Umm. . . I keep my head in the sand sometimes, but I am certainly not a newbie to eBay.  

Didn't bid amounts used to be protected until the end of the auction?  When did eBay change the policy to show all current amounts bid on an item?

Perhaps this has been going on for awhile now, but I just noticed it a couple of days ago.  

I guess I think it is cool (for me anyway) as I can use it to "cheat" on the max bid.  

For instance, if the bid on an item is $35.63 and the next highest bid is $35.00, then you know that the high bidder has already maxed out.  When the amounts are protected, then you don't know if the second highest bidder had a max of $34.63.

Also, I am able to see trends in the bidding history.  For instance, cougarrinard always seems to bid up in $11.00 increments ($55.00, $66.00, $77.00, etc.).  

I can also see when those bidding multiple times bid up in set amounts (every $5.00, for instance.)  

This would allow me to simply wait on an inexperienced bidder who is "bid happy" and guess what their current max is before I snipe.

I wasn't even going to bother bidding on that large lot with Blasted Land in it, but I could see that the high bidder had grodog beat by less than $2.50, so I figured "what the heck" and sent in a snipe for $2.50 more knowing that was as high as he was willing to go.

When did this all happen?  

Seems to have happened a few days ago ...  


***Bid History Page Enhancements***
 Date: 08/23/04    Time: 02:44:41 PM PDT

 
To increase the transparency of the marketplace and to provide members with more information, we will be introducing several enhancements to the Bid History page (links to Bid History can be found on any item page) over the next few days. The key changes are listed below:

To reflect that this page also applies to non-auction listings such as multi-item Fixed Price listings, the name will be changed to Buyer History for Fixed Price listings.
When a member places a bid on an item, their bid amount will be displayed on the Bid History page. If a bid is retracted, information about the retraction will be shown underneath the current bids on the Bid History page.
The current high bidder's bid information will be highlighted in yellow to make it easier to see.
When you are signed in and looking at the Bid History for an item you have bid on, you will see your maximum bid amount near the top of the page, and your ID will be listed in bold for any other previous bids.
You will now be able to add items to your Watch list directly from the Bid History page.
We have also started a thread on the Bidding discussion board so members can post your feedback. To access that thread, please click here.

Regards,
eBay

So sellers may now shill right up to the maximum, without fear of accidentally going over

       

Well, it is a drastic change.  I'm not yet sure how I feel about it.  There are some potential exploits that involve not only shilling, but some others as well.

Pros:
•        Great for research and market gauging
•        As a buyer, you can see whether or not to commit to an item or move on
•        Gives experienced eBayers more opportunity for bargains

My recommendations that I've been giving to bidders so far are as follows:
•        Research your items extensively before bidding
•        If you don't want your bid to be transparent, snipe
•        If you want to withhold the revelation of your true bid amount as in the "old days," then enter a low bid and snipe it up later
•        Keep a record of rival bidders who you believe to be potential shills, bid pumpers, or who simply make a point of outbidding you

Some people are pissed, but most seem to be having fun with the situation.  I'm personally finding it advantageous but am worried about exploits.  Sniping, once a hobby and money-saving mechanism, is now a crucial endeavor in all serious bidding.

Badmike wrote:(I also collect Arkham House publications, which can become pricey if you get into a bidding war with a big collector).

So Mike, you have any spare CAS tomes lying around?