E-BAY STRATEGY

[deadin]

Do these automatic sniper programs have a way to cancel your bid once entered? Some of us don't have "unlimited" funds and once we commit to a possible high bid, we are out of the game until the auction is over. What if something else comes along in the meantime that we would rather have, but our money is tied up elsewhere?

 

[handejector]

Do these automatic sniper programs have a way to cancel your bid once entered? Some of us don't have "unlimited" funds and once we commit to a possible high bid, we are out of the game until the auction is over. What if something else comes along in the meantime that we would rather have, but our money is tied up elsewhere?

Yes.
With auctionsniper, you can cancel, lower, or raise a bid up to the last few seconds.
It is the only one I've used.
I imagine the others are the same.
Take a look at them. They are quite sophisticated, but mine is easy to use and navigate.

 

[LHS]

Just remember: most bid sniper programs cost money per auction used.

Been a while so I don't remember the fees, but they cost.

 

[DCWilson]

I've been sniped a couple of times, but then I have successfully sniped other items at the last second. Some days you eat the bear, some days...

Seven seconds from a sniper program won't always do it. I remember one instance -- can't remember the item, just the warfare -- where another guy tried to get something in the last five seconds that I wanted, and that triggered a shootout. We each got additional bids in before the timekeeper rang the bell, and my mouse click was last. You just have to fill in the blank as fast as you can and put the cursor over the bid button and be ready to move like Thell Reed if you see your last bid trumped.

Of course if you put in your worst-case bid days earlier and go out for dinner, you could save yourself all this drama. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but if you lose you still have all your money and you get to play again on something similar.

The worst part about being sniped is the feeling that somebody is cutting in line or being disrespectful: "You talkin' to me? I don't see anybody else here, so you must be talkin' to me." That's an illusion. Don't let it get to you.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

E-Bay Strategery

"Whatever the last bid was........I double it!!"
-Ben Rumson

 

[TACC1]

I used to regard auction sites as a game of chance, with the last-second bids, etc. Nowadays, I look at an auction as a place to buy
something. I still find ways to play with the heads of other bidders,
for my own enjoyment, that's just me. If I Really want something,
I'll either use Buy It Now, or place a really high bid on it. Now I don't
have to fret with anticipation, while I'm on the road. TACC1

 

[Sprefix]

Seriously???

Do these automatic sniper programs have a way to cancel your bid once entered? Some of us don't have "unlimited" funds and once we commit to a possible high bid, we are out of the game until the auction is over. What if something else comes along in the meantime that we would rather have, but our money is tied up elsewhere?

Don't place a high bid you are not willing to pay it, or even bid at all if you are waiting for "something else" to come along in the meantime. I think they call it PRIORITIZING. You must have lots of money to be bidding on multiple things you "want" but might not want if "something else" comes along. Sounds like you are auction surfing out of boredom with excess cash. I think I just might envy you......(with the cash, anyway). Lee has made it clear on several posts about the convenience of sniping or proxy bidding. I'm not out to get over on anyone, but I'd like a good or at least fair price. I set the price I want to pay and not a cent more. If I win it, I'm happy. If someone else pays more to win it, then I'm still happy as I didn't want to pay that much anyway. If you are selling, do you want the buyer to get a total steal of a deal? I'm guessing you want what is fair for your item as a seller. JMO

 

[paplinker]

It was interesting to see all opinions on a deadline format for Ebay.All auctions i have ever been to in person or on tv allow the best price to come forward. But on ebay its more luck and who snipes better.Is it the larger amount of people using ebay that gets people to list their items, because its been proven on this thread that people still wanted to bid more money on their auctions but couldnt beause of time restraints.Or does GB ask for a bigger cut? I have no issues with a higher bidder, they are playing by the rules that are given. Are there any other sites that go by time limit?

 

[Pete99004]

I no longer use Ebay - mostly because PayPal sucks.

 

[deadin]

I really can't see any reasonable comparison between a real live auction and an Internet auction.
Any live auctioneer that waited 15 minutes for another bid before gaveling the sale wouldn't be in business very long.

 

[paplinker]

I really can't see any reasonable comparison between a real live auction and an Internet auction.
Any live auctioneer that waited 15 minutes for another bid before gaveling the sale wouldn't be in business very long.

I agree with the 15 minutes part for sure.Even two minutes could work out. but the reasonable comparison is all may bid on both real or internet , on ebay its quickest or more savy bidder so it leaves some in the lurch. I guess people like both scenarios.

