Why do people bid .99 on an auction?

Flatlander1963

Flatlander1963

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
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4,646
I'm asking because I know there are lots of people who collect via eBay.

So, can anyone explain the logic of bidding say 31.99 if your intent is to win? It just plain escapes me. I'll bid 31.01 for example when bidding during the last seconds just to get over someone bidding 31.00.

Anyway, I see it all the time...this bidding somthing.99

So someone clue me in why that makes sense.
 
I don't get that either. Maybe they work at a gas station:D I never understand their pricing either! No one else can charge $2.35.9 for something!

Better to not ponder it much, will just make your head hurt and they will still be the way they are. You need to spend more time finding a replacement for that TNT so you can sell it to me :D
 
i used to 'jinx' a bid by bidding so the last 3 numbers would show up as x6.66 when ever someone bid over me..
you would be surprised how long a 6.66 bid would stay there!!
i used to bid xx.88 when i really really wanted to win..jest a thing.. call it a lucky number is all
the idea was that the dollar amount was what i was bidding the change
was to tell me something of the bidding during the days i was biding..
but now i dont bid at all until the last day or last 5 minutes so
i have gone to using a different secret lucky number..
 
You need to spend more time finding a replacement for that TNT so you can sell it to me
Click to expand...

I got a feeling that that TNT has found a good home already.:D

As far as people bidding to lose, I've got two thoughts on why that happens.
First, is the guy that knows he shouldn't be bidding on the item but does it anyway for fun...probably these people would give themselves tennis elbow on the one arm bandit if given half a chance. So maybe they are obsessed with it.

But the other is something I think happens quite routinely; and that is, unscrupulous sellers bidding up their auction.

A couple of years ago I was bidding on a knife and got in a back and forth on it in the last few minutes of the auction. I eventually lost. And no shiiitt, within less than an hour the seller was sending me an email offering to sell at my last bid due to the high bidder being a non-paying bidder (nothing in the auction about immediate payment required). I passed on his offer as I decided the guy was trying to stiff me.

Anyway, just my thoughts…as so many have said “Buyer’s Beware” on eBay.
 
i used to 'jinx' a bid by bidding so the last 3 numbers would show up as x6.66 when ever someone bid over me..
Click to expand...

I didn't know you West Virginians knew how to put the GreeGree on somebody.:)
 
Flatlander1963 said:
I got a feeling that that TNT has found a good home already.:D

As far as people bidding to lose, I've got two thoughts on why that happens.
First, is the guy that knows he shouldn't be bidding on the item but does it anyway for fun...probably these people would give themselves tennis elbow on the one arm bandit if given half a chance. So maybe they are obsessed with it.

But the other is something I think happens quite routinely; and that is, unscrupulous sellers bidding up their auction.

A couple of years ago I was bidding on a knife and got in a back and forth on it in the last few minutes of the auction. I eventually lost. And no shiiitt, within less than an hour the seller was sending me an email offering to sell at my last bid due to the high bidder being a non-paying bidder (nothing in the auction about immediate payment required). I passed on his offer as I decided the guy was trying to stiff me.

Anyway, just my thoughts…as so many have said “Buyer’s Beware” on eBay.
Click to expand...

ebay actually has a policy against Schill bidding, I got in a situation similer to what you described and got real suspicious so I reported the guy. they investigated him and sure enough he had 2 accounts and was bidding up his own stuff. ebay wound up banning his IP so he couldn't sell anymore. but other than this one time I've never had any bad dealings "that I know of":)
 
I guess the reason people bid the .99 is the same reason you bid the .01......the .99 beats all the bids (like .01 bids for instance) below it. :rolleyes:
 
Flatlander1963 said:
I didn't know you West Virginians knew how to put the GreeGree on somebody.:)
Click to expand...
that only works for the snake handling holly rollers!!
hee hee never won one bid with the 6 thing ..
so it never worked for me!
some times i still bid so i can watch an item
as i am maxed out on watch list..
did you know you can track what a person is bidding on???????:eek::eek:
was clued in once that some folks were doing that to me
following my cheep bottom feeding bids..
what i was told was i was a good digger and why look when i found things
and they could jest bid over me as i was so cheep they knew they could top
my bid and still get a "deal" :foot:
is why i stopped bidding tell the last day..:(

YES there is shrilling going on.. have seen it happen nalso..
esp as ebay has blocked all biders names!!:mad::thumbdn:
and also had sellers contact me with a "2ed" i could have at my bid
i mostly wont do that now unless it is one i need really baaaaad..
of course there are legit 2ed chance offers..
but these are some times suspect also:grumpy:
 
I usually always wait until the last day or less to make a bid.
I'll watch and get a feel for whats going on with the bidding, and if its something I really want, I'll just put in my max bid and wait and watch.....

I'm certain that there are people on there with money that find something they want and just put a ridiculous bid on it so they know they will get it.
 
With my "technique" I try to remove the emotion from my bidding. I decide what the knife is worth to me, the highest I would be willing to bid. Then, I drop that amount in at the last possible momment. Believe it or not, this is not done to snipe....well thats not the ONLY reason....:rolleyes: I do it so that I wont have any chance to act on emotion and drop in another, higher bid.
Of course I often forget to place the bid at all and that pretty much guarantees that I wont be adding the knife to my collection.
 
Joe Houser said:
With my "technique" I try to remove the emotion from my bidding. I decide what the knife is worth to me, the highest I would be willing to bid. Then, I drop that amount in at the last possible momment. Believe it or not, this is not done to snipe....well thats not the ONLY reason....:rolleyes: I do it so that I wont have any chance to act on emotion and drop in another, higher bid.
Of course I often forget to place the bid at all and that pretty much guarantees that I wont be adding the knife to my collection.
Click to expand...

Or you can do like I did a while back, got home from work late and was tired, pulled up my watch list and bid on the wrong knife :confused:
Fortunately it was a nice knife and it worked out o.k
 
First, do your homework and know what the knife is worth. I see a lot of crazy bidding when you can go to an online store and get it cheaper. Second, set your limit that you are willing to pay or what you can get away with if your wife gives you the "another knife". If I am willing to pay $21 for a knife I max bid 21.21. And I have found success in that method.
 
I have noticed, in the last couple of years, that you haven't found the spell checker. But if you did it wouldn't be you. Keep posting I nedd a laff.
 
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