Wish I knew why......

[MuLTiViEW]

 Why the heck do people bid up an item hours and sometimes days before the auction ends?

 I was watching a DKB 3128 RAM board for my 3000 (a friend who owes me money was going to get it for me)  and this thing hit $315.55 with 2 hours left!  

 What the ?


 I know they don't make this board anymore, but come on people.  

 Anyhow, that took that board right out of the plans.

[MuLTiViEW]

 AmiBench?  Can you tell me more about that.

 My goal for my A3000, is simply to get a decent Ethernet card, a 3128 RAM card with 128mb on it.  Ultimately a Picasso IV card, a Warp Engine 040  is my cpu desires.....  

 If I was to get another card it might be a FastLane Z3 (why stop at 274 mb ??)

 Hehe

 It's not nearly as top of the line as other systems Im sure, but that was the same exact system dream I wanted since 1991 and it still hasn't changed.  I see two of those items selling from one guy in Ohio or somewhere on ebay... (they currently have less than 2 hours now)  in both the 3128 and the Picasso IV.  (and also a neat Ethernet card)

 Unfortunately the price of the RAM board alone killed the deal.  Which was to eliminate the debt this guy owed.  He owed around $675 to me, but I told him if I could lay my hands on the 3128 and the PIV, the debt would be cancelled.

 Now Im looking at cheap PC systems @3gighertz that actually cost less than the RAM board.   Of course I gotta try and explain (or hold my tongue) when a couple people look at me funny when I tell them how much I wanted that RAM card.... which you know.  Isnt even made anymore.  (sigh)

 I swear, one of these days if I ever sit down and learn how to make my own circuit boards, I'll make that dual 060 A3000 motherboard replacement board I always wanted to make........

 Heh...  

 Ok, just venting a bit.  But still.   Now I gotta sit and watch both boards go bye-bye again.  You know how many Ive seen come and go on EBAY in the last 7 years?   SIX!

 
 Another bizarre note,  this guy I think I know from IRC, VoSot, not sure if it was really him, I mean how many Amiga users could there be in San Antonio, Texas?   Sold a Warp Engine 040 board a couple days back for $179.00 (yup... the other one on my list)

 Yet, strangely, he's got the high bid on this Ohio guy's 3640.  ?

 Not too often do I see someone downgrade their cpu board.

 sigh

[MuLTiViEW]

Back to the question. I think e-Bay is stupid to allow for up to 10-day auctions. -JaXanm

 Yeah. I didn't really mind when they had 7 days as max.  That allowed for someone to put something up at the begining of the week and not worry about things until the weekend.  A 10 day auction makes no sense really.

 People shouldn't put them up for so long, but, I do notice some items sell better on the weekends if that is when they are ending.

 What they REALLY need to do, is put a "time the auction will start" so you can sit there and make auctions and they wont show at all..... OR they will show, but wont start until such and such day.  That might cut down on longer auctions because most people try and time stuff to end on a day when people will be home shopping for new stuff.

 Some items like a 3640 board for example, are not huge in the public eye and thus might actually require a good 7 days or so of "attention".  The idea here would be not to be greedy necessarily, but to keep it out there longer so you got a better chance of having such a "rarely searched for item seen by someone who wants it.

 Example, I dont go to EBAY much, but if someone chucked a 3128 board, or a Warp Engine 040 on for about $50 and gave the auction 1 day....   Hell, Im gonna miss that cookie!

 If it's up for 7 days, I might check ebay every 3 days, so I'd catch it..... maybe.

So it's not so bad I guess it goes long, but your right, 10 days is a bit too much. They should cap it at 7.  Or charge extra for any additional time beyond 7.

 I figure 7 is a good number.  If I was putting up so many items a week, I'd probably only want to put them up on a Sunday, and know full well they are going to end the next Sunday.

 A lot of people do this.  

 Hence why I usually check ebay more on Monday's actually, then any other day.