eBay extended bidding

[mario]

As some of you may be aware, eBay started testing and rolling out bid time extensions. These extend the auction end time 1 minute from the time of the last bid. So far this is rolled out on eBay Motors, and it looks like eBay has started testing it on eBay Australia. The other markets may follow, including the biggest, eBay UK and eBay US.

In responding to this, here are the changes I will be testing in the following days and weeks (this is not widely rolled out yet):

1. Gixen will test bidding incrementally, instead of submitting the maximum bid to eBay at once. It will also detect extensions as late as possible and delay bidding until as late as possible. Gixen will wait the maximum of 12 extensions, bidding incrementally during this time, before submitting user's maximum bid.

2. Gixen Mirror server will do the same, however instead of user-specified offset it will bid 1 second before auction end. This is in order to save the number of calls to eBay.

3. Unlike what used to be the case in the past (I always advocated for 8 second offset as optimal), auction time extensions may make 1-second offset as the best choice. I still leave this configurable (except for Gixen Mirror).

As I am unsure what the optimal strategy is, and it may differ depending on value, category or specific auction, I am considering giving users more choice and control in the future. I am open to all constructive suggestions and comments.

Why is this happening? It looks like eBay believes (but is not sure, hence this is still being tested) that this may raise the final price. This is likely true, if the buyer interest in auctions remains the same, so it pretty much depends on how majority of buyers feel about it over the long term. My guess is that not much will change, but let me know how you feel about it.

[Cupid]

Just to keep similar posts accessible in the same place, this was the last discussion we had on this.
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Mark

[Guest]

It may increase the final price of some auctions, but those ending at odd times aren't likely to benefit much. If people aren't around/awake, they can't react to the extra minute.

I'm trying to decide if incremental bidding is going to be worthwhile, continually extending the process. That gives more people time to react each time. Or just bid at 61 seconds and be done with it. I'm not sure.

I wonder if this will end up pushing more buyers to prefer buy it now or fixed price listings (perhaps with best offer), which would of course cause more sellers to offer those and further reduce the number of auction listings.

I wish they could just leave this part of the site alone, but they want to find every last penny, I suppose.

[alex]

could you add an option for 65s or 70s lead time so bids don't trigger the extension?

[Gixen]

[mario]

[mario]

[Cupid]

Some initial feedback here.
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Mark