It's been said that the best way to get a bargain on eBay is to wait until the last minute to bid.

However you might want to consider a different strategy - bidding first on the item! Let's say you're watching a hard-to-find movie.

If you are looking at a movie with a starting bid of $1.99 and you set your maximum bid at $9.00.  Ebay only bids for you up the necessary amount if it someone else bids.

Later, another bidder comes alongs an may bid 5 dollars max.  You're still the high bidder. He'll try to bargain bid and then give up and go to other items.

If that bidder is seriously interested in bidding up to $9.00 dollars - he still loses because the you're the winner with a tie win.

If the seller of the movie starts his bid real low to try to get more bidding and at the last minute someone bids, unless they bid over $9.99, you have won.

If no one bids you have snagged your item for the original starting bid at 1.99 !