eBay® for Dummies®, 6th Edition

Chapter 7. Power-Buying Strategies

In This Chapter

• Knowing your competition

• Finding the hidden secrets in the bidding history

• Placing a token bid

• Using canny strategies to win your auction

When I travel the country talking about eBay, I speak to so many people who find an item on eBay, bid on it, and at the last minute — the last hour, or the last day — are outbid. Sad and dejected, they find losing often cuts to the core and makes them feel like losers.

You're not a loser when you lose an auction on eBay. You just may not know the fine art of sneaky bidding (my way of saying educated bidding).

When the stakes are high and you really, really want the item, you have to resort to a higher form of strategy. Sports teams study their rivals, and political candidates scout out what the opposition is doing. Bidding in competition against other bidders is just as serious an enterprise. Follow the tips in this chapter and see if you can come up with a strong bidding strategy of your own. (Feel free to e-mail me with any scathingly brilliant plans; I'm always open to new theories.)

Make an Offer!

If you come across a fixed-price listing and you're in the mood to negotiate, why not make an offer? A seller on eBay can use the Make Offer option anytime they list a fixed-price item. It should indicate to you that you're dealing with a seller who's motivated to sell. The eBay Make an Offer option is a great way to get bargains. You make an offer on the item and the seller will either accept your offer ...