posted on November 27, 2003 12:24:17 AM new
equals
No Bid!
LOL
I guess it would be nice to extend an auction but ebay chose time instead of a gavel so that's the parameters that ebay sellers live under.
You can cut the snipers, but you will have an lot of edu-ma-cating to do to get peeps to Not snipe your auction while they are sniping all the others.
I don't know, if the item is sitting there with no bids, yes, you definitely can lose out.
I am realizing that the price you list has to be the price you end with, esp if you aren't selling a hot item!
posted on November 27, 2003 06:49:09 AM new
If you list properly the snipe is a good bid. Don't get greedy and expect that a bidding war will occur for your item. When I bid I post the highest price I am willing to pay for an item. If someone snipes me and beats me by four bits that is four bits more thatn I was willing to pay in the first place.
To those of you who claim bids are few and far between - rethink your opening bid!! More than likely you are selling something for too much. If it is a low priced item - leave it to Wal-Mart to sell it as shipping is usually prohibitive. The better gauge of your items is page views. Use your counters to see if there is interest in your item. If you don't get bids your item is probably over-priced regardless of your investment. Remember some things like electronics get outdate. Other items like collectable fluctuate with the economy. Remember to distinguish between collectable junk like beanie babies and quality collectables like a Tiffany Lamp!
Best of Luck on Ebay and Happy Thanksgiving!
Prepare for the worst but hope for the best!! Spuddy98
posted on November 27, 2003 08:24:15 AM new
Just couldn't pass up putting in my 2 cents...
In the pre sniping, "Watch This Item" and eBay notices days, we buyers had to put our bid-on items in our browser ‘favorites'. Then, if we were lucky enough to have the time, we would sit at the computer and watch the last seconds tick down on our chosen items. Two windows open, one for refreshing every 30 seconds and the other set with the final bid we were willing to go, all ready for that last "Submit Your Bid" click as our carefully set-to-eBay-time clock ground out the final seconds. With baited breath, we prayed eBay didn't decide to take a time-out and crash just as we clicked that Submit button. (Remember, this was all before reliable ISPs, DSL and high-speed computer days.)
Yes, the thrill of the snipe hunt was definitely there in those days — and so were a lot of lost bids. With items closing at random times, it was impossible to be on the computer when every item we wanted came off. True, one could put in a high proxy, but that proxy would often times be bid and re-bid by another shopper until one's proxy was out-bid. Great for the seller IF, of course, the final bid winner was actually willing to pay for the item s/he had won in the closing moments of the "War" — at way too high a price. Those were the days before "Second Offer", and many a time I was contacted directly by the seller asking if I'd be interested in buying the item at the closing bid, or my last bid. (I've often wondered how many sellers did NOT contact me when the winning bid went south.) "Thanks for offering, but no", was my usual response. "I've found another item since I lost the bid on your's." Time, of course, had passed while the seller waited for payment. I had moved on.
Thanks to today's sniping capability I can now place my bid at the price I'm willing to pay and spread my eBay budget around over more sellers/items. If I win, I win and gladly pay because I know my bid is fair to both parties. If I lose, there is another item-of-kind waiting for me to search out.
Would I give up my sniping? No way!
Would I continue to buy on eBay if sniping were banned? No way!
The horse-and-buggy days of eBay shopping are gone. Fun that it was, I can always do it the "old fashioned" way to keep in practice, just as I can go ride a horse when I want for old-time's-sake, then hop in the car when I'm serious about getting a job done.
posted on November 27, 2003 10:56:55 AM new
One of the problems for sellers with sniping is that the early bids do not bring attention to the auction. It's human nature to see which auction merits bids in the search results page.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on November 27, 2003 12:35:25 PM new
Sniper quiz from Sniping Kindergarten.
Bidder1 bids $153.75 on an item with a $9.99 starting price with 6 days 23hours 59mins 59 secs 999.9999999999999999 nanonseconds left. Current bid is $9.99
Manual sniper bids $140 with 15 secs left.
Vrane sniper bids $145 with 9 secs left.
Snip sniper bids $151 with 0.0000000001 nanoseconds left.
posted on November 27, 2003 12:58:54 PM new
Pat1959
To edit your post:
When you are logged in, you will see the word "edit" as a link next to the time and date of your posts. All you have to do is click on that word, and you can simply highlight all the text and hit the delete key.
posted on November 27, 2003 02:54:29 PM new
Hi... thanks for all the insights as to why or why not...
