Help me understand this bidding style?

[Kasi]

I bid on auctions on YJA once in a blue moon, have to say though, the auction extension time makes for a very different experience and bidder types compared to if I were bidding on Ebay.

I don't understand this particular bidding style though? Perhaps someone can shed some light on this?
For the past two auctions I have added my full bid in first (one's that I consider very high for what I'm bidding for). During the last 5 minutes, usually the last minute a Japanese bidder tries to place a bid, which extends the time by another five minutes. Then they wait for the counter to go down to the last minute again, and place another bid (usually just a 200 yen increase), process happens at-least 7 or more times.

Why is this? I understand the mentality of 'bid pushers' always upping their bid just a tad to see if they'll beat my max, but why do these bidders especially wait for the last minute each time? Why not just try all the little bid increments directly after one other and save everyone's time? I feel like someone is trying to play some sort of endurance game but I'm not playing a bid war with them, my max is already entered and it's huge O.o
Am I missing anything with this?

[KuroiTsubasa4]

I usually find that people using deputy services do that to me Maybe something with the snipe bid option of those services? I don't mind it once or twice because maybe they didn't realize there was auto extend or they decided they would try just one more time to outbid me. But yeah, when it's over and over again it's beyond frustrating. I've had items extended for over an hour this way. I hope they aren't just trying to mess with you but who knows? Personally I try my best to get my bid in before the five min mark :/

[Killua]

Endurance game, plain and simple. It seems bizarre they'd keep doing it with you being the highest bidder after each round, but I guess they figured they'd eventually become the highest bidder.

[sensei]

I think the idea is that the longer they draw out the bidding process, the more likely the high bidder will no longer be minding the auction, and they can eventually top the bid and walk off with the item. The "five minutes" before bid is more immediately successful, but only if the high bidder is not around to answer the bid. On the other hand, if the reserve bid really is above what the "nibbler" wants to pay, he/she will eventually cease and desist.

I have, however, seen cases where the "nibbler" went up just to the reserve bid, tied it, then stopped. The first bidder gets the item, but at the cost of the full reserve bid. In those cases I've suspected either shill bidding or simple malice: "if the other bidder won't let me have it for a fair price, I'll make him/her eat the full amount of the bid."

Games people play.

[graymouser]

Its like you said. It is a different style.

I kind of wonder if it is a stalling tactic if they are bidding on more than one item. I know that there have been times on both YJ and Mandarake that multiple items I like are closing at nearly the same time. I generally choose the item I prefer and bid only on that one. I then simply watch the other. Sometimes the bid walking on my secondary choice takes so long, I have already won/lost my first choice item and now have an opportunity to go for the second with a much clearer idea of how high I can go. Perhaps the YJ bidders are bid walking for the same reason. If one auction is dragged out, it makes things easier for the next item. Of course if both get dragged out, that could be just as much of a problem.

[sensei]

Yes, and when an item has received no bids, then if you place a bid in the last few seconds it's yours, no extension. So some bidders will wait until the last 20 seconds to bid.

If there are several items from the same show up at the same time (especially from the same seller), then interesting things will happen. A bidwar will break out on one, and then, with the end time extended five minutes, the rival parties will sometimes concentrate on the others that have received no bids, hoping to bring one or more of these down with a single well-timed bid. It's worth losing one in a bidwar if you can manage to nab a couple of others during the confusion that breaks out.

[Keropi]

When that bid walking was going on I would just alternate deputy bids in order to raise the price faster.

[sensei]

A good tactic. I once bid against myself (Rinkya vs. SMJ) during a fierce bidwar to spook two stubborn Japanside bidders.

[teppy]

For the past two auctions I have added my full bid in first (one's that I consider very high for what I'm bidding for). During the last 5 minutes, usually the last minute a Japanese bidder tries to place a bid, which extends the time by another five minutes. Then they wait for the counter to go down to the last minute again, and place another bid (usually just a 200 yen increase), process happens at-least 7 or more times.

Why is this? I understand the mentality of 'bid pushers' always upping their bid just a tad to see if they'll beat my max, but why do these bidders especially wait for the last minute each time? Why not just try all the little bid increments directly after one other and save everyone's time? I feel like someone is trying to play some sort of endurance game but I'm not playing a bid war with them, my max is already entered and it's huge O.o
Am I missing anything with this?

