Do you use a sniping service?

Leon · #1 09-02-2014, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipperhank44

Never used one before. Are they free? Can't really see myself paying for this type of service....

Most are free. I use gavelsnipe and it's free. Frankly I am quite surprised at the results so far...

Howe�s Hunter · #2 09-02-2014, 01:53 PM

The great thing about a snipe service is you put in your max bid to begin with, and then don't worry about it again until after the auction is over.

If you get it, yah! you got if for what you were willing to pay or less.

If you lose it, dang-it, it went for more than you were willing to spend.

That leaves you with more time to look at other stuff or even (hard to imagine) spend time outside the hobby.

brewing · #3 09-02-2014, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

The great thing about a snipe service is you put in your max bid to begin with, and then don't worry about it again until after the auction is over.

If you get it, yah! you got if for what you were willing to pay or less.

If you lose it, dang-it, it went for more than you were willing to spend.

That leaves you with more time to look at other stuff or even (hard to imagine) spend time outside the hobby.

So, kind of like bidding without snipping?

I've known about it, just never understood the benefit. It may be me though, I'm the time of person that is hesitant to do things the new different way.

bn2cardz · #4 09-02-2014, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewing

So, kind of like bidding without snipping?

I've known about it, just never understood the benefit. It may be me though, I'm the time of person that is hesitant to do things the new different way.

No not the same. Bidding without snipping allows another person to keep bidding you up just because they can (not just shilling, but other bidders). A snipe is essence a way of saying here is my hidden "best offer" but I won't pay a bid increment more than any other "best offer".

brewing · #5 09-02-2014, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bn2cardz

No not the same. Bidding without snipping allows another person to keep bidding you up just because they can (not just shilling, but other bidders). A snipe is essence a way of saying here is my hidden "best offer" but I won't pay a bid increment more than any other "best offer".

Makes sense. I may have to try.

Econteachert205 · #6 09-02-2014, 03:19 PM

starting to look mighty tempting

Northviewcats · #7 09-02-2014, 03:20 PM

Used to, but with an eBay app on the phone I don't really need to.

Best regards,

Joe

HalChaseCollector · #8 09-02-2014, 03:22 PM

Ive never done it and don't know what it is. Could someone give me a quick run down on what snipe services are? Thanks!

vintagetoppsguy · #9 09-03-2014, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northviewcats

Used to, but with an eBay app on the phone I don't really need to.

Best regards,

Joe

This. Unless I'm asleep, my phone stays with me almost all the time. I get alerts when items I'm watching are about to end. For me, I don't need a sniping service.

vintagetoppsguy · #10 09-03-2014, 11:43 AM

Double post...and that's weird because I didn't even hit the back button.

itjclarke · #11 09-02-2014, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

The great thing about a snipe service is you put in your max bid to begin with, and then don't worry about it again until after the auction is over.

If you get it, yah! you got if for what you were willing to pay or less.

.

I agree this happens 90% of the time, but as was case in my example using the snipe service actually hurt me. By placing my max bid at 8 seconds, it allowed time for the eventual under bidder to take me up 3x bidding increments. Ebay's new one click bidding feature means that someone can rattle off 3-4 bids in a couple seconds.

Again, 90% of the time it goes off without a hitch (with exception of this past weekend).. However, think there's no replacement for bidding manually at about 1-2 seconds. In my case, I was on line and could've/would've done so, except the snipe cannot be changed or deleted within 5 min of close. Looking at bid history, the item was mine at X, maybe X plus one increment had I sniped it manually.. But ended up at X+ 3 increments with automatic snipe.

Overall, very happy with the service though.

Jeffrompa · #12 09-02-2014, 05:46 PM

I am surprised by the results so far .

perezfan · #13 09-02-2014, 06:37 PM

Same here... simply astonished that the poll is even close to 50/50.

I haven't seen it mentioned above (or perhaps just missed it), but want to give a "shout out" to Gixen, who is my sniper of choice. Very reliable, completely free, easy to use, and has yet to mis-fire after hundreds of snipes

edjs · #14 09-02-2014, 01:54 PM

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with snipes, I just didn't know you could get someone else to do it for you. I always thought "sniping" was hitting that last second bid to get the win. I do that.

wolf441 · #15 09-02-2014, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leon

Most are free. I use gavelsnipe and it's free. Frankly I am quite surprised at the results so far...

+1 on Gavelsnipe. I don't use it very often, but it's a nice option to keep the wife happy during family functions where you are not sneaking off to throw in last second bids

!

bn2cardz · #16 09-02-2014, 02:09 PM

I use gavelsnipe, but find that if it is an item I really want I am still watching when it is going to end and sometimes bidding against my snipe at the last second. Yet there are times I just can't be there to bid and I am glad that I already have it set.

chipperhank44 · #17 09-02-2014, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bn2cardz

I use gavelsnipe, but find that if it is an item I really want I am still watching when it is going to end and sometimes bidding against my snipe at the last second. Yet there are times I just can't be there to bid and I am glad that I already have it set.

What happens when you bid against your snipe? Does Ebay recognize it as raising your max bid, or does it treat your bid like a competing bid?

Leon · #18 09-02-2014, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chipperhank44

What happens when you bid against your snipe? Does Ebay recognize it as raising your max bid, or does it treat your bid like a competing bid?

With Gavelsnipe it is your same login and user id so you can't beat yourself or raise your own high bid (as far as I am aware). The system won't allow it to bid against itself (yourself).

whiteymet · #19 09-02-2014, 07:07 PM

A few weeks back I got an outbid notice at the end of an auction from gavelsnipe.

I went back to the auction to take a look at it and there were NO bids.

I emailed gavelsnipe to ask how this was possible, and got the below response. Has anyone ever heard of this before? I emailed the seller and eventually got the item. I informed him he should change his ebay settings, if this is indeed a possible setting.

eBay returned this message when Gavelsnipe attempted to bid for you:

Buyer Requirements error

Sorry, you are not allowed to purchase this item

�This item is only available to buyers who have not purchased 1 or
more items from this seller in the past 10 days.
�You can contact the seller for more information, or find similar
items offered by other sellers.

Gavelsnipe doesn't have a specific error message for this condition
and defaulted to the outbid notice.

bobbyw8469 · #20 09-02-2014, 07:34 PM

Try bidding on an item by the seller and not sniping. If your bid doesn't register, then the seller probably has you blocked.

Leon · #21 09-02-2014, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf441

+1 on Gavelsnipe. I don't use it very often, but it's a nice option to keep the wife happy during family functions where you are not sneaking off to throw in last second bids

!

I use it somewhere around 99% of the time and bid on average about once a day.

bbcard1 · #22 09-02-2014, 02:13 PM

Long, long ago, you could actually look at the items on ebay someone was bidding on. I got a chaser who would check what i was bidding on, which was fairly unique, and snipe me which necessitated me finding a service. I used Auctionsniper and was very pleased, but I haven't used them in a long, long time. I just bid what i am willing to pay and walk away though I buy a lot less off the bay.

Exhibitman · #23 09-05-2014, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbcard1

Long, long ago, you could actually look at the items on ebay someone was bidding on. I got a chaser who would check what i was bidding on, which was fairly unique, and snipe me which necessitated me finding a service.

Exactly what got me to auctionstealer. I had a number of 'followers' who would not only piggy back on my work ferreting out stuff but would also run up my bids. That doesn't happen any more since eBay made it impossible to track bidders, but the service remains valuable to me:
--I no longer worry that my max bid will be run up or chipped at all week long. My max isn't revealed until the last seven seconds.
--I am terrible for forgetting to bid on something. More than one time I have checked my inbox to find that I'd won a card that I really wanted but that I neglected.

