eBay Question

[Wizard29]

Looking at buying a car on eBay...
How do the reserve limits relate to bids?
In this case, I happen to know what the seller's reserve is. Other people are bidding on the car, but one bidder stays ahead because of the proxy bidding. I don't know what his maximum bid is, but since the bid increment is $100, he is staying $100 ahead of others that are bidding, but the reserve still has not been met.
The question is if his maximum bid was higher than the reserve price, would the auction automatically go up to that amount or would it take two bidders in competition to achieve that price?
One would think that if his maximum bid was higher than the reserve, the proxy bidding would increase the auction amount to at least the reserve price, but you never know.

[MagicMtnDan]

I hate eBay!

[Jbb]

I might be wrong.. ..but I think the proxy bidding will,only be in response to other bids,regardless of the reserve...in increments to be above your's...till he has hit his max bid.

[TYREPEDDLER]

No It Will Not Bump It Over The Reserve Untill It Gets Bid Up To The Reserve And Then The Reserve Will Be Met.

[havasurat27]

If the vehicle is local to you...email the seller and ask if they will do a deal outside of Ebay. They can cancel the auction at anytime. Especially if the reserve has not been met. I have had sellers do this several times in the past just to avoid the bs of the winner not paying etc.

[AZKC]

Proxy bidding only raises the bid the minimum needed to beat current bidder. Nobody wins untill the reserve is hit.
Alot of goobers bid at beginning of auctions when its way below the reserve just to see their name on the screen they have no intention of buying anything Sometimes freinds of the auction starter will bid to get the price up, :yuk: Its people like that that screw it up for everyone else. :cry:

[Wizard29]

Thanks guys. I have already contacted the seller and we have a deal for him to end the auction early when he gets back home on Wednesday night and I will pay him "X" amount for the car.
In the mean time, the bidding wars continue and I just don't want it to get over the price I agreed to pay. It still has about $8K to go though...

[Jesster]

Here is what it says regarding reserve prices in the help pages
When you're bidding in a Reserve Price Auction, bid as usual, entering the maximum amount you're willing to pay for the item. Watch the label next to the current price to see whether the reserve price has been met. Until you see that the reserve price has been met, there have been no successful bids in the auction. Once the reserve has been met, the item will sell to the highest bidder when the auction closes.
If your maximum bid is the first to meet or exceed the reserve price, the effective bid displayed will automatically be raised to the reserve price.

[Wizard29]

Here is what it says regarding reserve prices in the help pages
If your maximum bid is the first to meet or exceed the reserve price, the effective bid displayed will automatically be raised to the reserve price.
There it is. Thanks Jesster. That makes more sense. Otherwise, it would take two or more different bidders to have the auction go over the reserve price, and that wouldn't necessarily be in the best interests of the seller...

[AZKC]

Its an auction not an ad. Ending auctions early and dealing out of the realms of Ebay creates the problems, it goes on all the time. But if your going to buy and sell that way use the Trader not Ebay. :yuk: