Could be that you were bidding for items that were really in demandd by many. but you should know that it is common tactic to bid just once - and 1-3 second before timeout is reached. The bid should be your maximum. I also add shipping costs and then plus 10% for my absolute limit. I never bid earlier than 1-3 seoicnd beforte timeout, and I never place more than one bid. I have won almost all bids I placed by doing so, mainly old chess computers.
If you place a bid earlier, you just give others the chance to get their psychological mechanisms working, resulting in others to eventually finding excuses why they suddenly want to exceed their former limits, and then placing higher bids. By placing early bids, you just drive the price upwards.
Place one bid only, but if you really want that item, make sure you place your bid at the last chance possible, and make it a total overkill bid. Your internet connection is a factor, if it is reliable and fast, hit the button only 1-2 second before timeout. Every bid you place earlier than 3 seconds to timeout, is
premature.
Believe me, I now own several very rare and precious old chess computers that are in high demand by collectors. On chess computers i never lost one bid.
but I tend to avoid ebay these days, using it only rarely. It has become a professional sales platform for pro traders. I tend to agree with Steve.
Ebay is like sword fighting. you aim to swing for just one strike - but that single strike should cut your opponent into to equal halves from head to - well, you know what.
