1. Do not place a bid – wait till the last 10 seconds of the auction.
  2. Think of your MAX bid – a lot higher than the current bid. This is because – in the last few seconds – everyone will try to UP the current bid. Example – If current bid is $150 , decide what your max will be (I would set it to $200 ). Within a few seconds , the current bid will go up  – and be closer to $170-$180. So – if you have comfortably exceeded that, you will win the auction. Of course, the ITEM is what dictates your maximum bid. If it is something that appears on eBay very infrequently, you want to ensure your MAX bid is higher. If it is something that will be listed again soon, you can afford to lose this auction – and go with a slightly lower MAX bid.  (My personal preference is to make my MAX bid at least 33% higher than the current bid.)
  3. Hit PLACE BID –  and if you are down to the last few seconds – hit CONFIRM bid. (IF you still have more than 10 seconds left, wait till last 5-6 seconds to hit the CONFIRM bid). The CONFIRM should go in at the VERY END.
  4. You will most likely WIN the auction . NOTE – YOu will not pay the MAX bid amount – your purchase price will just be the LAST current bid  (e.g. $170) PLUS the min increment (e.g. $1) = $171.

RISK

While this method almost ensures a win for you, the only thing that can derail you is if your MAX bid was somehow lower than what the current bid climbed to in the last few seconds. Example – current bid $150. Your MAX bid $200. Someone in the last 15 seconds, places a CURRENT BID for $210. Your max bid is trumped now – and you will lose the auction. But , keep in mind, that someone placing a $210 bid – – when the current bid is $150 – is a little unlikely (unless , as I pointed out, the item is somewhat unique – and doesn’t appear on eBay often). Still , your MAX bid (of almost 33% higher than current bid) , should comfortably cover you.

Anuj holds professional certifications in Google Cloud, AWS as well as certifications in Docker and App Performance Tools such as New Relic. He specializes in Cloud Security, Data Encryption and Container Technologies.

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Anuj Varma – who has written posts on Anuj Varma, Hands-On Technology Architect, Clean Air Activist.

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