To the question...does anyone know how to block sniper programs?
thanks
posted on November 27, 2003 03:31:22 PM new
It would be against the rules to block sniper programs because you would be denying the bidder his freedom to bid, wouldn't you?
ebay would have to disallow these programs but so far they allow them to operate.
7. Access and Interference.
(iii) interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Site or any activities conducted on the Site
posted on November 27, 2003 03:31:34 PM new
thepriest,
Seems to me that snipe programs can't be blocked. I mean, a snipe is just a bid that takes place very close to the end of the auction. I don't know that eBay's system can distinguish between an individual placing a bid with their user ID and password and a website placing a bid with a user ID and password. I guess if you don't want snipers, end the auction a couple of minutes early and the high bidder at that point is the winner.
Just to let you know, I won something recently that I REALLY wanted (it was sitting at about $18.00), and I placed a snipe for about $50.00. Well, I won it at around $47.00, because the second highest bidder had a high proxy bid. If I hadn't sniped, the seller would have gotten only $18.00 for his item instead of $47.00. I'll bet he's pretty grateful for my snipe!!!
posted on November 27, 2003 03:49:50 PM new
well I don't know why anyone would want to stop a snipe bid. However, there is this one seller who sells postcards that..well... I'll just copy what he says in his auctions. Too bad. He's missed out on a few cards that I would of bid on if he didn't say this...
"HELP STOP SNIPERS!
SNIPERS ARE NOT WELCOME TO BID ON MY ITEMS - I DO NOT WANT YOUR BUSINESS
If I determine that a winning bidder has used sniping software, they will be placed on my blocked bidders list and will receive negative feedback"
posted on November 27, 2003 08:47:08 PM new
peiklk...Where did you get that brilliant idea ??.
Egghead and Onsale used that approach and they are right alongside the dodo bird in the ancient history books.
posted on November 28, 2003 02:31:31 AM new
Probably from real life. I think ebay should do it, or if not, offer a snipe option themselves. Either way they could get more money.
I don't think Egghead and Onsale are gone because of this feature.
>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
peiklk...Where did you get that brilliant idea ??.
Egghead and Onsale used that approach and they are right alongside the dodo bird in the ancient history books.
posted on November 28, 2003 06:05:49 AM new
You can send on all of your snipe bidders over to me. The only bidders I do not want are non-paying bidders. I have had a several people make bidding mistakes on high dollar items trying to manually snipe an item and then they do not want to pay for the item. I would rather them use sniping software and have time to check there bid before they submit it.
I also get emails every week from people, I was not home when the auction ended so I missed bidding on this item, do you have any more? I would be thrilled if these people were using sniping software.
I personally don't like the bidding process and will purchase from "Buy it Nows" when possible. I would rather pay a few more dollars for the item and win it than not knowing and have to find another one to bid on.
I have started using esnipe, because I can program it if I don't win one item it will automatically bid on another for me.
"For I know the plans I have for you." says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11
posted on November 28, 2003 09:26:46 AM new
"Real auctions work this way (bids until no more bidders). This method is simply an online version to that."
I have attended about 5000 live auctions and I have never seen one where the auctioneer holds the bid open for 10 minutes everytime someone bids or set times of 3,5,7 & 10 days for the bidding on each item.
You can't compare the method used to grow apples to oranges. If that was correct they would be growing apples and oranges in Seattle & Miami.
posted on November 28, 2003 09:39:16 AM new
Horsey -
I don't think anyone was under the impression that eBay mirrors live auction accurately. And they can't (at least right now), because not everyone is in the same room, real-time. And no, an auctioneer doesn't hold off calling the item sold for 10 minutes after last bid (although some of them seem to come pretty close), but neither do they stop the bidding at a set time.
In a live auction, bidding stops when the auctioneer calls sold. And they don't call sold until they make sure they are not getting more bids. If you have sniping programs in effect, that is essentially the same as having two (or more) people in the audience at a live auction fighting it out. And as long as they keep bidding, any auctioneer worth his salt will not call sold.
Real auctions work this way (bids until no more bidders). This method is simply an online version to that."
