Freakin' snipers

[jholmgren]

I had the only bid on this popcorn warmer, until 1 second before the auction ended and someone sniped me.   I know there are no rules against using sniping software, but it still just burns me.  Doesn't seem sporting.

I was just looking for an interesting winter project, thought this would have been something cool to bring back.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291007452316?ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1435.l2649

 

Jim

[wee]

Learn something new everyday....I have never even heard of sniping much less sniping software.....? I have always just waited till seconds before the auction was over to place my max bid at eBay....? I must be behind in the times.

Brian

[Pixel]

Sniping software would require access to a user's eBay account to work properly. The people who use such software and think they're cool could be putting themselves at serious risk.

[Kilroy]

yes, but don't make Ebay password the same as Paypal, your local account, etc.

I've used and use the sniping too, I can't always be at my computer, i can't remember to check expirations, or deal with the threee hour  tome difference  bidding on West Coast items.

i'm not out to screw anyone, I put in the highest amount I'd be willing to pay, Does it matter if I enter manually in the last few seconds or have an automaton do it for me?  Using a sniping tool is no guarantee  you will  win the item, I've lost to higher bids, I've lost to other snipers.  Shrug

[johnieG]

this is whats being talked about.

[jholmgren]

this is whats being talked about.

D'oh - sorry Johnnie.  I even grabbed a copy of the pic and forgot to attach it.  My bad.   

Anyway - not saying I was 'screwed' but I really wish eBay was more like a real auction and gave people the chance to keep bidding if there were active bidders.

[sc1101]

That does suck. The other option is just as bad. The Ironhorse online auction last week sucked because it extended 10 minutes every time someone put in a bid. It was a good concept to eliminate sniping and makes it similar to a real auction. The only issue was it took forever to close.

[HowDueYouDue]

Been on the receiving end of that before it does suck. But as you said nothing on eBay preventing it.

[collecture]

That does suck. The other option is just as bad. The Ironhorse online auction last week sucked because it extended 10 minutes every time someone put in a bid. It was a good concept to eliminate sniping and makes it similar to a real auction. The only issue was it took forever to close.

10 minutes is overkill!
One minute from the last bid would be sufficient IMO

[jholmgren]

10 minutes is overkill!
One minute from the last bid would be sufficient IMO

Agreed Tom - in a "real" auction, there is seldom more than 10-20 seconds from last active bid to the hammer fall.  I would love to have that extension tacked onto the end-time of an eBay auction.  Seems to me it would generate more revenue for eBay, so I am surprised they haven't done it.

[MoonDawg]

        If it was within my area and I didn't know Jim was bidding on it, I would have sniped it too! 

[Slapshot42]

Damn...thought you would of landed that one.  I thought it was a good buy when I sent the link.

There will be others...

Jared

[globalcompressors]

auction snipers... at an auction.... and you lost, the auction?
rules about bidding, at an auction? what other "rules" are there, other
than "high bid" gets it... at the AUCTION?

how dare they..... really? HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA  

[aspbear]

I don't like snipe bidding also and have lost some items to it but extended the bid would open the door for shill bidders.   

I go to auctions one to two times a week and have come very aware of some auctions companies shill bidders,  I have seen them run the price up on unsuspecting bidder and have called a few out for doing this type of stuff.

I just get there early look the items over and decide a maximum bid and watch for shill bidders they are easy to pick out.

Online auctions like ebay has become a battle of the last few seconds,  I bid what I will pay for an item days before the auction ends and although I do get beat in the last few seconds I also have won many items for less than my high bid. 

Bottom line any auction should be open to the person actually wanting the item who is willing to pay the most, this stuff has become so popular that the only good deal is one where you are satisfied that you got the item for a price that you were willing to pay....

[MoonDawg]

        If it was within my area and I didn't know Jim was bidding on it, I would have sniped it too! 

        I did not bid this auction but let's say I did.

        1.  Item of interest to me appears on E-bay, I add it to my watch list.
        2.  Bidder #1 places a bid early in the auction.
        3.  Bidder #1 increases his bid the day before auction ends.
        4.  I get a watch notice from E-bay a few hours before ending time, I check bid history.
        5.  I DO NOT bid yet, bidder #1 is comfortable and if I enter my max now, he gets an e mail that he has been outbid.

              http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p2047675.l2565&rt=nc&item=291007452316

[TheGarbageHunter]

I love that picture!

