Auctions - why bid early?

Jeff, I envy you.... I was trying that for about 2 months on a Marantz tuner and always got outbid.... I didn't want to pay too much, you know how the range can vary hundreds of dollars. Finally, I did what you said and bid a fair, but high proxy (I watched recent auctions end to see what going price was) and I just said, I want it,dammit, and if this is what it takes, then okokok already, UNCLE, I'll bid it :) and guess what? I got the tuner (McIntosh mr71) for WAY less than I hoped and my proxy was was fair, but DOUBLE what I ended up paying for it.
I agree with AudioBob, you just never know - I think that is part of the attraction and the game.
Megasam, that practice is illegal and anyone caught doing that will be banned from eBay.
I recently had a friend that someone bid on their auction and won and then started the sob story about no money and could he wait a week or two, then the guy had the bal... er I mean NERVE to copy the guy's auction and put the item up for bid when he didn't take possession yet. too much, he got burned and banned... You just have to be careful. I agree that I feel much safer buying and selling here
-aj
off to enjoy her Sunday :)

Angela, I think thtt Magasam was referring to an Ebay seller who relists an item that was ostensibly "sold" in a previous auction (to his friend Rocco who put in false bids in an attempt to push up the proxy). I suspect this happens frequently, especially for sellers of big ticket items who have set their reserve price too low and start to get nervous towards the end. I've also seen "no reserve" Ebay auctions get pulled by sellers at what seems like the 11th hour, i.e., just when I thought I was getting a steal. The overtime system at Audiogon cures many of these ills, but I wouldn't think it would be appropriate for Ebay since their market is so broad. It helps here since we're such a civil (anti-snipe) group!

I really don't like the auction process and rarely use it. The reserve or opening bid is usually at or close to fair market price so the auction system as a rule is for sellers to increase their return. I have bid early on occasion on something I am serious about purchasing. I list my max price and if I get it, fine. I just don't have the time or energy to play auction in the last hour or so. On occasion on e-bay I have had other sellers e-mail with the same product that I lost the bid on and take my bid offer.

Auctions- why bid at all?

Seems to me that buying unseen, unheard in the context where the price can only go up, probably over the price you would pay when dealing in the course of a normal negotiation is almost invariably a losing propostion. The reserves are usually high. Recourses if something is wrong with the product non-existant, save and except for the pious wishes of e-Bay and others in the business of running these things.

I cancelled an auction when it got no bids. Got messages asking "what happend to the auction?". Sorry but I don't do auctions for your "entertainment". If you want something, lock it in with minimum bid and then you can watch it till the wheels come off. Lately, I get the feeling that the personal computer game has run its course and the nerds have moved into audio.