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So, I've been selling some things on eBay and, most recently, had a good number of watchers on an item, but not a single bid. I am curious - what makes you watch something that you have no intent of buying? I can understand watching something and then just not quite making it to the auction before it closes, but are there people out there that just watch to watch? It is incredibly frustrating when you see you have a decent amount of folks seemingly interesting in your item, then no bids come of it. What is the logic behind it, I wonder.

Are you one of these people? Do you watch an item without any intent to buy? Why do you do it? This is not a post to flame anyone - I am generally curious.

How much time is left? Most people wait until a few hours before it ends to start bidding; that's why you'll see many items with one bid (or none) up until the final day of the auction.

It's the same feeling you get when you start a new thread that gets 200+ views but no comments

I guess if the items you're offering aren't unique, people may be watching them as a back-up for another similar thing they're bidding on.

agnosto wrote:How much time is left? Most people wait until a few hours before it ends to start bidding; that's why you'll see many items with one bid (or none) up until the final day of the auction.

Oh, no, it already ended. I watched it down from the last hour as no watchers were removed, but no bids showed up either.

I think J.Black is on to a big part of it, your item could be the back up for a failed auction.

Another possibility that comes to mind would be people watching it to see how much it sells because they have one to sell themselves at some point.

The only other thing would be sometimes I watch things as I think there is no way that is selling for that money and become curious enough to see if it actually does.

For me ill surf around ebay for the things im after. Normally i will watch 10-20 items im interested in, even if its the same thing.

I might only buy one or two of them. The reason i watch so many is to get the best deal, if i happen to get a good deal on one before yours expires then i wont bid.

Morathi's Darkest Sin wrote:Another possibility that comes to mind would be people watching it to see how much it sells because they have one to sell themselves at some point.

This, even if I don't have one to sell. I just like to know things, so if I see something interesting I'll watch it just to find out how much it ends up going for.

There are two reasons I watch something and don't put a bid on.

1. Because I just want to see the final price as I am thinking of selling one myself.

2. Because I forget to put a bid on, then curse myself when the item closes without selling. Last week I lost two Carnifexes at 99p each because I was too excited on holiday to put on a bid. They were relisted and sold for about £12 each this week.

Kilkrazy wrote:

2. Because I forget to put a bid on, then curse myself when the item closes without selling. Last week I lost two Carnifexes at 99p each because I was too excited on holiday to put on a bid. They were relisted and sold for about £12 each this week.

This is what happens to me if I am watching, but didn't bid. I guess it's more normal than I thought. And I know there's nothing actually "wrong" with it, but you're kinda like. . .,"Really? None of you were actually interested?"

Yes, it's hard to figure out why it would happen.

These were not crappy models.

You often see really crappy items which don't sell because they aren't worth anything, that's understandable.

Wishlist syndrome, people will watch something they want but can't actually afford, but by watching it they feel a tad closer to the desired item, or feel that if God-willing I win the lottery the next day I could then afford it. Of course, they don't win the lottery, and thus they don't bid on the item. If it's a good deal, then I am surprised no one made a bid, did you re-list the item, did it happen two auctions in a row? Ebay is a fickle mistress.

Some people may be watching to see if you drop the price as the item gets closer to the end if you have no bids.

Sometimes on higher ticket items that I intend to buy but seem to have widely fluctuating prices, I will watch a few to try and get an average price before getting into a bidding war. It a tactic I use to try and inform myself better as a buyer.

puma713 wrote:

Kilkrazy wrote:

2. Because I forget to put a bid on, then curse myself when the item closes without selling. Last week I lost two Carnifexes at 99p each because I was too excited on holiday to put on a bid. They were relisted and sold for about £12 each this week.

This is what happens to me if I am watching, but didn't bid. I guess it's more normal than I thought. And I know there's nothing actually "wrong" with it, but you're kinda like. . .,"Really? None of you were actually interested?"

Meh im interested, it justhappen that johnyh12546's auction ended first, you were selling the same thing, and i won his!

Example: When i wanted a super nintendo i was probably watching 8-10 of them, of course, i only bought one of them. I was just keeping an eye on all of them to get the best price in the end.