Having a reserve doesn't make or break my bid choice. I usually figure my max bid and enter that. Waiting until the last minute depends on when the auction ends. If I can be around, I will wait and check a couple of hours before the end. Otherwise I put in my bid with my max and hope for the best. If it goes over my max, someone else wanted it more than I was willing to pay. Do not get caught up in the one upmanship of bidding. It only matters who mid the most $$, not who bids the most times.

Amosguy is absolutely correct. You'll win some, you'll loss some. Sometimes when the item arrives you'll be really happy with the deal...sometimes less so. That's ebay.

This is the way i do it,say i see a part my first bid is my highest bid i will go for the item if i win it good if i dont thats ok too....Also to me when ebayers put a Reserve price on the item they have check out the going price...Mikey

I wait until the very last few seconds to enter my max bid. That way, it doesn't leave anyone any time to readjust their budget should they decide they want the item more than they initially did.

"Sniper!!" :D:D

If I really want the item I lay in the weeds and submit my bid in the last few seconds. I always set a max I am willing to pay for an item and bid that amount. The bids will increment upward to that amount. Be sure to ask questions about the item prior to bidding, ask lots of questions! That way there should be no surprises when you get the item.

I seem to be in the category of wait till the last seconds to bid camp, I never bid on an Item I want until the last ten seconds, I decide the maximum I'll pay and stick to it, I've won and lost with this method but I've won more than I've lost!!

When I'm looking for something I decide right away what my max bid will be and put that in..........and generally I'm not the first bidder. If I win I'm happy if I lose I just suck it up and I have the comfort of knowing I thought about it and how much I wanted it before I bid. I'm no expert at this...I'm a new-comer..but this seems to work for me.....so far.

I hack the competitions account and run up astronomical paypal charges. That leaves just me and the hidden foe. For those wily dogs, I duplicate the auction with false information at a much reduced cost and that ends one hour after the real auction. That suckers the snipers away from the real auction.

I bid low the final three seconds and steal the item.

It's a way to parlay all my skills and vices into one lovely lucrative game.