EBay Sniping • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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EBay Sniping
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gvaughn1
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:24 am

Being new to this hobby, I'm curious. What does the collecting community think of the practice of sniping? I.e., coming in with 2-3 seconds to go in an auction and putting in the winning bid.

I will admit, I have done it myself. And I've had it done to me a number of times.

Since I do it myself at times, I can't complain about the practice. As long as you put in your true best offer, then it shouldn't bother you if someone snipes it - because presumably you still wouldn't up your bid even if you had time. Also, this practice MIGHT help avoid costly bidding wars.

But it can be very annoying when you're on the receiving end of it.

Thoughts?

JasonZavoda
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:32 am

gvaughn1 wrote:Being new to this hobby, I'm curious. What does the collecting community think of the practice of sniping? I.e., coming in with 2-3 seconds to go in an auction and putting in the winning bid.

I will admit, I have done it myself. And I've had it done to me a number of times.

Since I do it myself at times, I can't complain about the practice. As long as you put in your true best offer, then it shouldn't bother you if someone snipes it - because presumably you still wouldn't up your bid even if you had time. Also, this practice MIGHT help avoid costly bidding wars.

But it can be very annoying when you're on the receiving end of it.

Thoughts?

As a seller I hated it. As a buyer it is the bargain hunters choice.

What ebay should have done is automaticly extended auctions by a mintue or two giving everyone interested a chance to bid. Time limit comes up someone bids, auction extends for another 60 seconds, another bid, etc...

If you are a buyer it pays to snipe.

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:33 am

Generally it's accepted practice. That's how many auctions are won, and the final price usually rises quickly in the last half hour. Some people use online sniping tools to do it for them, while others are there in person. Curiosly, it's generally a 'phase' people go through in the early years of collecting. As collections grow, people learn that everything crops up again eventually, and there's no need to have everything in your collection, and collectors tend to just chill about eBay and go hunting elsewhere.

I say go for it. Snipe and be sniped. It's all part of the fun. It gets boring in time, but it's all part of the fun while you're building your collection. So enjoy it.

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

Kingofpain89
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:38 am

There are a lot of threads here that discuss the fine art of the snipe bid.

Some people do it, some people dont. Some people use sniping software while others prefer the manual option. I find that most people (like myself) will snipe only occasionally.

Sure it can be annoying when someone does it to you, but its all a part of the experience. I think a lot of people get frustrated with people who do it because it isnt a true auction experience and to them "its not fair". I understand their grief but until Ebay changes the rules....put in a higher bid if you really want it. Or just wait for the next one.

Frankly I would rather be sniped at the last second that watch some numbnuts drive the price up during the last minute with five dollar increment bids. Now to me, that is annoying.

You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

gvaughn1
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:42 am

King - I think I know what you mean.

The other day I had a bid of $40 on an item. With about 3 minutes to go, the high bid (mine) was only $16. But someone came in and literally put in 4 back-to-back bids. He drove the price up to around $35 before he stopped. So I won the bid, but I didn't quite get the steal I thought I would!

But as stated, it's part of the process - and I accept it.

I'm also doing purchases from Acaeum members and private purchases. I find these to be more satisfying and less chaotic.

TheHistorian
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:01 pm

Sniping does not help you win auctions, it helps you pay the lowest price.

Areas of interest/knowledge: Harn, WFRP, Ars Magica, anything BRP based such as CoC, Runequest, Pendragon and all their related games

Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:01 pm

As a collector that almost never sells what I collect (Until I have too much stuff and am forced to purge) I hate sniping.
But not the snipers, since it is a legal way to bid I have no TRUE problems with it.
But it Does piss me off to get sniped in the last 2-3 seconds of some listing that I have been watching for 10 freaking days like some freaking shut in hermit hoping for a steak dinner delivery to my doorâ€¦â€¦
I tried doing it myself once a long time ago after getting snipped on several very nice items that I REALLY wanted...
But it just isn't me.

ARG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However, I cannot argue with its complete effectiveness for the buyer who DOES do it.
I know since it has worked against me MANY times.... too danged many times. :cry:

(I know get a hanky and wipe the tears off... big baby)

But honestly, I have no anger or too much resentment against folks who use it.
If I thought it would help me personally I might also use it.
It just is not what I want to do.

BTW: I am that guy that might (on RARE occasions) push bid increments by only so much several times near the end of listings trying to get it without paying too much.
I might also stop shy of your high bid; that amount being more than I wanted to pay.
Not doing it to be an ass, but to try to get the item.
Don't see how that is all that much different from sniping though...
I really don't.

