Explain Sniping to me please

mexpo75 · April 6, 2010 10:41PM

I saw the thread on here about how far in advance do you set snipes. I may sound stupid, but can someone explain snipes to me. Thanks as always.

vbellier · April 6, 2010 11:01PM

Go to this website for a better explanation than I could give: http://www.esnipe.com/

Basically it's a program that allows you to set a max ebay bid amount but the bid is only posted a few seconds before the end of the auction. THat way vendors can't dummy bid your price up. Of course they can go in and do it at the last second...

It also prevents any others from knowing you're bidding on a certain item. Plus it saves time since you can preset the "snipe" days in advance and never look at the auction again.

Call it "Auctions for lazy people".

mexpo75 · April 6, 2010 11:57PM

Thanks for the help.

WinPitcher · April 7, 2010 12:43AM

<< Call it "Auctions for lazy people". >>

Really?

Steve

tunahead08 · April 7, 2010 12:56AM

Call it "auctions for people who don't have time to sit around and watch an auction end".

bking · April 7, 2010 1:08AM

Two additional notes:

Sellers tend to hate snipes, as they "short circuit" the bidding process and keep bidding frenzy from breaking out. By entering the bidding at the last minute, the ability for other bidders to react and raise their bids beyond their current max position is eliminated. In my experience, most bidders don't enter their max bid up front. They "lay low" and hope to avoid playing their hand too soon. The snipe is the ultimate version of this. A guy can be the sole bidder on an item and think he's made a steal, yet suddenly lose the item last-minute without even knowing he's got competition. If he's an emotional buyer without a fixed budget in mind, he might have gone higher than planned if given the chance.

It's why some auction houses have a rules whereby no new bidders can enter near the end, and where a "grace period" exists that allows other bidders one last chance to respond to a last-second bid.

earlycalguy · April 7, 2010 1:58AM

Call it "Auctions for lazy people".

I'd call it the smart way to bid on eBay

WinPitcher · April 7, 2010 2:27AM

Let's all remember that ebay never was a true auction to begin with.

Steve

twiley · April 7, 2010 2:29AM

I never understood the purpose of sniping programs really. I just bid less than 1 min before auction ends. PPL snipe usually on stuff I want/need anyway. If I win I win. If I loose then I loose. I can see using it for 20 or so auctions ending at same time. I have yet to need it though.

bking · April 7, 2010 3:25AM

<< Let's all remember that ebay never was a true auction to begin with.

Steve >>

'splain please.

mlbfan2 · April 7, 2010 3:34AM

<< 

<< Let's all remember that ebay never was a true auction to begin with.

Steve >>

'splain please. >>

I think he means that in real auctions, you always get a chance to bid again. They don't slam the gavel down immediately after someone bids.

mlbfan2 · April 7, 2010 3:36AM

<< If I win I win. If I loose then I loose. >>

L-O-S-E

(sorry, it's a pet peeve)

bking · April 7, 2010 3:36AM

<< 

<< 

<< Let's all remember that ebay never was a true auction to begin with.

Steve >>

'splain please. >>

I think he means that in real auctions, you always get a chance to bid again. They don't slam the gavel down immediately after someone bids. >>

Yeah, that would be my thought too, but I was wondering where he was going.

saucywombat · April 7, 2010 3:36AM

I think the best part of sniping is that you need not be present to win.

See item, schedule bid, email me if I win. no need to be at a computer when item is ending.

The only reason not to snipe is that you like the "fun" of bidding up items and watching the clock tick down hoping you win.

Anyone with specific collecting goals has got to use a snipe program.

basketballcollector · April 7, 2010 3:43AM

I completely agree with twiley.

byronscott4ever · April 7, 2010 3:48AM

Not everyone ends their auctions at a time that is convenient which is probably why many people use the programs.

MeteoriteGuy · April 7, 2010 3:50AM

<< I completely agree with twiley. >>

Twiley noted...

"I never understood the purpose of sniping programs really.' and "PPL snipe usually on stuff I want/need anyway."

Which does a pretty good job at explain why you should snipe.

bking · April 7, 2010 3:58AM

<< I think the best part of sniping is that you need not be present to win.

See item, schedule bid, email me if I win. no need to be at a computer when item is ending.

The only reason not to snipe is that you like the "fun" of bidding up items and watching the clock tick down hoping you win.

Anyone with specific collecting goals has got to use a snipe program. >>

I can see that. In my case, automated sniping doesn't work as I tend to have "interaction" between my buys. Let's say I'm bidding on a run of cards from a set, and I'm willing to spend 'x' per card. If I win the first few at well under 'x', I might be willing to overbid on 1 or 2. No way to do that automatically, as I wouldn't want to put in that higher max in case ALL my items went to my max..

sagard · April 7, 2010 4:31AM

<< I can see that. In my case, automated sniping doesn't work as I tend to have "interaction" between my buys. Let's say I'm bidding on a run of cards from a set, and I'm willing to spend 'x' per card. If I win the first few at well under 'x', I might be willing to overbid on 1 or 2. No way to do that automatically, as I wouldn't want to put in that higher max in case ALL my items went to my max.. >>

It would work the same way you currently bid, except you'd be able to update your max bids on all your remaining items at the same time vs. doing them listing by listing on Ebay.

bking · April 7, 2010 4:47AM

<< 

<< I can see that. In my case, automated sniping doesn't work as I tend to have "interaction" between my buys. Let's say I'm bidding on a run of cards from a set, and I'm willing to spend 'x' per card. If I win the first few at well under 'x', I might be willing to overbid on 1 or 2. No way to do that automatically, as I wouldn't want to put in that higher max in case ALL my items went to my max.. >>

It would work the same way you currently bid, except you'd be able to update your max bids on all your remaining items at the same time vs. doing them listing by listing on Ebay. >>

Umm, not a big help. If the run is a bunch of cards ending at around the same time, don't I have to be online and watching in order to KNOW what's going on? In that case, all the sniper does is save me a few keystrokes.

bighurt2000 · April 7, 2010 8:24AM

Here is a quote from the front page of Esnipe.

