'nuther ebay ?...how can one go back and lower their max bid?

[Gemrod]

I just learned how one can be bid up....after they have entered their max bid. I have a bid on an item on ebay. But I put it in 5 days ago. Un-expected expenses have come up. I would like to lower the max bid I currently have on an item. But when I go to "My Ebay" and find the item.....it only has an option to "increase" your max bid. I don't see a way to cancel my bid entirely...and then put in a lower max bid...or how to change my max bid.....

Anybody kow how?

[Host Ray]

Try clicking on "increase" then put your new lower bid in when prompted. I don't know if this will work but I'd at least give it a try.

[chewydog]

There's this:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/bid-retract.html

[Gemrod]

Thanks guys. I went to the help screen. It lists acceptable reasons to lower or cancel a bid. It does NOT allow change due to my circumstances. So I find their policy for changing a bid unacceptable. If I lowered my bid....maybe I could afford it, or...someone else who wants the item would get to buy it. But that is not allowed under their policy. So if a shady character runs it up to my max bid...I am stuck with paying for it. It expires in about 12 hours I thinik. Therefore I shall change my modis operandi of bidding in the future.....or I just may not ever bid on ebay again period. Their just out for the money. Don't care about the bidders.

[branhap]

As a habit, I only bid on items within the last few hours. Most times, within the final few minutes.

They have this policy in place to also protect the seller. If you bid on something, then retract is several hours or days later, you may have very well cost the seller money from others not bidding in the meantime. Not exactly fair to him either is it?

Paul

[Gemrod]

Yup. There are two sides or more to everything, for sure. But it doesn't help my situation any. It's ok. I learn something every day.

[oldfrat]

Since most auctions are determined in the last few minutes, I really do think they should allow you to withdraw 12 hours before the end. It is hard for me to imagine a scenario where the seller gets hurt by this.

That said, my own policy has become to set a maximum bid that is the highest where I will consider the purchase to be a fantastic bargain. I lose out on a lot of auctions that way , but that is OK. There is nothing being sold on e-Bay that I truly need to survive. I occasionally score some great deals that make me very happy. The ones I "lose" mean absolutely nothing t me.

E-Bay is a fantastic resource if you approach it like this.

PS: also look for typos and other "errors". Fly fishing "poles" cost less than "rods":

[pillcaster]

I used old's strategy also, my daughter pointed out how many bidders there are with 0 or 1 feedback that bid early on in an auction - she thinks some sellers have 2 names and will push up a max bid, if they go over, they may have to relist, but she thinks it is a way to up the price. Of course, Ebay gets paid more the higher the price, so they would not discourage this type of behavior. I have had my best luck waiting until the last few minutes.

[Gemrod]

I have learned some good things about bidding here. 'tis a good thing. It had 7 days to go when I made my Max bid that I would not go over, as Oldfrat said. Good policy. I didn't realize someone, like a friend could be a friend and run the price up. AFTER I bid, like I said, some expenses came up to where I didn't want to pay my "max" bid. Under their help FAQ questions it was made clear under their guidelines I didn't have a good enough reason to change my bid. BUT.....IT EXPIRES IN AN HOUR......AND I HAVE BEEN OUTBID! For six days the rod sat at $10.50. My max bid was $40 and it has a $16 shipping charge. It is now at $41 and I am off the hook. Yup......it get's bid up in the last day........and best way to bid is in the last few minutes...or seconds. I learned a lot about the bidding here.

Thank all of you for your comments. Probably helped out a few others of us as well by getting to read the above messages. Good stuff.

Thanks again.

<probably one of you guys above out bid me in the last hour?> (grin)

[oldfrat]

Gem, congrats on getting away for free!