The
"Behind the Scenes" Report on Mr. Proxy
Created by Tiptie
Let
us look at a proxy as a bidder inside eBay's computer,
that needs to look at the listed bid and then enter
a new bid. The fact that it happens within milliseconds
is immaterial. So, here is the scenario:
Opening
Minimum Bid: $7.00………Bob enters
a
bid with a Proxy of $11.00. The eBay auctioneer
accepts Bob's bid.
The
Current Bid now shows $7.00
Along
comes Carol and she is interested in this item and
enters a Bid. The eBay auctioneer tells her that she
must enter a bid at least ONE bid increment over the
Current Bid, which is $7.00. Therefore her
bid must be at least $7.50. Well, she enters
a bid of $10.01; thinking that many people
bid with rounded-off Proxies and her extra penny just
might do the trick. The bid is accepted.
(Now,
the following takes place inside the eBay computer)
Bob's Proxy looks at Carols Proxy bid and sees that
he must bid at least one increment over this, if he
can. Bob's Proxy has enough spending authority to
enter enough .50 increments to counter Carol's
Proxy bid. Bob's Proxy arrives at a bid of 10.51.
Carol's Proxy looks at this bid, sees that Carol has
only given him the ability to bid up to $10.01
and therefore Carol is out of the picture.:-(.....
However, her penny changed the nice rounded, even
increments.
The
Current Bid now shows $10.51
Sniper
comes along and wants to bid, again the eBay auctioneer
tells him that he must bid at least one increment
over 10.51. Sniper decides to enter a Proxy
bid of $11.01. Again, he likes the oddball
pennies.
(Ok,
now the computers go to work, again) Bob's Proxy
can only push the bid up to $11.00 and it might
be over for poor old Bob, depending on the size of
Sniper's Proxy. Sniper's Proxy must now better the
$11.00, if it can. Internally, the computers
look at increments differently and the rules are different.
If the Proxy is capable of a full increment, the computer
takes it. However, if the Proxy is still higher
than $11.00, it takes all it can get, even
if it is only a penny. In this case Sniper's Proxy
had the necessary penny more and it is taken.
The
Current Bid now shows $11.01
(Auction
Ends)
I
hope this ends the confusion by putting a face on
Mr. Proxy. Bob had originally put in a Proxy bid of
$11.00 and when the auction was over, the other
guy won by only 1 cent over Bob's $11.00.
If
Bob had a Proxy of $11.01, then he would have
won, because his Proxy was earlier that the Sniper's
$11.01 Proxy.
If
the Sniper had put in a Proxy of $11.32, then
the computer would have taken all it could get and
the auction would have ended at $11.32.
If
the Sniper would have put in a Proxy of $15.00,
then the computer would have taken full incremental
steps over the Current Bid and the auction would have
ended at $11.51.
Moral
of story?
"The
Proxy with the most Moxie always wins"
|
