Sniped and upset

[CapitalizedLiving]

Yep you lost out. I lost out too... I had one just like that, my first Spyderco and first "real" folder. Broke the blade nearly in half while attempting to use it as a "key to the city." Carried the broken knife for another two years before I finally replaced it.

 

[TravisH]

Bid the max you are willing to pay and wait.

I've found this strategy counter-productive and should not be used for an item you really want at a reasonable price.

1 - it tells every other bidder you're interested
2 - every time it auto-bids, it's also telling the other bidders you're really interested
3 - it encourages the inquisitive to bid it up just to see how high you're willing to go
4 - it gives other bidders more time to think, to reconsider, to catch "auction fever", and bid higher, even insanely high.

Use max auto-bid only if it's an item you'd like to have but not 'gotta have'.

The problem comes in when people think it's not going to jump dramatically in the last few seconds. Maybe it will maybe it won't.

This is where the art of the snipe really pays off. No activity lulls the competition into thinking there is no interest, no competition, and thus no fever.

Set an alarm for just a few minutes prior to ending and place your max bid with 10 seconds left. Don't give 'em time to react.

*POW* Sniped!

 

[mrknife]

Yep you lost out. I lost out too... I had one just like that, my first Spyderco and first "real" folder. Broke the blade nearly in half while attempting to use it as a "key to the city." Carried the broken knife for another two years before I finally replaced it.

"key to the city"

tell me more

 

[lwarner03]

Deacon nailed it but I feel your pain. I've been frustrated by my own ebay failures, it sucks.