eBay trying to remove sniping

[Schlesinj]

Read this online, but eBay is beta testing a new platform that extends their auctions for sports cards when a bid is placed during the last 2 minutes. IMG_8026.jpg

I suspect some folks may have some opinions on the matter. I guess it could lead to higher prices for sellers, but would also remove the annoyance of losing at last second by a bot.

[Balticfox]

The extended bidding should only be available to whoever bid at least thirty minutes before the previous close. So therefore a last second sniper wouldn't be able to submit more bids.

[luciobar1980]

I dont see why not. Seems more fair and potentially higher prices for sellers too

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

This is ridiculous. If eBay wants to be like the auction houses, then they should simply start up that type of auction house, separate from the proven success model which has made them trillions of dollars over the last 30 years. Frankly, I'm amazed they haven't done so a long time ago.

I love sniping. I can just "set it and forget it" and get on with everything else I have to do. Not interested in having to deal with auctions at all hours of the day, every moment of my life. As a seller, it's great as well. Auctions are exhausting. It's enough to have to go through every auction house's barrage of neverending listings, then eBay, then other sales platforms. If anything, they need to create a system that is less draining on their customers, not more so.

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

This is ridiculous. If eBay wants to be like the auction houses, then they should simply start up that type of auction house, separate from the proven success model which has made them trillions of dollars over the last 30 years. Frankly, I'm amazed they haven't done so a long time ago.

eBay owns Goldin

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

This is ridiculous. If eBay wants to be like the auction houses, then they should simply start up that type of auction house, separate from the proven success model which has made them trillions of dollars over the last 30 years. Frankly, I'm amazed they haven't done so a long time ago.

Ummm...they own Goldin.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Forgive me for failing to recall that. That is one of the few auction houses I purposely avoid having anything to do with, so don't keep up with the happenings.

[ClementeFanOh]

Sounds like a step in the right direction- Trent King

[bandrus1]

Id say this is good news for sellers

[BioCRN]

Originally Posted by bandrus1

Id say this is good news for sellers

Great news for sellers, f'sure.

As a buyer I've never liked the snipe-bid culture, but it's one of those things where so many people are doing it you kinda have to do it if it's happening at a convenient time (or use a sniping service).

Rare stuff without a recent established market is a nightmare trying to do a bid highest and walk away type thing.

I still get shocked on some things I pick up, rare or not, when there's not last minute bids because of how uncommon it's been for so long. I feel compelled to check the listing to make sure there's not some flaw I overlooked.

[Lucas00]

Terrible news in my opinion. I don't see 2 min bid reset timers ever getting a higher price than what I've seen (and been a part of) sniping auctions with max bids.

The amount of times I've seen an auction jump from $50-$500, $10-$200, no bids at all once to $750 in the last few seconds is insane. These jumps will never happen again. It will just be a few people stuck at the screen bidding a few dollars hoping the other people get bored/busy and leave. Those same crazy last second snipes will instead sell for a fraction of what they should because two people bid a dollar for an hour straight, waiting 1.58 minutes to press $1 bid. Because what would be the point in sniping at all/setting a Max bid early when you could just do the same thing.

[scotgreb]

I completely disagree that this will be good for sellers. The liquidity that flippers / dealers provide will be greatly diminished imo. My aggregate bidding will likely go to near $0 - from a fairly high annual amount. -Scott

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

[raulus]

2 minutes!!!???

People seem to complain about 15 minutes being waaaaaaay too zippy. I guess the only benefit of eBay's platform is that you might not be bidding on 100 different items that end all at the same time, so maybe you can just concentrate on a single item and go to town with a 2-min shot clock.

[nwobhm]

I think we will see many large bids and buyers walk away if they don’t like the final price. They will put a card on file that has an available balance of only a few dollars and ebay gets zip.

Rinse and repeat.

What’s ebay going to do….ban them?

[bnorth]

I guess they will do it because that is what eBay does, makes stuff worse with every change.

I believe it will cause lower overall selling prices. It will force people to be on eBay at specific times for an unspecific amount of time. Horrible idea at best.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by bnorth

It will force people to be on eBay at specific times for an unspecific amount of time. Horrible idea at best.

Exactly. I am not understanding those who think this is a positive change for anybody.

I make my living in this industry, but I'll be damned if I am going to let this new format dictate how I plan out my life and sleep schedule in an effort to secure more inventory. I don't care if it's a 99 cent item or something valuable. Should eBay go full-on with this harebrained idea beyond a trial phase, they will soon learn the error of their ways.

The vast majority of what is sold on eBay is low-end stuff. In their totality, these crumbs bring in a pile of money for eBay in addition to the incredible material. In a way, this chaff, if you will, is the foundation of it all. Is anybody staying up until 3:00 a.m. to make sure they win that VG 1961 Topps Rip Repulski? Well, I suppose not, and that type of item will simply end as it would normally have.

The bottom line is that sniping allows customers more freedom in their lives. This new setup will severely constrict that freedom. No, thanks. It's just cardboard.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

It's just cardboard.

Blasphemy!

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

(maybe I'm missing something, and this new system is intended only for items over a certain dollar value?)

The original post included the pasted message from Ebay that this test will apply to select items in the Trading Card category. I assume that these will be higher priced cards, but it is possible they will try out cards from a wide range of value to test its viability.

If it hasn't been obvious until now, Ebay only knows how to tinker with things.


Brian

[perezfan]

I read through this twice, and did not see this specific point covered.... So I will ask it here...

Does the final bidding extend for two minutes just one single time?

Or does it extend for 2 minutes with every subsequent bid that is placed?

Thanks to anyone who can clarify.

[jayshum]

I don't understand how this is going to cause lower prices. If someone still bids their highest bid right before the scheduled end time, it gives other bidders a chance to respond. It's what most other online auctions already do with extended bidding in an attempt to imitate a live auction.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I guess they will do it because that is what eBay does, makes stuff worse with every change.

I believe it will cause lower overall selling prices. It will force people to be on eBay at specific times for an unspecific amount of time. Horrible idea at best.

I would think that you could still place a max bid without having to be on eBay until the item ends.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

If this ends up being standard protocol, I guess the sniping services will have to re-format their websites accordingly. "Initial Snipe", "Secondary Snipe", "Tertiary Snipe", ad nauseum.