Anti sniping tactic

[Scorchio 212]

Looks like somebodys had it upto the hilt with snipers, I was looking for something completely un related to Tamiya and chanced upon this little gem.

Please note that this auction may end at some arbitrary time during the

last 2 hours of listing when there have been no new bids for at least 5

minutes. The item will be sold through the normal ebay process to the

highest bidder at the time that the auction ends. So, in order to win,

you need to place your highest bid well before the end of the auction

rather than in the last 5 seconds.

Thanks for looking; thanks for bidding.

[:^)] I'm going to watch this one with interest .

[SGNAS 0]

I've seen similar phrases a few times. Particullarly in the "motors" section where a good %age of the time the winning bidder is playing the 419 scam.

[nigeninja 0]

Oh dear what a plonker he's just lost him self money[*-)]

[Shodog 1847]

What a dummy.  The high bidder wins regardless of when the bid was placed.

[jozza 1]

I remember the early days before Ebay (I think it was about 5 years ago [8-|]) and I used to get a lot of kit from the Dabs auction site. On there, they had a rule that if a bid came in in the last minute of an auction, the end time was extended by a few minutes. I thought it wouldn't work, but it seemed successful, and meant that sniping was not possible.

Probably pushed the prices up a bit though, but maybe it's something that Ebay could allow as an option, so that last minute snipe bids were less successful.

[gt6++ 35]

I remember the early days before Ebay (I think it was about 5 years ago [8-|]) and I used to get a lot of kit from the Dabs auction site. On there, they had a rule that if a bid came in in the last minute of an auction, the end time was extended by a few minutes. I thought it wouldn't work, but it seemed successful, and meant that sniping was not possible.

Probably pushed the prices up a bit though, but maybe it's something that Ebay could allow as an option, so that last minute snipe bids were less successful.

 

 

Yahoo Japan still does that. 

[Andyfish2000 107]

Just a question, but what is wrong with "sniping"? (honest question)

 Andy

[nigeninja 0]

Nothing mate,its still a bid so why moan about it, and anyway if the person you have just snipped has put on his max bid ie £40.00 and the item is still at £20.00 and you come in with your snip at £50.00 the seller has just walked away with £41.00 instead of £20.00.

Hope you all understand that cos it does naff me off when people moan about snippers,ITS STILL A BID SO WHAT'S TO MOAN ABOUT.

[Tamiyabigstuff 880]

Sorry but what is the 419 scam ?

Not heard of that one before.

[Shodog 1847]

here is info on a 419 scam http://www.419eater.com/html/419faq.htm

I don't see how it would apply to sniping though.  bottom line is that you have to pay what you bid.  Now if a buyer offered you a check for over that amount in hopes that you would refund the balance, then that is up to the you to refuse that type of deal.

[KEV THE REV 2440]

Surely the end time of an auction is just that ,the end time .A bidder can place a bid at ANY time within the auction run time - yes?.I see this as a bidders own option of when they place a bid []

[jozza 1]

Personally, I don't really have any opinion either way on sniping. When I put something on ebay, if I put it without a reserve and it ends up selling for 10p, then that's just the way it works out. As a seller, I've found most of the bids come in the last few minutes of the auction, which can be a bit annoying. As a buyer, I'm wary of "showing my hand" by placing an early bid, and I think that early bids can push up the price.

[Rabiedmushroom 2]

I've bidded on stuff last minute/few seconds, but in the context that there's a bidding war going on and I really REALLY want that item and want to beat the other people. Its a bit like being at a live auction and sticking your hand up right at the last moment "Going once, going twice...". I think its fair if someone is prepared to sit there excitedly trying to win an auction.

However using an automatic sniping software programme is just not cricket! [:S]

The problem is the ethical differentiation between the 2... 

[acprc 1602]

However using an automatic sniping software programme is just not cricket! [:S]

 

Simple, bid higher....[]

 

Adam

[Main Man 0]

I wheel and deal on ebay often. I always wait till the last seconds to bid. I have lost some much wanted auctions by being outbid with just a few seconds left on much wanted items. It steams me sometimes but that is the nature of the game. If you want it put the highest amount you would pay in the last seconds and hold on.

