Figbid snipers

[Skagitslim]

Damnit! So frustrating! Ive been trying to get Thermalito from fruitnut all summer. I bid very high and lead the auction for over 4 days until the last minute to someone who had not participated in the auction at all and outbid me by $1. This was at least the 6th Thermalito auction I lost and fruitnut last of the year. FML!!! Ive been on other auctions where they have rules against last minute bids from snipers: If you havent bid in the auction at all, you must bid before the last hour. Im not trying to be a sore loser but it really gets aggrivating when it happens over and over again. I guess I will have to go to battle again next year..

[tinyfish]

Have you thought about using the same technique yourself. In the last few seconds put in the highest amount you are willing to pay and the system will go as high as needed or to your max bid.

For example if the the current price is last seconds is $10 and you put your max bid of $30 and then a bid comes in at $22 the system will put a bid of $23 and will bid for you until $30. I hope I explained it properly.

[GuyA]

Perfect! Since I am at work most nights I do a max bid within my "price range". I win some and I lose some. My attitude is, I'll get it next time.
GuyA St Augustine Fl.

[davej]

Auctions are often frustrating. As Tinyfish says, the only serious way to do it is to participate in that last minute. In the last few seconds enter the highest price you are willing to pay. If you lose at least you know they were not able to gain any helpful information from your bid.

[key88sf]

This is how snipers are born

[Drfig]

My friend I am sure someone on this forum will trade with you. If I had it I would be placing an air layer for ya.

[Ktrain]

I had the same thing happen with BMkk, As stated above.....I went as high as I was willing to go and then $10 more just to secure my win.
It worked....I paid slightly more than I should have but hey.....sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

I hope you find it soon, I have thought about adding that one as well.

Hope we don't meet in an auction....LOL

[drew51]

If you fail contact me in the winter for cuttings. I think I can help. Offer limited to original poster only. If I have more which is doubtful, I will offer them up.

[ginamcd]

I'm betting many honed their sniping skills over the years on eBay. It got to be the best way you could win an item if you couldn't find it offered through a Buy it Now listing.

While sniping sucks for the loser, at least the item/tree sells for a more reasonable price in the end. Unlike bidding wars where they end up selling for astronomical and ridiculous prices.

[figgarooni]

I actually wish it was set up like a blind auction, but I imagine it's less profitable for the site. It feels like you have to snipe premium trees, but I've won uncommon figs by setting a max price early in the bid session. Even then, someone will usually try to bid last minute to snag a tree at a cheap price.

[Halligan-]

I don’t always bid, but when I do I’m the last one.


Figbid is an auction site, purchases are always competitive.

If you don’t want to hassle with bidding on auctions there is usually a fair number of “Buy it Now” trees and cuttings available.

[jessup42]

Agreed re: buy it now. Saw a Cravens Craving for $60 +s&h so grabbed it. No hassle or emotional rollercoaster yay! Auctions hurt me all
over but esp in my wallet

[figgarooni]

There are some great deals that pop up on buy it now! I just picked up a sefrawi for $25, very happy with that price.

[RosyPosy]

I prefer the “Buy It Now” fixed price listings as well. Auctions make me feel like I’m gonna throw up and my heart’s going to burst out of my chest. With fixed price, the seller is happy and I’m happy. Quick, painless and done.

[swethakyadav]

Do you want a thermolito or a thermolito from fruitnut ? There is a big difference in that. You can easily find trades on the forum.

[Jafi]

I just put in the highest bed I'm willing to pay. If someone else bids higher so be it.

[Badgerferrit]

As someone who paid my way through college buying and selling on ebay, my additional recommendation is bid last second, and bid $5-10 more than you are "willing: to pay to win something. eg, if I want it for $100 am I really not willing to pay $105 to have it now. Also, never bid $105 because if someone else bid $105 first they will get it, bid 105.01 or maybe even some amount of higher change incase they did the same. Good luck and happy bidding!!!

[Halligan-]

Shhhh all the secrets.....🤫 hahahaha

[Foodtreefield]

When you lose a auction always look at the final bid history so you will know what you are up against the next time.

[Frankenberry]

It would be nice to have the auction extend 1 minute if a bid is placed in the last minute. When a sniper comes in at 10 seconds remaining, it extends the auction time 1 minute giving others that time to decide if they want to continue to bid up. This would definitely increase bidding, prices etc but would also eliminate snipers... More like a "true" in person auctioneer would do...

