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underbidder on ebay items; - how philosophical should one be?

When finding out an ebay item has just slipped through your grasp despite thinking your bid was mega high enough to secure it and you are now the underbidder; - do aml readers wish they had increased their bid and secured the item or stuck to their original bid.? I always go through a 'try and convince yourself' thought process that the item was not worth more altho really what else can one do in these circumstances? Interesting to hear other peoples stories.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 7, 2016 at 12:35am

Good discussion, Michelle.

I think that when you win some and lose some it means you're bidding sensibly. You're not getting caught up in bidder's fever.

If it's something you really love or it's super hard to come by, try to be there for the end of the auction with the absolute maximum price you would feel comfortable paying in mind.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 7, 2016 at 12:51am

I was at an auction in 1999 and bid on a Billie Holiday letter that she wrote in jail to her boyfriend/drug dealer, also in jail or prison. Two sheets front and back in pencil on lined jail paper.

It was heart-wrenching. The sentence that really got me was, "Thank God Momma is dead, because if she knew where I was it would kill her."

By $3,000 there were only two of us bidding. My last bid was $4,000...I had stretched to the max. The next bid was $4,500, and he got it. To this day I regret not making one more bid.

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Permalink Reply by michelle on March 7, 2016 at 1:19am

Yep; do I feel your pain Steve on an item like that. I can understand why that particular sentence got you ;- and what an icon she was. The trouble is these 'if only' moments do tend to haunt one as well I know. The trouble is that there is nothing you can once its gone to another bidder ; - dreadful situation really

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on March 7, 2016 at 3:07am

Michele, been there. I'm a person of modest means so I get outbid far more than I win. With that said, I come up with a figure that it's worth to me and stick to it no matter what. I always found out that when I lose an opportunity another one pops up just as good or better. It's a slow, methodical process. As Winston Churchill once said, "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."

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Permalink Reply by michelle on March 7, 2016 at 4:37am

lovely Churchill quote there; - Joe!, My own belief is that my ibidder pushes prices up rather than down on ebay because all the bids in this particular case came in the last second ; all of them very inflated prices. I certainly know what you mean about being outbid more than winning.

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on March 7, 2016 at 4:49am

Some people do not like to use auction sniper but I firmly believe it pays for itself over and over. Think of it like playing poker. Never tip off your hand until all the chips are in. The serious players still win most of the time. I look at it that I am on the right track when I lose. Use it for the next opportunity. The goal is to get the best possible item at the lowest possible price.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Halloran on March 7, 2016 at 7:51am

I uaually wait till last 10 seconds to bid. At a price roughly 5 to 10 dollars then I want to pay. That way I don't regret not going higher cause I am already past my max.

I also don't put my bid in early in case of shill bidding bumping you up.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on March 7, 2016 at 11:07am

I have lost tons of great autographs because I got outbid at the last moment. I never look back just press on and forget about the one that got away. Generally I bid my top bid at the beginning since too many times I have forgotten that an auction is ending, or my power goes out! So I just bid what I feel comfortable paying. I have won and lost bids for a few cents one way or another. I have also gone the other way and paid way more for something and I get it and think why on earth did I pay that! Those bother me more than the ones that got away.