"sniping" on eBay-tired of being the victim...

[Serial Hero]

sniping?

I didn't even know there was a name for it, but it's the reason I don't use eBay. I bid on a couple of items for the first and last time a few years ago and that's what happened, some body swooped in at the last minute and stole the auction. I don't have time to sit in front of the computer, I have a job. And if you have dial-up, forget about ever winning at the last second.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

My secret...

I'll give you my secret. I never bid in even amounts. I always bid in increments of pennies - amounts like $7.68, $13.69, or $134.56. It's a dog-eat-dog world on eBay and you can loose a great item for mere pennies. The real bidding begins in the last 60 seconds. If you are bidding on an item that you MUST have, you must be there during the last 60 seconds and keep bidding up you final offer. Be prepared to enter in your highest offer in the closing seconds - that's where the winning takes place.

I have foung that those with deep pockets will wait till the last few seconds and enter in some outrageous amount sniping everbody and winning just one increment above the next highest bidder! "nedaero" is my nemesis and man that guy will steal candy from a laughing babies mouth just to claim the title 'Winner'! :rage:

-dixon cannon

 

[green papaya]

I'll give you my secret. I never bid in even amounts. I always bid in increments of pennies - amounts like $7.68, $13.69, or $134.56. It's a dog-eat-dog world on eBay and you can loose a great item for a mere pennies. The real bidding begins in the last 60 seconds. If you are bidding on an item that you MUST have, you must be there during the last 60 seconds and keep bidding up you final offer. Be prepared to enter in your highest offer in the closing seconds - that's where the winning takes place.

I have foung that those with deep pockets will wait till the last few seconds and enter in some outrageous amount sniping everbody and winning just one increment above the next highest bidder! "nedaero" is my nemesis and man that guy will steal candy from a laughing babies mouth just to claim the title 'Winner'! :rage:

-dixon cannon

thats me

it's like a war, the enemy deserves no mercy!

 

[jamespowers]

thats me

it's like a war, the enemy deserves no mercy!

That's it. Hold 'em down and beat them into submission.

regards,

j

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I like to do my own dirty work, so no sissy sniping software for me.

 

[Twitch]

Rosie- I keep seeing the same thing and have to just wonder.[huh]

 

[Mojave Jack]

I usually snipe for a lot of the same reasons. There are jokers out there that decide that they realy do want that item more than they thought, and well, what's another $5 or $10....

I use Dixon's strategy, too, using odd amounts to push me over the top. But I always decide how much I am willing to spend. That also prevents me from deciding that I wanted it a little more than I thought!

If you look back at auctions you've won or lost, though, you'll find that it is always by about 50 cents or something. That's only the amount that it takes to beat the next higher amount. Zemke, Scott may have outbid you by $20 but it would still only go up to just enough to beat the next highest bidder, in this case you (or he just got lucky in that auction). That's the real danger of those folks out there that keep adding a little bit at a time to try to beat the other guy. You'll never see just how much the winner was willing to pay for that item. So folks see the current bid and think "Look, I'm only losing by 50 cents!" so they up their bid by $5 just to be safe, which means the winner pays another $5 more than he or she would have by sniping the auction.

Sniping is like a hand of poker. You set the max you are willing to bet and keep your cards close to your chest.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

I like to do my own dirty work, so no sissy sniping software for me.

I think that's what Slim Pickins said as the nuke left the bomb bay doors.

 

[jamespowers]

I like to do my own dirty work, so no sissy sniping software for me.

Why use a shotgun when a rifle will do? [huh]

Regards,

J

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

On the last auction I won, there were four bidders (including myself) who bid in the last 20 seconds. I still ended up paying close to my maximum. Oh, well, I probably would have just blown the money on cheeseburgers anyhow. lol

 

[Zemke Fan]

Amen...

I usually snipe for a lot of the same reasons. There are jokers out there that decide that they realy do want that item more than they thought, and well, what's another $5 or $10... Sniping is like a hand of poker. You set the max you are willing to bet and keep your cards close to your chest.

Summed it up perfectly. You have to decide what YOU want to pay. Enter that amount in a sniping program and lean back in your chair. If you get it, you get it. If you don't you haven't been sucked into some bidding war that you can't afford.

 

[Pilgrim]

With more than 500 sales and purchases, I have learned that sniping is the smartest way to use Ebay.

If you bid early, it is almost certain that someone will come along and start bidding up the price $1 at a time, trying to find your max bid. This has two results:

1) If you win, you often end up paying more because you've invited the other guy to run up the bid.
2) You have to snipe at the end anyway to win the bid.

There are good snipe engines called Hammersnipe and Auction Sniper that I often use. Then you can set the snipe to activate about 5 seconds before the end of the auction, and you don't have to be online watching. Enter your max in the snipe engine and relax. You'll either win or not, but you haven't given all the other people a target to shoot at.

Realistically though, sniping is the only smart way to go.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

All of my suit auctions -- ALL of them -- have been bid up, and up, within the last two minutes. I never can guess how high my suits will sell for until the very end. "The fat lady sings" in the final 30 seconds.

.

 

[green papaya]

it's kinda like going fishing for crappie, when one takes a bite pretty soon a whole bunch of crappies try to get a bite

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

True, and I've gotten a crappie hat or two on the 'Bay. lol

 

[Pilgrim]

Let's face it - the auction doesn't START until the last two minutes.

 

[funneman]

Sniping Software?

Well, that takes all the fun out it. There's nothing like that bid with 20-seconds left to really get the blood flowing.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

The other problem is that I don't know if I'm bidding against other Loungers until it's too late. Sorry, guys!

 

[Zach R.]

Well, that takes all the fun out it. There's nothing like that bid with 20-seconds left to really get the blood flowing.

I hear you there, nothing like the rush of winning an auction and then feeling like you can crush a can on your forehead.

I'm lucky enough that my sizes are odd enough that I don't have much competition.

 

[jamespowers]

The other problem is that I don't know if I'm bidding against other Loungers until it's too late. Sorry, guys!

I sort of have that problem as well. You place the bid and just wait. It can be six days before the end of the auction. [huh] I'll take the super convenience though.
"Let's check the email. Oh I won something. How about that?"

Regards,

J