Bidding Strategies

Having spent a fair amount of time tonight on Rocks, it's vey interesting to see the different bidding strategies adopted by different people.

There's those who put in low bids on everything, and others who wait 'til the last minute before diving in with a high bid (there's also the silly idiots who push the bidding really high for things they obviously don't intend to buy)

At first I was irritated by the last-minute bidders, but thinking about it, these are serious bidders who really want a item and are prepared to pay a proper price for it ( and if that's more than I'm willing to pay, that's my tough luck)

I've realised that it's a waste of time using the 'put a silly low bid in' strategy - you're not going to win a gold ring for a fiver, and it just pushes the bid up by one increment for those who are serious about purchasing the item (costing them more money in the end)

So I'm declaring my bidding strategy - I'll bid late and bid high but only on items I really want.

Opinions? (or am I just being too analytical and mathematical again?)

I was around earlier in the evening but had to go away. Managed to get back for the last 5 minutes and saw a pair of earrings I liked. It was the pair where there was some confusion over the photo...still not sure if I've bought silver or gold! Or what shape they are either!

For once, I got a bid in in the nick of time. However, I have a feeling I may have nabbed them from Roxanne. As I hadn't been around for a couple of hours, she may have been requesting them .

Does anyone know if Roxanne is on ST so I can get in touch with her? I'm feeling guilty.

hi no i cant seem to recall that they had been requested by rox,they were heart shaped not as the picture stated

I think the earrings were a last minute timefiller.

my strategy is to put a lowish bid in and hope 2 strike lucky. quite a few items i've been keen on have either gone beyond budget or my serious bid has not been accepted cos of glitches and I've missed out. no particular plan - I go with the flow.

Don't think id put in an early bid as it changes so much, i tend to see what i like and put in an autobid and if i get it thats great if not then i take it as not meant to be

my 1st dip into bidding tonight, got a bit carried away, but stopped myself just in time!

in future, i think i'll probably stick with my ebay philosophy, put the highest amount i'm willing to pay - & leave it at that!

I only bid on things I really want and bid the maximum I am prepared to pay. I very occasionally up it if it's attracting a lot of bidding but have only done this a couple of times.

I really liked the pink topaz bracelet tonight but I set myself a price and if it goes over that I stop, the only thing is that I miss things by a couple of pounds sometimes.:fuming

yeah same trouble on ebay eh BJ? galling to miss out by a quid or so but equally we have to stop somewhere.

I only bid on things I really want although some people seem to put a bid or two in on nearly every item aired while the price is still low but have little intention of actually buying them.

Morning Janey I am not one for ending the week on a sour note. But the one thing that really upsets me about a few Rocks are those that bid with a view to returning thus depriving a person that really wants the item, I read a message in the chat box last week which gutted me, along the lines of “…I have my latest hoard only going to return a few items…” thus depriving a person who really wants the item

A week ago I bid on a item I knew my Wife would die for (she does not own a diamond ring) only to see this same person out bid me because I bid to keep not view.

Anyways on a lighter note; Most of the time after 6pm I am bidding form a mobile and seem to snipe more than most.

Best of luck again tonight

I only watched for five minutes last night and joined when a yellow gold tanzy ring was 'going going'. I put my bid in really quickly and missed it by £1! However, if I had been watching properly for some time, I would have waited and put a bid in right at the end anyway. Just bad luck, but it's really annoying to lose an item you want by just £1.

I try to put in an autobid of what I think I should pay. But I do sometimes get caught up in it all... I then try to get in at the end... but as said before, my timing is rubbish and I just end up prolonging the agony. I now feel really paranoid/guilty that I might be one of 'those' bidders that you find annoying.

I do bid on things I wish to buy - somethings I just let go if it goes higher than I wish to pay.

I also buy to keep. I have only had a couple of things I need to return... bracelets that just didn't suit me.

So I'm sorry if my bidding upsets people.

Damn paranoia

How do you know when an auction is going to close?

I just managed to get logged in last night for the first time(major problem their side) but missed a ring I wanted by seconds.

I dont really have a stategy but i usually wait until it gets to a point were its gone over what i would pay thus no bid or i think its in going blooby hell thats a steal and bung in a fairly high auto bid for those last minuit snippers it seems to work for me as the delivery man can vouch lol

And people wonder why you should never bid early?

Way to go bungle (if you exist). I really wish you would bid more and knock me off the top last time I ever bid early and perhaps bid again.

I tend to go in late with my highest bid. If its something i have personally requested i will bid thro the auction up to my top bid, i think its only fair to bid on items i have requested. Regards returning items, I bid on items i really want, however if they are unsuitable when they arrive i will return them, no point keeping something i'm not happy with.

I only bid on things I intend keeping but would have no hesitation about returning something that didn't suit me.

My strategy .. mmm ... usually come in at a price I'm happy to pay and then bid one more time if I'm outbid and then ... stop.

Having said that, there hasn't been a "I must have that item" yet so there's still a chance I could get completely carried away in a bidding frenzy - unless no one has the same taste as me!

Saltashgazzer i could'nt make sense of your remark til i went to look at the auctions for tonight it makes sense now.I would ignore them mate you put in a good strong bid but if you got more up your sleeve so to speak i would leave it till late into the auction and see who else is a serious bidder good luck i do hope you have luck on your side i'll be watching but you'll be glad to know not bidding against you