Don't think (as others above said) that sniping affects sellers much though.
Don't see how....

The items going to sell for only so much anyway.
Yeah, if 2-3 bidders get into a bidding war then yes, it could get rediculous, but that normally only happens with noobies.

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copycat
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:39 pm

I gave up on caring. I now just put in my highest offer and if I win, I win. I used to try and slowly up the offer, hoping to see what the interest was, but that rarely worked well. So, now, I just figure that I have to be willing to spend more than anyone else, and throw it all down at once... that works more often than not. Still lose to some snipers now and then, but I was probably going to lose to them anyway, no matter what I did, because they have more money to toss at something. I figure if they're that willing to spend stupid amounts, let them... I cn wait for the next one, even if it takes 50 more years to come around.

Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

Deadlord
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:53 pm

Serleran has the right attitude. Figure out what you are willing to pay and throw that amount at it, and if you don't get it, another will come along. Even an Action Comics #1, though you may have to pay $2 million this time around

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

JasonZavoda
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:56 pm

gvaughn1 wrote:King - I think I know what you mean.

The other day I had a bid of $40 on an item. With about 3 minutes to go, the high bid (mine) was only $16. But someone came in and literally put in 4 back-to-back bids. He drove the price up to around $35 before he stopped. So I won the bid, but I didn't quite get the steal I thought I would!

But as stated, it's part of the process - and I accept it.

I'm also doing purchases from Acaeum members and private purchases. I find these to be more satisfying and less chaotic.

This is one of the reasons to snipe. You put in a bid and someone does small incremental bids and drives the price up. On rare occassions this is done by sellers with a shill, most often it is a newbie thing to do, and sometimes people seem to do it for the hell of it.

A seller wants buyers to bid early and often, but the way to avoid the incremental bidder is to bid your maximum once and with just a few seconds to go. None of this pushing your bid up or even second guessing your own bid. Either you win it for what you wanted to pay for it (often for less than your maximum) or you lose it to someone who was willing to pay more.

bbarsh
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 2:49 pm

one shot, one kill

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

Gnat the Beggar
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:43 pm

bbarsh wrote:one shot, one kill

Naw...
One shots require good aim to work.
Get a machine gun and spray em' with it.

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ashmire13
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:56 pm

bbarsh wrote:one shot, one kill

Remind me never to piss you off bb!

Rolls a '3'

"Did I hit.....?"

b-36
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:36 pm

JasonZavoda wrote:What ebay should have done is automaticly extended auctions by a mintue or two giving everyone interested a chance to bid. Time limit comes up someone bids, auction extends for another 60 seconds, another bid, etc...

Amen! This is the "Final Call" concept, used by other online auction sites (one I know extends the auction 15 minutes every time a new bid is logged). It best approximates a live auction and generally means the person willing to pay the most for the item wins the item, and that the item generally realizes the highest selling price. And it takes the sniping debate off the table!

b-36

bbarsh
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:47 pm

ashmire13 wrote:
Remind me never to piss you off bb!

No worries, Ash. You'll never know what happened...

And I could've bought these damn modules off the 1$ rack!!!

New modules for your Old School game http://pacesettergames.com/

Everything Pacesetter at http://pacesettergames.blog.com/

mordrin
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:16 pm

JasonZavoda wrote:
This is one of the reasons to snipe. You put in a bid and someone does small incremental bids and drives the price up. On rare occassions this is done by sellers with a shill, most often it is a newbie thing to do, and sometimes people seem to do it for the hell of it.

A seller wants buyers to bid early and often, but the way to avoid the incremental bidder is to bid your maximum once and with just a few seconds to go. None of this pushing your bid up or even second guessing your own bid. Either you win it for what you wanted to pay for it (often for less than your maximum) or you lose it to someone who was willing to pay more.

Maybe you know better than I do and I'm willing to believe the worst -

however, I think, while some people do 'bid weirdly, but legitimately', seller shilling is a lot more than 'rare'.

When I bid, I almost always only bid one of two ways:
a) A minimum bid placed early. If anyone else bids on it, it's theirs.
b) A snipe.

Either way, a shiller fails to profit on it

Blackmoor
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Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:30 pm

I snipe many of the items I want, I find it a bit exciting

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Plaag
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:10 am

I snipe when I can. Figure I'm putting in my max bid for an item, why have someone else keep raising that up. Course I'm with Blackmoor in that it can be exciting.

ShaneG.

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