Do you snipe?

MadMarty · January 10, 2003 8:37AM

Do you snipe a bid, even though your the high bidder. Just in case someone tries to snipe you???

flaminio · January 10, 2003 8:42AM

<< Do you snipe a bid, even though your the high bidder. Just in case someone tries to snipe you??? >>

I only snipe, so it's a rare case that I'd be the high bidder prior to the last few seconds. The only case is where I had to BIN-stomp an auction -- if in such a case I was still the high bidder at the end, I'd be sniping myself

.

TWQG · January 10, 2003 8:48AM

I'm rarely the high bidder before the auction is closed and I do most of my bidding in the last 3 seconds of the auction.

Russ · January 10, 2003 8:50AM

Sniping is immoral and unfair to other bidders.

Russ, NCNE

agfox · January 10, 2003 8:50AM

To snipe is to play the Ebay game. It's the only way to go

LucyBop · January 10, 2003 8:51AM

<< Sniping is immoral and unfair to other bidders. >>

Spoken like a true Noblemen.

GP · January 10, 2003 8:53AM

not really. Lately I have been bidding within the last minute of the auction (if it ends when I am online) and have had good success. I figure if a sniper wants it, and has a max bid higher than mine, great, but if not I aint giving that outbid notice e-mail enough time to get to the previous bidder

ms71 · January 10, 2003 8:55AM

Absolutely. I've only sniped myself a couple times, the earlier bid was just in case I was unable to be at the computer at closing time. Other than that, I never make early bids, I just figure out the most I'd be happy to pay & put it in 12-15 seconds before the close. You gotta be prepared to lose some, but most of the time it works great.

jtrusty2 · January 10, 2003 8:57AM

You would really have to make a fine definition of snipe before I could answer that correctly. Do I place my proxy bid the minute a coin appears on eBay even though its running for 7 days? Not a chance. Do I sit at my pc and wait until the counter hits 3 seconds before I bid? Nope. But I do place most of my bids within the last minute or so of an auction.

coppercoins · January 10, 2003 9:23AM

I consider it more or less a waste of time to bid on anything before it has less than a minute to go. If everyone played by the "bid your first bid as high as you'll go when you notice the item is up for auction," that would be fine - but nobody in their right mind plays it that way, so if you want the item you have to play by the cut-throat rules that others use. If, in fact, I will not be able to be next to the computer when the auction ends, I won't bother with it at all.

Do I use external software to snipe for me? No. I believe if bidding in the last few seconds doesn't do it for me, there's no amount of software that will make it any better.

Barry · January 10, 2003 9:23AM

Sniping is the only way to bid. Sometimes I'll put in an early, low bid just as an extra reminder, though sometimes, I still forget...

K6AZ · January 10, 2003 9:31AM

Hey Barry, why am I not surprised at your icon???

RegistryCoin · January 10, 2003 9:32AM

A month or two back, I got a message from an ebayer to complain about my "late" bidding.
I nicely explained that to snipe was just a part of ebay, that it wasn't he who bid last, but bid the most.
I received a reply that I was going to be reported to the feds for using "THAT WORD".
I assumed "that word" was "snipe," and, I suppose that because of the "DC Sniper", it's become a no-no.

relayer · January 10, 2003 9:32AM

It depends on how much I want the coin.

If it's something I like I'll just bid on it and maybe go another few dollars.

If it's something I want I'll snipe from my PC.

If it's something I really want, then I just tell auction sniper to take care of it.

gmarguli · January 10, 2003 9:40AM

Sure I snipe. That way the clueless newbie that bid only one increment over the previous high doesn't have a chance to bid again. I love seeing those newbies who have made 15 bids all 10 seconds apart and stopped once they became the high bid. They're so naive.

Sometimes I'll bid 1-2 minutes before close, but usually never my high. I do it to see what type of interest the other bidder had. I'll then snipe it even if I am the current high bidder.

As for the BIN option. I would recommend not using your main ID to "deactivate" it. I search eBay using bidder IDs of the people who have the same interest as me.

I've found some nice coins that way that I wouldn't have found otherwise.

I have a few alt eBay IDs that I use to deactivate BINs. That way I don't have to worry about someone hitting the BIN before I can snipe it and I also don't have to worry about others knowing what I am interested in. And, it's always fun to do it to the scumbag sellers. Nothing like hitting 50 of their no reserve BIN auctions a few hours after they post them. It's fun costing them a few dollars and deactivating the BIN.

gmarguli · January 10, 2003 9:42AM

A month or two back, I got a message from an ebayer to complain about my "late" bidding.

Don't you just love clueless people!

GP · January 10, 2003 9:47AM

bah, just checked an auction on my watch list, it had a BIN of $39 , it is now at $42! Well that didnt work

FrattLaw · January 10, 2003 9:51AM

Is there really any other way!