What has been suggested (with the ten-minute extension) is to get closer to a live auction (and whether the extension is one minute or 20 is irrelevent); the item is not considered sold until active bidding is over.
And I have been going to auctions for well over 30 years, myself.
posted on November 28, 2003 10:36:29 AM new
I don't think how a live auction runs has anything to do with eBay auctions. I also will never understand why anyone who gets beat out by a snipe bid has any right to complain. When you bid early make sure you put in the most you are willing to pay if you get outbid it is your own fault. If you don't know how much an item is worth do some work and find out. Whining because you didn't win is just stupid if you can't stand to lose bid an extra $100.00 to insure you win.
If you want to be like the seller that glassgrl posted about "charleybaby" and not take snipe bids maybe you should take a look at some of charleybaby's closed auctions. I looked at 4 pages of their closed auctions 15 items sold out of 200 and 2 had multiple bids. If my math is right those 15 auctions average around $4.00 each so they took in $60.00 eBay insertion fees would be aprox. $60.00 for the 200 auctions. Now add in FVFs and if they paid anything for the items. That is a loss before you even think about fees for photos, supplies, online charges, and your time.
I do this to make money not for something to do so "PLEASE SEND ME ALL BIDDERS EARLY OR SNIPE OR ANY IN BETWEEN"
posted on November 28, 2003 04:03:07 PM newI have attended about 5000 live auctions and I have never seen one where the auctioneer holds the bid open for 10 minutes everytime someone bids
No. BUT every potential bidder is aware of the final bid and at least has a fair opporunity to outbid them. In a snipe, this is not an option.
For the record, UBID does this and since they are the seller, they are obviously doing what is of best interest to the seller.
Net result -- it wouldn't hurt anything for ebay to upgrade their bidding practice to this method. Not for the sake of getting rid of snipers (Like I said, I've sniped and been sniped), but to give a fair chance to counter a final bid. Everyone wins.
posted on November 28, 2003 04:11:50 PM new
AND every potential bidder on Ebay knows when the auction is ending. If he loses the item it's always usually becuase of two things he didn't bid in time or he didn't bid high enough.
Snipe bids never beat higher previous bids.
posted on November 28, 2003 04:13:16 PM new
Every bidder is aware of when the auction ends. If you wish to bid on it, it behooves you to either bid the maximum you are willing to spend (if you won't have access to the Net when it ends), or to have your butt seated in front of your computer so you can also get bids in up to the last minute or second.
Not to make either effort and then whine about getting out-bid is ludicrous. Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on November 30, 2003 12:57:43 PM new
Hi ...... as an update... I was contacted by two buyers who use snipe programs. When I explained my reasoning...both have bid early - two different items - and are using the Ebay - proxy.
Time will tell. So far...good.
posted on November 30, 2003 03:51:53 PM new
So in effect, not disagreeing, just understanding,
you are shutting down bidding X minutes or hours prior to end of auction to avert sniping?
I have found a seller who says that they don't want programs, but there is nothing more firm than that.
I am just curious.
As a bidder I enjoy sniping. OTOH, it always ends up that you are paying what the market will bear (bare?) if you are bidding against a pack of hungry bidders.
If you are selling an item that has a bunch of competition, that's when the low opening bid to entice bidders...then doesn't! is very frustrating to see sniped.
I am listing some vintage tuquoise rings...man the competition is so cheap, so I listed approx and will wait and see.
Anyway. The more I sell, the less I love sniping.
sniffle...
J
posted on November 30, 2003 06:04:35 PM new
I sell for a living so I doubt I could understand any reason for turning away bids, but I would love to hear your reasoning.
posted on December 1, 2003 06:16:45 AM new
Hi... I agree with almost all of the rationale in the precceding statements.
I think eBay will go the way of Germany...for a business point of view both financial and for the new people...eBay needs to promote and ultimately charge for the proxy bid. Keeps it in house, easy for the newcomer, and they can charge less than the intermittent sniper programs now operating.
Plus...and I think this is a big plus...items gain a visual bid early and actually end at a higher price...obviously the seller and eBay gain.
On my items that have the non-snipe program (from Germany) - I have received many emails..all questioning why...and I explain as above...each of those items now have early bids and are climbing rapidly.
It's too early to really determine the final results.
Thanks for all the imput.
