Automatic Bidding Policy

[asimison]

I feel the automatic bidding system requires too much commitment. Bidders should only be committed to an already placed or winning bid.

In my opinion:

- You should be able to stop automatic bidding at any time. However:

- You should be committed to your current bid -only-. Not the max bid amount you entered.

- If you a) have -not- won the item already or b) your max bid is not the current winning bid, you should be free to modify your max OR stop your automatic bidding at will.

Thoughts?

[momcqueen]

Are you speaking about a third-party sniping service? I’ve not used one in all my years on eBay. As to maximum bids, I assume they are like any other bid and open to cancellation. Another user will need to clarify that as to that end I also never bid a maximum bid but set an alarm for the auction end and make a decision at that time how to best proceed if I need to win it.

[reallynicestamps]

- You should be able to stop automatic bidding at any time. However:

You can. Bidders can cancel bids.
If they cancel on the basis of a mistaken amount, they are supposed to re-bid with the correct amount. A few actually do.

- You should be committed to your current bid -only-. Not the max bid amount you entered.

This negates the entire purpose of automatic bidding.

It's a time and labour saving process.

You bid once maybe on DayTwo of the auction, or maybe an hour before the end, and then go put the baby to sleep or mow the lawn or spend the weekend skiing at Whistler, rather than hanging over your computer changing your bid every five minutes.

- If you a) have -not- won the item already or b) your max bid is not the current winning bid, you should be free to modify your max OR stop your automatic bidding at will.

You can.

Bidders can cancel bids at any time.

The reasons are, in my opinion, too few.

They should include "Ichanged my mind" "I bought it elsewhere" "The meds kicked in" "The bid was placed by the babysitter's cat".

Frankly sellers usually would rather have a cancelled bid than hold their item in limbo for eight days while chasing a deadbeat bidder.

Just find the allowable reason closest to your actual reason.

http://offer.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?RetractBidShow

By the way, 85% of transactions on eBay are Fixed Price. Those don't require any bidding or waiting to learn that you lost.

You purchase, you pay, the seller ships.

Done.