Michael

nwcs · January 10, 2003 9:55AM

Nope, I generally never snipe. Besides, I almost never remember when the auctions end so I let it do whatever happens. Unless I *REALLY* want the coin. Then I'll snipe. But I'll be ready if I'm the high bidder and I see someone snipe me.

Russ · January 10, 2003 9:55AM

<< I search eBay using bidder IDs of the people who have the same interest as me. >>

You too Greg?

Russ, NCNE

Barry · January 10, 2003 10:01AM

<< Hey Barry, why am I not surprised at your icon???

>>

Hi Eric,
Yeah, wasn't hard to decide when I saw that, unless there was a tower, too :.)

cacheman · January 10, 2003 10:47AM

I don't bid on anything until the last few seconds even if there are no previous bids. I don't want them to know I'm there...hence my ebay ID: Har_Poon

clw54 · January 10, 2003 10:53AM

I've sniped. An auction begins and ends at set times. Bidding is allowed at any point between those times.

Bulldog · January 10, 2003 10:58AM

If I didn't snipe, I would never win anything. I don't have time to sit and track/watch an auction. I set the snipe and go to bed. Wake up and see if I owe any money or not. High bidder wins!

Bulldog

mr1931S · January 10, 2003 2:21PM

i use vrane.com,and by doing so, am purified and sanctified of any sniping wrongdoing...

cosmicdebris · January 10, 2003 8:40PM

Does a bear sh.......... in the woods?

MadMonk · January 10, 2003 9:24PM

Hi, new to the board. I have no problem with being sniped or vice versa. As previously stated, it's part of the ebay game. I'm sure that the seller loves it when his coin, reserve met, is at $20.00, and then the last few seconds it jumps to $60.00. If a coin is really very nice, and I see a $20.00 bid, reserve met. I want that coin! I'll pay $60.00, anytime, for that coin. HMMM, it has a fair return policy too. I snipe at $60.00.
Why be a cheapskate at $1.00 increments. If I'm lucky, I get it for say $25.00. "Worst case" I win at $60.00, coin comes in, it's gorgeous in person, I'm very happy!

fcloud · January 10, 2003 10:59PM

I've haven't sniped myself, but thanks for the idea!
I've sniped coins, and I've overpaid on a few becuase I really wanted it.
Now, sniping myself could be a new tool!

ClausUrch · January 10, 2003 11:07PM

Ich bin ein Scneiper!

MadMonk · January 10, 2003 11:09PM

<< Ich bin ein Scneiper! >>

I love it when you talk like that!

K6AZ · January 11, 2003 8:36AM

Sniping is immoral?? Wahhhh!!!

Bear · January 11, 2003 8:46AM

Cosmic Debre - I will overlook your crude remark about the bears hygene practices,

but please see that there are no future repetitions. As for snipping, While I may at times

be snippee or even snide, I never snipe.

mr1931S · January 11, 2003 1:15PM

>>>>A month or two back, I got a message from an ebayer to complain about my "late" bidding.

tell the crybabyebayer to complain to vrane dot com division of free public snipe box...

MrKelso · January 11, 2003 1:52PM

All the time.

Draco · January 11, 2003 1:57PM

I snipe 90% of the auctions I'm involved with. The other 10% are either auctions I don't really care if I win or not or they close way past my bedtime.

If you're on a slow connection, either get a decent connection, go to a friends house or ask a friend to snipe it for you.

Of course, it all comes down to who wants it more. When I snipe, I always bid the highest amount I'm willing to pay. If the current high bidder wants it more than I do, then they win. If it angers them that I cost them more money, then they shouldn't have bid that amount to begin with.

Oh, if I don't get the high bid and there is time left for me to bid again, I NEVER, EVER go back and bid again because like I said, I bid what I'm willing to pay to begine with.

matteproof · January 11, 2003 9:00PM

It is not possible to "snipe" in a live auction as the other bidders always have another chance to up the last bid. This is not possible on Ebay once the Ebay clock runs out. There is no "going once, going twice" on Ebay since nobody knows the amount of the last bid until the auction is over. Furthermore (and perhaps MOST importantly) Ebay snipe bidding has produced more ruined auctions than many might imagine. How many "zero and minus feedback" deadbeat bidders (with no intention of honoring the bid) have successfully sniped an otherwise GOOD auction? Many!

matteproof

becker · January 11, 2003 9:39PM

In an serious to be both clueless and naive, I wonder if anyone has thought to establish a comprehensive underbidder service? For a buck or so per lot the service would place maxium bids at blue bid or whatever on all the standard stuff. This would eliminate the need for serious starting prices or reserves and save the consignor some ebay fees. Of course, the service never needs to complete any transactions.

Is it silly of me to think that the consignor might employee snipers to snipe the snipers?

Thanks for any response.
Best,
Tom

MadMarty · January 11, 2003 9:52PM

<< Does a bear sh.......... in the woods? >>

Just as long as there are soft bunnies to wipe with!!!

Do you snipe?

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