Need tips on how to win an eBay auction!

tmp-535278437507318

Please help me!  I've never successfully won an eBay bid, so I would love to hear if anyone has and if you have any tips.

I'm trying to buy the girls Disney Princess dresses for Halloween.

Thank you in advance!!!

Jenn09/04

There are sniper programs out there that will up your bid at the last second but I find that they cause me to get too wrapped up in the bidding and cause me to pay more than the items are worth so I don't use them anymore.

tmp-535278437507318

Sniper?  Wow!  They're just dresses.  I can just as easily go to the Drisney store, but thought I'd try to save a buck or two.

Thanks Jenn.

LBCbride

Hey Mia,

No tips from me. I haven't used Ebay in quite some time...I think way back when I was buying stuff for my wedding.

Anyhoo...thought I'd say hi and I think Camille will be a princess too! Not sure which one she wants to be. It's her latest craze...I'm sure with any girl her age.

Talk to you later!

Achelle

HisDollface

I usually "proxy" bid. I'll bid the the most I'm willing to pay for the item, and it will just bid incrementally[is that even a word?] for me against other bidders until that amount is reached. Basically you'll remain the top bidder until someone outbids your top dollar.

For example, the starting bid is 9.99, you're willing to pay 25.00. You put in $25, and it will show you as the top bidder at $9.99. If the auction only makes it $20, you'll only pay $20, not the $25.

Did that make any sense at all? lol. It's been a weird day.

Jenn09/04

Which princess do the girls want to be? Rhian can't decide between Jasmine and Snow White. She seems to change her mind everyday.

KaliChick

My mom is the eBay queen (mainly designer purses and hair products mainly) ... she does the proxy bidding ... putting in the most you're willing to pay for it and hoping you pay less.

Just make sure that you consider the shipping charge ... so if you only want to pay $30 total for a costume and the shipping is $7 the max you want to bid on the item is $23.

Good luck!

tmp-535278437507318

Thanks Ladies!  I've considered my max bid possible + s/h and definitely don't want to pay more than retail + tax.  I can seriously go to the Disney Store at the mall on my lunch break and call the whole thing off, but just wanted to see if I can save some $$$.

I haven't actually asked Jocelyn what she wants to be for Halloween, but she's on a Belle kick.  DH said she should dress up as Cinderella or Snow White, since she already has those dresses from her birthday gift.  What's the fun in that?!  Besides, if we get something new for Natalie to wear and nothing for Jocelyn...how well will that go off at my house!?  Ai!

2bBush

when I play on ebay I'm pretty low-tech, I just wait until the last 5 minutes of the auction and if the price is still below what I'm willing to pay I sneak in at the last second and outbid the highest bidder.

 

beachbride19

I do the same as 2bBush.  I keep it in my watch list.

autumn42

Mia,

Dont place your max bid until a few seconds before the auction closes.

If you bid your max bid to early, it will drive the price up to early.

 

HTH

-t 

shellybellmw

I put a reminder on my computer to pop up about 2 minutes before the bid is over and I place a bid at the last second.  That way you can't really be outbid before the time runs out.