[Plain_Ol_Ed]

I frequently buy tools and knives on ebay. Whenever I bid, I always check the bidding history to see if there is anybody I recognize that is bidding because I don't want to overbid them as I have litgerally hundreds of knives and tools and really don't need anymore except to collect them. The problem is, a lot of the bidders names are really cryptic so you can't tell who they might be. So, does anybody have any idea how to find out who is who? I can understand wanting anonimity, but don't like the idea of inflating the price of an item that I may not need as much as someone I know. If I don't know 'em ... tough!!!

Ed, like you i'm often bidding on items (tools/wood/etc) and have checked bidding history for the exact same reason you mentioned. I've come to rest with peace that I can't worry about this because th eprice someone is willing to pay for an item rests from within, I set my price at my targeted reasonable value and leave it at that, an dlet the ebay gods work it out, I won't let myself come into a bidding war for an item.

If the item was a one of a kind piece, my stradagy would be different, but here we are talking about items in general.

[big_Wayne_P]

Ed
I use my name much the same way it is listed here
BigWayneP51
I rarely bid on an item
I do not bid a lot but will ocassionally bid
I will watch an item if it is something i think I might be interested in
If the price stays low i will sometimes bid
I have watched items get very near or more than what the item cost new

was looking a nice wooden Machinest tool box the other day
went back the next day and the price had jumped to over $400

needless to say I did not bid

[Nancy_G]

Right now there's a new Ryobi Detail Carver listed and I had big plans of getting that. Hower it still has over 24 hours to go and it's over $60. I won't bid .... my plans weren't THAT big.

[big_Wayne_P]

Nancy
you are almost as bad as me

when I buy something used
i want it to be cheap

[Clifford_Parker]

I was raised by "auction addicts" and I have bid against friends, family, even my mother at auctions. Why should e-bay be different?

Though I usually set my top bid and let it go there have been times when I REALLY wanted something and have stayed online till the auction ended.

[electricbill]

hey guys....quit bidding up MY tools...LOL!!!...i usually "watch" certian tools and only bid in the last hours for things that are reasonable...i still get out bid by "snipers"...
bill

[big_Wayne_P]

What amazes me is that there are quite a few regular sellers on EBay
selling those cheap carving tools. Hard for me to believe that people
will actually bid on those and buy them.
You know the ones I am alking about
those cheap tools

I do feel sorry for who ever buys them
may turn them against carving forever

[Hugh]

Ed, my handle on EBay is fancier_feathers. I like the auction bidding, its a game, usually in favour of the seller. I watch for the new sellers that haven't learned the tricks, you get a better deal. I set my max price, and don't bid over it. sometimes waiting until the last seconds to enter it, thats the rush for me. When someone pushes the bid little by little, and wins the auction, first thing you get a second chance offer from the seller, I wont bite, I believe that person pushing the bid little by little might have been working for the seller trying to find your maximum bid. I have found most people honest to deal with and I enjoy buying and selling. Like Ed, I like to find their real names, some very nice ordinary people.

[Mryooper]

You have to be careful that is for sure! with ebay. I sell on ebay , but once in a while I do buy. I always check the feedbacks on the person I buy from, and if they got a bad feedback of 3 or more I do not bid. Make sure to check the negitive feedbacks , Most times the "NEG" feedbacks that are left seem to be childish paybacks. tit for tat as they say. Kind of give you a idea,how some bidders get about feedbacks lol. I know person that bought a original "Vase" that was on noahs ark LOL now that person should have had some common sense in the first place. I was told by this person that she was upset that the "vase " had been glued back together and felt cheated so she left a bad feedback because of that. I dont have to say much and leave it up to you to judge the stupidity of this person..I have been lucky myself and feel fortunate not to have been taken. I guess as a seller I have been lucky to have no neg feedbacks. If a items is lost , I usually replace for just the shipping cost. Now that is if they didn't even pay for insurance or tracking. I didn't have to , but I did and feel ok about that.ITs the bidders that dont pay!!!! even after the 60 day ordeal you have to go thru to get your ebay % refunded or they find a similiar item and bid on that because it is cheaper without canceling the bid and screwing over the original seller they first bid on. For them individuals they get the worst possible feedback and turned over to ebay as a non-payer.I have also noticed that alot of individuals buy the .99 items to build up the positive feedback! Alot of "cons" ebay as well. Guess the old saying there is a sucker born everyday, stays true with ebay as well!! from the "Noah's Ark vase story to the barbie doll peanut butter sandwichs for sale lol.....if you dont fell right or good about the item dont bid, saves alot of headaches in the end.
Mryooper