That said, as it is now, it all comes down to the last minute.

[tinyfish]

I've bid in antique auctions similar to that. That is a fair way to give you that extra chance.

[Foodtreefield]

Some online auction platforms give a two minute extension for any last minute bids. Can go on for a long. very long time extra. That can get insane as well.

[Finodejete]

The one minute extension is what Logee’s auction does. I’ve seen 4 inch variegated houseplants that can revert go for over
$1000.

[bullet08]

auction sucks. i usually put high bid to max i'm willing to pay and forget about it. bottom line is, if the bid goes over my max, i don't want it. in previous forum, most my figs were trade. i felt that my trees were something i would like to share freely, and there were others who felt the same. never paid for fig trees before. but, i think i'll get my trees from nurseries this time. my propagation skills have gone to hell, and can't root anything any more. killed good cuttings sent to me by a generous member last year. been out of it too long.

[WVMJack]

Good to know you are one of those bidders that only go up by a dollar at a time, you will have a hard time winning on figbid thinking like that. You need to change your thinking if you really really want that fig.

[RosyPosy]

I didn’t know “sniping” was considered a bad thing. It’s the only way I bid.

I don’t understand bidding in the days prior, because all it does it jack up the price and create bidding wars— what’s the point of that, unless you have deep pockets? I don’t have deep pockets and I want to pay as low a price as possible to get the benefit of buying something at auction. Only the last highest bid wins, bidding before that does absolutely nothing for a bidder.

That’s all from a bidder’s perspective though. From a seller’s perspective, all the pre-bidding is great, because it raises the end price for them. When all is said and done, I do prefer fixed price listings so that the seller is listing a price they feel good about and I’m purchasing at a price I’m comfortable with.

fruitnut’s listings often go higher and have a lot of competition because he’s a great grower and has a good reputation. Funny enough, I was griping about being repeatedly out bid for a fruitnut Thermalito earlier this year. So, I do understand more than it may sound. There will be other listings though, Thermalito is not going away!

[khuang]

This is how I looked at the auction. There is only one winner so losing an auction is normal. I treated every auction like sealed auction. The bidding prices are hidden. Any one can place any price at the auction but I only bid up to the maximum that I am willing to pay. No matter it's the first second after the opening of the auction or the last second before closing of the auction. Sometimes, I do place lower bid so I can get it at cheaper (for smaller plants or less know sellers). I accept the consequence for not winning because of the lower bid. Hopefully, I will get it next time.

Why not trying to perfect your rooting skills and doing some practices with cheaper cuttings? There are plenty of posts about rooting cuttings. Try to experiment different conditions. It costs less to buy cuttings.

[ieatfigs]

Why don't you just do sniping yourself? Putting in early bids causes the prices to go up.

[Achilles]

The first rule of figbid is: ask yourself, “how much am I willing to pay for this fig?”

Once you know that number, set your proxy bid and walk away.

It’s that simple. Make a list of the varieties you lost and pick them up this winter as scion wood and root them. Win. Win.

[key88sf]

I thought the first rule of Figbid is "Don't talk about Figbid" ?

[Achilles]

I skipped that one as we all broke it 😉

[SubmarinePete]

Putting in your best bid late is the best technique for winning auctions. Danny has a good article on bidding techniques:

https://www.figbid.com/page/Be_a_Better_Bidder_-_How_to_Bid_and_Win_any_Internet_Auction

[NotoriousFIG]

When the auction says you lost by $1, you really didn't lose by $1. The winner just put in a higher amount, but that amount is hidden and the auction price is increased by $1. If your last bid is $200 and they put in $300, they will win at something like $203. When you hit quickbid for $206, you lose and it's over.

[jim]

Early bidders only raise the price up. They usually don't even bid when the price starts going up.

[Achilles]

Exactly. I don’t think people understand how auctions work.

[mwhight34]

Oh I gave up on auctions a long time ago. Too many unknown bidders driving the price up after joining the site a day earlier. It became impossible for me to buy anything I was looking for. So last year I stuck to trades and HarveyC’s annual sale, fixed price is the way to go. I’d much rather spend $75 on a set of two cuttings and get them instantly, then wait a week for an auction to end only to get outbid with 5 seconds left

that being said, I still think that figbid is a wonderful site and the best/safest place to buy from.