 

[DeadAye]

I think it would be way better (for us buyers) if they got rid of the proxy bidding and went to straight bidding. Kinda like an auction....

 

[quneur]

My strategy is to bid with 20-30 seconds left but I bid high enough that if someone elses tries to jump in at the last second with a slightly higher bid, I will still be higher. I usually double or triple the minimum bid plus a penny. Doesn't work if the other guy "really" wants it and ups the bid a good amount.

I don't bid much anymore but when I did, I always used two cents more because everyone was adding that one cent to their bids. So, after a while, I started using three cents for those that thought like me.

 

[perrazi]

please explain the concept of bidding on something you do don't already know how much you want to pay for it in the first place.

 

[john3136]

I think there might be some misunderstanding of how the ebay system works:

One day one of the auction, I can bid $100.00
The actually selling price may show up as $1.00
If no one else bids, I get the item for $1.00

If you come along with 2 seconds to go and bid $2.00, ebay knows I bid $100.00 earlier, so it will automatically bump my bid to say $2.20, so I win.

The only way you can beat me is to bid over $100.00

This is all without a sniping program.

Best thing to do is put your max bid in as early as possible - the only way you can lose is if someone else is willing to pay more than you are!

 

[mac2]

1) Decide what your absolute maximum buying price will be.

2) Wait to bid until just before the auction ends.

This keeps you from getting into a bidding war with the newbs. And if you get outbid, oh well, that was the max amount that you were willing to pay anyway.

That's what I followed on my 2nd auction - and won this time; received the Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub gear for £10 ($14) just now

 

[65kaiser]

I think there might be some misunderstanding of how the ebay system works:

One day one of the auction, I can bid $100.00
The actually selling price may show up as $1.00
If no one else bids, I get the item for $1.00

If you come along with 2 seconds to go and bid $2.00, ebay knows I bid $100.00 earlier, so it will automatically bump my bid to say $2.20, so I win.

The only way you can beat me is to bid over $100.00

This is all without a sniping program.

Best thing to do is put your max bid in as early as possible - the only way you can lose is if someone else is willing to pay more than you are!

The problem with your theory of placing your maximum bid as early as possible is that other interested parties over the length of the auction will chip away at your maximum bid driving the price up each time. If you place the same maximum bid at the very end of the auction you have a better chance of winning at a lower price.

 

[deadin]

And for those of you that have said that you don't know what you maximum limit may be, just maybe you shouldn't be bidding in auctions in the first place..... (You are exactly what the auction companies love. Especially if they can get two of you bidding on the same auction.)

Sellers have several ways available to "protect" themselves from losing on their items. They can set a reserve or an opening minimum bid. They can also gamble with a no minimum/no reserve auction and absorb any losses that may occur. This only works well if the seller has enough auctions to balance out the winners and losses. (i.e. a dealer.) For those of us that only occasionally sell something and don't have a lot of capital to invest, the first two options are almost a requirement.
As a buyer about the only "protection" we have is to try to find a way to discourage/limit the "nibblers" and those bidders that don't know their limits. Sniping is probably the best/only way to do this. (or just don't bid on auctions. Stick to the classifieds or Buy It Now auctions.)

 

[machete]

Gunbroker drives away business with their silly system. Ebay's system is much better. On Ebay, I know that my snipe will win or lose, but people won't have the time to rationalize besting my top bid. The near certainty of the system induces me to bid. On GB, people can convince themselves of a lot in 15 minutes, so a strong bid might not win, and I'll be exposed for 15 minutes, so other bidders can just nip at me. This lack of certainty causes me to try to find other places to do my buying.

Gunauction.com, nee AuctionArms.com, has the best way of running an internet auction. Too bad their volume isn't higher.

 

[DeadAye]

Gunbroker drives away business with their silly system. Ebay's system is much better. On Ebay, I know that my snipe will win or lose, but people won't have the time to rationalize besting my top bid. The near certainty of the system induces me to bid. On GB, people can convince themselves of a lot in 15 minutes, so a strong bid might not win, and I'll be exposed for 15 minutes, so other bidders can just nip at me. This lack of certainty causes me to try to find other places to do my buying.

Gunauction.com, nee AuctionArms.com, has the best way of running an internet auction. Too bad their volume isn't higher.

Ya gotta watch your pennies in that case or you could loose BIGTIME