Taylor, it is very liberating not to have to pay attention to when an auction ends and not to have to be online to bid into the final seconds of it. When something important to my collection pops up, I enter a placeholder bid and set a max bid with auctionstealer and then forget about the card. Just not having to actively track ebay auctions is worth the cost of the service to me.

tschock · #24 09-05-2014, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Taylor, it is very liberating not to have to pay attention to when an auction ends and not to have to be online to bid into the final seconds of it. When something important to my collection pops up, I enter a placeholder bid and set a max bid with auctionstealer and then forget about the card. Just not having to actively track ebay auctions is worth the cost of the service to me.

Adam,

I generally do that as well. Placeholder and snipe for something I really want. Placeholder or snipe alone for stuff I might like (at the right price), depending. But also, in the midst of multi-tasking, I have added an auction to snipe and forgot to set the bid. Thus while close, I demonstrate how it is not totally foolproof for this old fool. LOL

slidekellyslide · #25 09-05-2014, 01:06 PM

I'm surprised at the number of members who believe it is somehow underhanded and shady to use a sniping service. Ebay is not a true auction, you don't go to a live auction and watch them place a time limit on an item, they don't stop the bidding at straight up noon, and say sorry, no more bids will be accepted.

Sniping allows one to bid without being shilled, and to bid while not being anywhere near your computer or unable to use your phone app.

kkkkandp · #26 09-02-2014, 02:53 PM

I am another Gavelsnipe user. I don;t have the patience to be sitting by my PC for every auction in which I want to submit a last-minute bid. I like the "set it and forget it" approach a sniping service affords and Gavelsnipe has never let me down.

gregr2 · #27 09-02-2014, 03:09 PM

+1 to gavelsnipe. Once I found it I never looked back! I just set my max bid and walk away, takes all the pressure off.

jimivintage · #28 09-02-2014, 08:10 PM

I still have a gavelsnipe.com account, but I haven't really been actively buying cards from auctions in a couple years. I'll get there eventually....

djrhanover · #29 09-02-2014, 08:25 PM

I use Gavelsnipe every time on eBay. It actually saves me money by not sitting around waiting to get outbid, and then bidding more. I set my max and go with it. Great service that has never failed. Highly recommend.

ethicsprof · #30 09-02-2014, 09:03 PM

sounds too much like snipe hunting for me to give it a try.

best,
barry

bobbyw8469 · #31 09-02-2014, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Great service that has never failed.

LOL! I guess you didn't use it this past Sunday!....when did you last use it?? You might have to change something or it probably will fail.

Joe_G. · #32 09-02-2014, 10:14 PM

I had an early issue with a snipe service (ten years ago?) and have never gone back. I might only bid on one item a month and look forward to the auction end which is typically when I'm available (Sunday evening).

midwaylandscaping · #33 09-05-2014, 05:43 PM

Nope. Would remove some of the fun for me

Davino · #34 09-06-2014, 11:36 PM

I used to use justsnipe and it was great.

chernieto · #35 09-02-2014, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leon

Most are free. I use gavelsnipe and it's free. Frankly I am quite surprised at the results so far...

I don't feel like I should vote since I just signed up and entered my first snipes yesterday!
I too always thought snipping was just placing the bid in the last few seconds until a few months ago when others here mentioned the snipping sites.
Honestly I feel like a lot of folks here are understandably quiet about the snipping because it gives an edge over those who are not using the service. No credit card was need to sign up with:
www.gavelsnipe.com
I have missed out on countless auctions because I was not at a computer when I needed to be & now I'm free from wondering if I will be available to bid at the close- albeit long after countless smart
folks here have taken advantage of the services.

frohme · #36 09-02-2014, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leon

Most are free. I use gavelsnipe and it's free. Frankly I am quite surprised at the results so far...

As am I - surprised on two fronts, even:

that the results are so even - who wouldn't use one??
that I've quoted two posts of Leon's in 1 day ... not that there's anything wrong with that

Been using gavelsnipe since 2008 with my first successful eBay snipe on 10/19 ... there should be no surprise what set the card was from

--
Mike

View Poll Results: Do I ever use a sniping service?
Yes	149	53.21%
No	131	46.79%
Voters: 280. You may not vote on this poll

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