Auctions - why bid early?

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.

Dweller...I've seen many many auctions on eBay get no bids, and then go for a much higher price than normal at the end, because a large number of snipers show up then hoping for a deal. Setting a reserve price will protect you from giving it away.

I always bid early when someone sets a "buy it now" with no reserve on an item I like, but think the "buy it now" is more then I want to pay. Bidding on a non-reserved "buy-it-now" auction makes the buy-it-now go away.

Not every auction gets sniped. I have gotten good deals on eBay bidding early, mostly when I knew I would not be around at the end.

On an item I want, but is nearing my max, I oftentimes place a bid in hope that other sellors see there are additional buyers out there. Often times I'm able to win at a lower price on the next listing.

I've done exactly the same thing. :)