It is now possible to see some max bids on ebay ...

[Vroomfunkel]

Don't know if anyone else has spotted this, but the way that ebay have restructured the display of bid histories makes it possible, in some circumstances, to know what someone's max bid is.

Previously, only the value of the current winning bid was shown before the end of an auction - and all the other bidders were shown, but the value of their bids was hidden until the end of the auction.

Now the value of all the bids is displayed as the auction progresses. Thus if you see an auction where the winning bidder has bid $50, and the value of the next bidder's bid is also $50 then you know that the maximum bid of the high bidder is $50!

If it were not then his bid would be automatically increased to the next increment. This can be very useful information to have in some circumstances .. so I just thought I would let you all know

Vroomfunkel

[SegaAges]

it will make it much easier to snipe this way.

[Vroomfunkel]

I know

IN fact, this technique of "max bid spotting" can work sometimes when the two top bids are not equal as well. If the difference between the top bid and the second bid is less than the minimum bid increment then this also shows that the top bid has reached its max.

Snipe away!!!

Vroomfunkel

[LiquidX01]

I knew something was strange! I have been sniped on every auction I have bid on lately by less than a dime in some cases. Seriously, I have bid on at least 10 different items and each and every time I get sniped by pennies within the last few seconds.

If thats not the reason why, Something is just not adding up here.

[Iron Draggon]

Well in a way I like this, but mostly I think it sucks, I think they should fix it. They're defeating the whole purpose of proxy bidding now, and making it too easy to pick up on people's bidding habits, which will make it easier for others to snipe from them and more difficult for those with no choice but to place a proxy bid to win what they want. I recently placed a proxy bid the day before an auction ended because I wanted the item so badly that I wasn't gonna take any chances of anything going wrong at the last minute. Usually I'll just snipe what I want, but this time I had been having alot of problems with ebay and the internet in general all week, and I didn't want to take a chance on having some kind of technical problem preventing me from placing my bid right before the auction ended. I won the item, but this new system is certainly a deterrent to that strategy in alot of situations now.

[classic gamer]

Sounds like eBay is getting ready to buy Bidnapper or other sniping services. Since sniping will be the only way to bid without letting others know what your max bid is.

[anagrama]

Yeah, I first spotted this on that Air Raid a couple of weeks back. Had to double-check another couple of auctions 'cos at first I thought it was something special about that one.

[Aussie2B]

Yeah, I've noticed this too. Not quite sure how I feel about it. :/

[Duncan]

Sounds like eBay is getting ready to buy Bidnapper or other sniping services. Since sniping will be the only way to bid without letting others know what your max bid is.

Anyone beginning to question eBay's ethics, or lack thereof?

I know I am.

[Promophile]

Sniping is fun though, I love watching an auction from my computer at school while my computer at home bids in the last 3 seconds.

[NE146]

Don't know if anyone else has spotted this, but the way that ebay have restructured the display of bid histories makes it possible, in some circumstances, to know what someone's max bid is.

Previously, only the value of the current winning bid was shown before the end of an auction - and all the other bidders were shown, but the value of their bids was hidden until the end of the auction.

Now the value of all the bids is displayed as the auction progresses. Thus if you see an auction where the winning bidder has bid $50, and the value of the next bidder's bid is also $50 then you know that the maximum bid of the high bidder is $50!

If it were not then his bid would be automatically increased to the next increment. This can be very useful information to have in some circumstances .. so I just thought I would let you all know

Vroomfunkel

Huh? I don't know if you're not phrasing this well or I'm just not understanding. But it still looks the same to me.

[Vroomfunkel]

OK .. I'll try to put it more clearly.

Previously, whilst an auction was in progress, ebay hid the bid amounts of all but the highest bidder on the "Bid History" page. These amounts were then only revealed after the auction had finished.

Now all the bid amounts are visible during the auction in the bid history.

This means, in some circumstances, that you can determine whether the high bidder has reached their maximum bid. When someone bids against the high bidder then ebay will automatically raise their bid until it reaches the their maximum. So if their maximum bid is $100 and someone bids $20 against then, ebay will raise the high bidder to $21 - the next increment above $20. The bid history will show a bid amount of $21 for the high bidder and $20 for the second bidder.

However, if the high bidder has placed a maximum bid of $20, and someone bids $20 against them, ebay will raise their bid to $20. The bid history will show the high bidder with $20 and the second bidder with a bid of $20. Ebay's rules are that when two bids are equal, the one placed first has precedence)

Since you can see that the high bidder's bid has not been raised to $21 (which is the next 'minimum bid increment')you know that their maximum bid is $20. So you can sit tight to the end of the auction, knowing that if you bid $21 you are guaranteed to beat him. Of course, you are not guaranteed that nobody else will snipe as well ... but still, you do have some advantage, that you would not have had if you could not see the bid amounts in the bid history.

Not sure if that makes it any clearer. I don't think there is any clearer way of explaining it ... anyone want to try?

Vroomfunkel

[Crush Crawfish]

Uhhh....I hate to sound like a total noob, but where I can I get some of this sniper software? It looks like I might need it. x_x

[jaybird]

Hmm...

Didn't the same logic apply before? If I bid $20 on an auction & the new high bid was $20 - and not my $20, it was safe to assume I'd hit the other bidder's limit.

[jaybird]

Uhhh....I hate to sound like a total noob, but where I can I get some of this sniper software? It looks like I might need it. x_x

www.auctionstealer.com

[Ed Oscuro]

Somebody just dropped a kitten down a flight of stairs ;_;

(/me steals the software all for his own noble purposes)

[Vroomfunkel]

Hmm...

Didn't the same logic apply before? If I bid $20 on an auction & the new high bid was $20 - and not my $20, it was safe to assume I'd hit the other bidder's limit.

Yes - but before you could only tell that on auctions on which you had bid. Now you can tell on any auction at all, whether you have bid or not.

Vroomfunkel

[anagrama]

It's much more fun to snipe by hand anyway

[Promophile]

It's much more fun to snipe by hand anyway

Fun? No. To me its NERVE RACKING! Maybe if your an adrenaline junky its fun. I lost an auction trying to snipe by hand because I sniped too early. It was for a freaking awesome item at a good price though.

[v1rich]

Wouldn't this make it easier to do shill bidding?