[Larry]

If it's something I really want, I snipe.  If it's something I like but it doesn't really matter if I win it or not, I bid.

Sniping gets rid of shill bids and it does not give the other person a chance to think about the fact that he was outbid and then after a few minutes, hours, or days decide that they really want it and increase their bids.  So sniping saves you money.  Sniping is your friend!!

The pleasures of sniping for me would be the satisfaction of beating someone out at the last second.  Yep, that is a good feeling to win the race.

If I loose, well then at least I jacked it up and that person paid more.  

It goes both ways though.  I remember bidding on something and there were three or more of us snipers and I won, but boy did we all jack up the price to the point of almost having buyers remorse.  But at least I won and that person can say well at least I made that other person (me) spend some serious cash.  

[cohammer]

That's not as bad as the last auction I was at , the auctioneer started fantom bidding and it took me a couple of items to figure it out . Some time that guy in the back was not there . When that stopped working he would stop and beg for bids , needless to say I will not go back there.

[johnieG]

yeah it $ucks...

[Smallblock]

I agree with Larry.

If i want something i must decide and place my maxbid before the ebay-auction ending.
Sniping it's a tactic that makes competitors feel safe and not ponder about how much they are willing to pay.

I don't really know if it are so big difference between snipers and people who waiting to the end to increase the maxbid if someone else do?

On the swedish (ebay owned) Tradera I have loose two beautiful shell gaspumpglobes in the last two weeks and i think i have them untill the last minutes
But i have already increase my max bid a few$ (or swedish crowns) obove my pain limit.

Oneday the snipers are on a vacation

[MaineT]

If I loose, well then at least I jacked it up and that person paid more.  

It goes both ways though.  I remember bidding on something and there were three or more of us snipers and I won, but boy did we all jack up the price to the point of almost having buyers remorse.  But at least I won and that person can say well at least I made that other person (me) spend some serious cash.  

Isn't buyers remorse what auctions are all about. I won  ....Crap! 

I bid on hundreds of things a week on ebay to watch them. I toss in bids at 1/3 to 1/2 price all of the time but nothing I really want, just things I would take at that price. I also call them honesty bids... keeping them honest.

Now if I want something.... I'm waiting until the end to bid. I've seen things go from 100 to 1000 with 5 second to go with us all bidding.... That was back when I thought I could get it for $200. I think the only deals to be had are if you are willing to pay out the a$$ and there is no other bidder. There is no such thing as loosing by $1 because you never know where their top bid was especially if they wanted it bad enough to snipe.

[MoonDawg]

There is no such thing as loosing by $1 because you never know where their top bid was especially if they wanted it bad enough to snipe.

        Good point Tim.

        E-bay's reserve auctions are also dumb. An item that I like is 99 cents but with a reserve. Do I place my maximum bid now to see if the seller is being realistic about it's value? And if he is, and I meet his reserve.......I just opened the door to a bidding war against myself.

[collecture]

I snipe all the time. I am still entering my max bid, but I am not playing my hand early. Too many times did I place my max bid just to have some idiot place 100 bids until they were the winning bidder. (OK I exaggerated a little - 10 bids)
The only time I place a bid early is to prevent the seller from changing the description of a poorly listed item (i.e. Coke Box or Coka Cola Machine). And even then, I place the lowest bid possible with a snipe at the end.

[MoonDawg]

         Backing you up Tom.......here is bid history of an item we just discussed.

       http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p2047675.l2565&rt=nc&item=390694447528 

[zadd]

That's funny ... That guy has 1 feedback
On this popcorn machine everyone knows  its worth more than what it sold for . I would have sniped it at the end with a 300.00 bid if I really wanted it ... and still would have got it cheaper than 300.00. Just bid at the end of the auction what your willing to spend on the item . If you don't get it oh well then on To the next one .

[sc1101]

Now that I know everyone's secret techniques on bidding I should have no problem winning my next auction.