When eB incorporated the ability for a seller to see how many people are actually "watching" their auctions a couple of years ago it gave immediate insight into bidder behavior.
Time was.. when someone put up an item.. people started bidding almost immediately and competition (i.e. bid wars) remained steady and continual throughout the entire length of an auction.. usually resulting in a good fair price for the buyer.. in the end (At least that's the way it was with "collectible" games.). Nowdays it's differnet. When I put up an item and start it at what I think is a fair starting price, or especially a BIN item at a fair price.. people don't start bidding anymore.
What I see instead are dozens of people putting my items on their watch list and then sitting on it.. hopefully till the end. Oh sure.. the price MAY be fair.. but that's besides the point. When this happens.. the seller is the biggest loser. The way I see it.. if an auction has steady, continual healthy bidding going on early and throughout the duration.. it is more likely to end up at a higher price.
Here's the other side as I see it. Let's say I list an item worth $50 for a starting bid of $45 or a BIN of $50.. for 7 days. What I will see nowdays is a steady influx of people putting it on their watch list. Now on day 7 you have a dozen people sitting around and most want the item for $45 to $55. Only thing is.. they're all either going to straight bid or even proxy bid.. in the last few seconds of an auction. Let's face it.. a dozen people entering bids all close to the same amount at the last minute is NO competition at all.. and your item hasn't got a chance.
This is why lately I actually started to put a statement in my seller terms to the effect that I reserve the right to end an auction early and I actually state: "out of disgust".. if I see a dozen people with the item on their watch list and no one placing a bid. Everybody thinks they're a "snipe" nowdays. I've EVEN gone so far as to reedit that statement in a bright bolder color the last day of an auction so that everyone can see it (kind of like a "get ready" I'm warning.. warning) and you know what happens 9 times out of 10? Bidding starts or someone snatches up the BIN. I HAVE been known to pull them too with a couple of hours left (on small ticket items.. the fee is negligible). I've had people then PM me and ask "why did you do that?". In a nutshell I tell them you snooze you lose. One time I relisted the item a few days later at a BIN $5 higher and the guy who asked me about it previously.. snatched it in less than 24 hours.
Like I said.. bidder's are getting smarter.. and A LOT cheaper. I try to keep one step ahead of them though. Some people may think that I'm too manipulative or coercing but hey.. I need to make money and I have 750+ positives and a rating of 99.5%.. so I must be doing something right.