higher, you can sit back calmly and say to yourself that it doesn't matter because you would never have paid that much. If you get mad and think, 'I would have bid one more dollar if I'd known,' your bid was not really your highest amount and you can only get mad at yourself.
(eBay Auction Secrets)

Curriculum developed by WyzGuys Computer Tutors

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