[Main Man 0]

I also hate it when you are are watching a much wanted item and somebody talks the seller into ending early.  This last month there was a holiday buggy on ebay in relatively good shape and somebody got him to sell it for $30.  I wanted to email the seller to tell him he got suckered but i didn't. I would have gladly gave him $30. As far as a seller you want bids early and often.  As a buyer you want to wait till the last second.

[TWINSET 1797]

If you bid the maximum you are prepared to pay for the item, and someone outbids you, then there's no problem, they were prepared to pay more.

If you don't bid you maximum, but prefer to outbid any other bidders until you reach your maximum, then that's where snipers have the advantage, in so much as you don't have the time necessary to react to their bid.

It's simple, if you want something bad enough, decide your maximum, and bid that. If you get outbid, you either under-estimated the market value of the item or someone wanted it more.

 

Ending an auction early to spite snipers is downright stupid - I was watching an item last week, whilst on MSN with the seller,  and in the last few seconds he received another £40 in snipes.

Anyone that wants to turn down £40 from someone willing to give it to them must need their head reading.

If they didn't want as much money as possible for their item, they shoulda gone to a boot sale

 

[WillyChang 1820]

However using an automatic sniping software programme is just not cricket! [:S]

The problem is the ethical differentiation between the 2... 

huh? ethical differentiation?!? [:#] are we on the same planet?? [:^)]

 

Back in the old daze, we used to have a CHALLENGE of getting as close to the closing time as possible. []

Rules of the game were:-

1) closest to the pin wins

2) you had to be the winner of that auction

3) ahh, preferably on a Tamiya or RC-related auction...

 

Quite a few fellas got it down to under 3 seconds!! [H]

 

Much more challenging when we only had diallup and nobody invented snipe tools yet.

 

[TWINSET 1797]

Ah, but then it was e*** []

[Scorchio 212]

ROTFLMAO!!!!! Well it ended.......with no bids [] Obviously nobody wants to deal with someone that uptight.

[rhenbelz 0]

Sniping happens to me a lot. It's true that it's only bids, and everyone has (or should have) a set maximum they will pay, even the snipers.

It isn't technically doing anything wrong. To the person who is sniped, it is an annoyance because they got their hopes up. To the seller it is a bit of a bonus because their item sells for more. To the sniper it is not a good deal, but merely some little thing they can be proud of.

I don't see eBay jumping to do anything about it. Items selling for more equals more money paid through PayPal equals more profit for them and their subsidiaries. And it is within their rules.

[Shodog 1847]

I don't see eBay jumping to do anything about it. Items selling for more equals more money paid through PayPal equals more profit for them and their subsidiaries. And it is within their rules.

Actually ebay frowns upon 3rd party bid programs. They use the excuse of user security but really I think it's becuase they didn't think of it first.  I remember when they use to bad mouth Paypal and now they own it.

[Shodog 1847]

I don't see eBay jumping to do anything about it. Items selling for more equals more money paid through PayPal equals more profit for them and their subsidiaries. And it is within their rules.

Actually ebay frowns upon 3rd party bid programs. They use the excuse of user security but really I think it's becuase they didn't think of it first.  I remember when they use to bad mouth Paypal and now they own it.

[Andyfish2000 107]

Is it a first on this site where so many people agree on one topic????  []

It appears that no one on here really thinks it is that bad.  I agree. You have to play the game.  And besides, it all adds to the excitment.  The game of course is that you either offer much more than anyone else will, or go in in the last few seconds.  Of course that doesn't always work.  I set the alarm not so long ago for 1:30 am to bid last minute on a lunchbox.  It was close by, so I could up my bid a bit more allowing for not paying for postage.  I waited for the last 20 seconds.  Got the highest bid and then then got out bid again.  That's just the way it goes.  If you want something that bad you have to work and pay for it.

As a seller of course I want a major bidding war during teh last 5 minutes.

Just my 2 pennies worth!

Andy

[r6stu 0]

I often Snipe when im not availavailble to bid! I won the Dark Impact the other day by sniping! I was working at the time, and totally forgot about the auction, so If I didnt snipe I would not have one the item.

 

I think its just the way of things! If you think your going to get sniped, then snipe yourseleve!