Slightly OT: Snipe issues on eBay

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by yanks12025

Lol. Your posts are too funny.

I'm glad peoples snipes didn't work. That's what they get for using them instead of ACTUALLY BIDDING!!!

I don't understand the disgust directed at people that use a sniping service. I got tired of constantly being outbid by $1 at the last second and decided to try a free snipe service. I could just as easily set a maximum bid on ebay, and I wouldn't be sitting there punching buttons to bid. Whether I bid in person or via a snipe I AM BIDDING. So what's the problem?

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

I could just as easily set a maximum bid on ebay, and I wouldn't be sitting there punching buttons to bid. Whether I bid in person or via a snipe I AM BIDDING. So what's the problem?

Snipe bids can serve a good purpose (not allowing for shill bidding), but there is no difference to putting in a bid with five seconds to go at your maximum compared to setting a snipe. The main problem, IMO, is expecting a free third-party site to be 100% reliable when working with a huge engine like eBay.

I don't have a problem being outbid by a snipe bid, because it just means that someone else was willing to pay more than I was. If there's an auction I care about, I'm there when it ends (especially now that I have a smartphone with the eBay app).

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Snipe bids can serve a good purpose (not allowing for shill bidding), but there is no difference to putting in a bid with five seconds to go at your maximum compared to setting a snipe. The main problem, IMO, is expecting a free third-party site to be 100% reliable when working with a huge engine like eBay.

I don't have a problem being outbid by a snipe bid, because it just means that someone else was willing to pay more than I was. If there's an auction I care about, I'm there when it ends (especially now that I have a smartphone with the eBay app).

I guess a lot of us can't remember what it was like before sniping services. Before sniping, I would have evenings where my internet would slow down to a crawl, or go down completely. I still have those issues at times - I'm currently at a coffee shop because there is something wrong with my connection at home. With snipes, I am much more confident that my bid will occur. Sellers should like that.

I can remember ten years ago, having ebay members contact me the day after an auction and tell me that their computer crashed and they were unable to bid on my items. I'm sure I left a lot of money on the table because of things like that. Let my customers snipe away.

[ATP]

I don't think there is anything wrong at all with the concept of sniping. In a lot of cases, it probably allows bids to come in that might otherwise be forgotten or if you didn't want to bid early and weren't able to be sitting right at the computer at auction. I don't personally use a snipe serice, but if I did there probably would have been a few more items I would win, and a better price for the sellers. But if a snipe service in not reliable then it can cause issues for both buyer and seller. Perhaps ebay is planning to put together an in house snipe feature.

[chernieto]

Originally Posted by ATP

Perhaps ebay is planning to put together an in house snipe feature.

I receive ebay email notifications on items I am interested in. I usually miss bidding in the final moments of an auction because old cards & collectibles are not the #1 priority in my life. This thread prompted me to finally sign up with one of the snipe sights mentioned in this thread. This way when I get an alert I can set the bid and forget about it. Seems like a time saving efficency measure that makes sense for my limited time in following and bidding on items.
I fault ebay for a lot and have many issues with them but I don't believe they would intentionally have bids and higher prices not occur, unless their in house snipe feature is about to be unleashed.
In the past the more I bid long before an auction closes the greater the chance I don't win. When I only bid at the last moment my chances increase.
I'm 10 years behind signing up! I wonder what percent of folks here use a sniping service.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by chernieto

.............
I'm 10 years behind signing up! I wonder what percent of folks here use a sniping service.

The vast majority but we will see....maybe I am wrong....- yeap, I was wrong. I am surprised