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by mort96 147 days ago
> But if you set a max price at $5000 and would be happy to get the item at $5000.02 (for some reason other than satisfaction from sniping), then you set your max price wrong, or at least differently from how economists expect you to set it.

I think this is the problem. When most sciences observe reality diverge from the model, they see that as a flaw in the model. When economists (at least you HN "economists") observe reality diverge from the model, they seem to see that as a flaw in reality.

The model is wrong.
2 comments
imtringued 147 days ago
According to you, a bidder should always be willing to extend the bid to infinity since each increment is only one cent more.
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mort96 147 days ago
No, I am willing to pay $0.01 more but not infinity more, there's a difference
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chrisoverzero 147 days ago
"I made my max bid $500.00, but I'd have paid $500.01!"

"I made my max bid $500.01, but I'd have paid $500.02!"

"I made my max bid $500.02, but I'd have paid $500.03!"

…where does this process end?

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pessimizer 147 days ago
The way you've put it, always exactly 1¢ above your max bid.
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mort96 147 days ago
I can't give you a precise number, but it's somewhere above $0 and below $∞
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less_less 147 days ago
This thread is pretty weird.

My phrase "how economists expect you to set it" is probably wrong here, since I'm not an economist, I've just read the most basic theory about how to use this tool, and also used it myself (on eBay, you know, years ago when the site was mostly auctions). So I don't really know what "economists expect", but rather the basic guidelines for using this tool. You got me there.

> I think this is the problem. When most sciences observe reality diverge from the model, they see that as a flaw in the model. When economists (at least you HN "economists") observe reality diverge from the model, they seem to see that as a flaw in reality.

But like, to double-check here: "reality" means your imagined use of a tool that you do not in fact use, right? Like you say you "don't do auctions" and I'm trying to explain what that option is for, and you're countering that the basic "how to use this tool" explanation is a wrong model of reality?

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