<< How much are you saving on eBay? >>

<< In the last 30 days eSnipe users were willing to spend $17,132,478.12 on auctions won (in US dollars) but >>

<< because they used eSnipe they only had to pay $11,949,780.72. >>

Enough said.

PS if you don't snipe what do you do when a dealer ends 200 auctions in a hours time and you want to bid on all or
most of all at the last min.?

James

PowderedH2O · April 7, 2010 10:31AM

Here's an example of why I snipe. Awhile back I was watching an autograph that was a bit on the scarce side. The opening bid was $60. The auction ended at 8:00 PM. I had a class and would not be home. Someone had bid already. So, at 4:45 PM, before my class, I threw in a $125 bid figuring that should be enough. In the final two minutes, the original bidder (who had placed a high bid of $65 originally) then bid up my bid with $70, $80, $90, $100, and $110 bids. So I ended up paying $111 for the autograph. Had I sniped it, I would have won the auction at around $66. For all I know, these bids might have been from the seller himself. But if I was sniping, it would have been much different. This sort of stuff happens all the time. But not since I snipe...

WinPitcher · April 7, 2010 11:58AM

<< I think he means that in real auctions, you always get a chance to bid again. They don't slam the gavel down immediately after someone bids >>

That is exactly what I meant. Ebay is a timed format.

Steve

diamondman · April 7, 2010 12:34PM

<< 

<< I think he means that in real auctions, you always get a chance to bid again. They don't slam the gavel down immediately after someone bids >>

That is exactly what I meant. Ebay is a timed format.

Steve >>

To bad ebay doesn't extend the auctions like 15 minutes for any bids coming in with 5 minutes to go. (this would help the sellers)

Dialj · April 7, 2010 9:12PM

I think it would also help for those bidders like myself who live outside the US and who are time zones that are many hours either ahead or behind the ending of the auction. I have lost many items due to it being in the early to middle AM my time when the auction actually ended in the States. JMO

bking · April 7, 2010 9:48PM

<< Here is a quote from the front page of Esnipe.

<< How much are you saving on eBay? >>

<< In the last 30 days eSnipe users were willing to spend $17,132,478.12 on auctions won (in US dollars) but >>

<< because they used eSnipe they only had to pay $11,949,780.72. >>

Enough said.

PS if you don't snipe what do you do when a dealer ends 200 auctions in a hours time and you want to bid on all or
most of all at the last min.?

James >>

I'd like to see similar $ stats from EBay itself. Those numbers DO show the spread between max bid and actual final bid, but don't most auctions have a spread anyway? How, aside from pure marketing talk, can Esnipe claim it was all because of their service?

vbellier · April 7, 2010 9:53PM

By "Auctions for lazy people" I meant not having to stay up until the wee hours of the night waiting for an auction to end. It is basically this -- set the max and walk away. Prevents last minute impulse buying as well. It's definitely saved me money.

Still though, I sometimes like to wait the auction out and bid live. Don't know why but every once in a while.

It also makes me laugh when ebay says I "won" an auction. I'd say the seller won. I just bought a card.

mexpo75 · April 7, 2010 10:25PM

How much do these snipe programs cost? Which one is the best?

bobbyw8469 · April 7, 2010 10:30PM

I like bidnip. Around 25 cents per snipe, you pay only if you win. You buy them in blocks of anywhere from 50-200 and then they are stored like credits. I used to use auctionsniper, but they charge a percentage of the final dollar amount (why?!?!?!)....so if you won something for a couple hundred dollars, your fee could be significant! Then I wised up and went to bidnip, and pay the flat rate, with no percentage.

mlbfan2 · April 8, 2010 2:01AM

<< Here's an example of why I snipe. Awhile back I was watching an autograph that was a bit on the scarce side. The opening bid was $60. The auction ended at 8:00 PM. I had a class and would not be home. Someone had bid already. So, at 4:45 PM, before my class, I threw in a $125 bid figuring that should be enough. In the final two minutes, the original bidder (who had placed a high bid of $65 originally) then bid up my bid with $70, $80, $90, $100, and $110 bids. So I ended up paying $111 for the autograph. Had I sniped it, I would have won the auction at around $66. >>

It's not possible to know how much you would have won it for if you had sniped. That other bidder could have bid $110 no matter when you bid, or even if you didn't bid.

stown · April 8, 2010 10:57AM

<< How much do these snipe programs cost? Which one is the best? >>

justsnipe is $5/month/unlimited and in 3 years, maybe had 1 problem.

stown · April 8, 2010 10:57AM

PS - Don't hate the player, hate the game.

fkw · April 8, 2010 12:44PM

smart bidders will ONLY snipe

dumb, or people that dont know.... dont snipe

basically it lets you bid 1 time and no one will have time to top it.

Some use it to not SHOW early that they are interested in bidding on an item (bidding your 1st and only bid with 5 seconds left will do this).

It doesnt guarantee you will win, but will prevent people from having time to think about topping your bid or time to run up the final bid.

HeritageSports · April 9, 2010 6:49AM

For anyone still paying for sniping services, I'd recommend GavelSnipe. A free service from your good friends at Heritage, for use with both eBay and HA auctions.

Explain Sniping to me please

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