I experience this often when using YJ with a deputy service. Perhaps I am incorrect, but I generally attribute this type of activity to shill bidding. I don't have enough evidence to corroborate this theory, but I've seen other auctions where the bidder is not using a deputy, and the activity doesn't appear to take place as frequently. I wonder if it is a feeling that the bidders would like to deny the "faceless" deputy bidder the item or, at least, make them really pay for it because it's most likely going overseas. It feels like the other bidder will push up the bid just enough to get to the reserve. Bidding on YJ auctions, especially for something I really want is often an uncomfortable experience because of this. And, even with auction extension, if you us ea popular deputy service, there is still the possibility of being sniped at the end of the auction by another user of your own deputy...oh joy.

[teppy]

Yes, and when an item has received no bids, then if you place a bid in the last few seconds it's yours, no extension. So some bidders will wait until the last 20 seconds to bid.

I didn't realize that a YJ auction with no bid won't go into auto-extension if the bid is placed in the last 20 seconds. Is this accurate?

[graymouser]

And, even with auction extension, if you us ea popular deputy service, there is still the possibility of being sniped at the end of the auction by another user of your own deputy...oh joy.

This is a pet peeve of mine. You get the worst of both bidding styles. If I could read Japanese reliably enough, I would get my own account. I would even be willing to pay A LOT more money in fees to my deputy just to avoid sniping/attempted sniping. Unfortunately, I am sure they make way too much money off of the practice to give me or anyone else an out.

[Keropi]

Often I found myself bidding against myself even when no one else had bid yet on auctions. But it all depended on how likely someone was going to be bidding against me and whether it was going to be deputy bidders or non-deputy bidders.

I would bid it up with multiple deputies to a point at least high enough so that the internal bid price wouldn't annoy me too much if I lost to it for that amount. I knew I was making myself pay more, but it was just too annoying to get undercut at the last minute like that. So I often paid a little more, but I was rarely ever upset about it when I lost. At least I had put in a half decent bid for it. It wasn't like I had lost to a bid that was only a small fraction of what I was willing to pay.

[Killua]

And, even with auction extension, if you us ea popular deputy service, there is still the possibility of being sniped at the end of the auction by another user of your own deputy...oh joy.

This is a pet peeve of mine. You get the worst of both bidding styles. If I could read Japanese reliably enough, I would get my own account. I would even be willing to pay A LOT more money in fees to my deputy just to avoid sniping/attempted sniping. Unfortunately, I am sure they make way too much money off of the practice to give me or anyone else an out.

There are deputies that don't allow internal bidding.

[graymouser]

There are deputies that don't allow internal bidding.

That would be great. Can you let me know who they are

[Animechaos]

Deputies that don't allow internal bidding actually end up costing you more. Think about a couple scenarios:

1) 2 people using 2 different deputy services fight it out on an auction. The price keeps going up and up normally, just like anyone else bidding.
--No different turnout than if they were normal YHJ bidders. In this case, doesn't matter if they allow internal bidding or not. No savings.

2) 1 normal YHJ bidder Vs. a deputy service. The price will go up normally.
--However the advantage goes to the deputy service, if they have real-time or sniper services available. The normal bidder has to be present, while the service with sniping has the option to set a bid and let the system work. The deputy service user sets a price and can walk away from it, not getting sucked into a bidding war that can often go above and beyond the price they originally wanted to pay. But they have the option to fight for it too if they want.

3) 2 people using the same service via "internal bidding".
--Since bids are tracked internally the price of the auction itself doesn't go up, but most services charge a internal bid fee. That fee is generally much less than what the price would have gone up to. But also, from our experience, these internal "bidwars" are very rare. However when they do happen we've seen huge differences in price and savings to the customers. Very recently there was an item that sold for over 2 million+ yen from 2 deputy services going at it. If both those bidders used the same deputy service, the price never would have got that high and the winner would have saved quite a large sum.

This is actually one thing many sellers in Japan dislike about deputy services. But what they always fail to realize is that without deputy services, most of these bids wouldn't get placed to begin with. They also don't realize just how rarely it happens.

4) 2 people using the same service, that doesn't allow "internal bidding".
--Result....one of bidders jumps to another service so they can get their bid in. A little obstacle like that won't curb a true collector.

So the TL;DR version: Services that don't allow internal bidding can only lead to higher costs, not cheaper ones.