peiklk
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posted on December 1, 2003 07:28:24 AM new
I agree.
When there are no bids, there is a perception that something is wrong with the item. Especially after many days of no bids.
Now people could be waiting to snipe. But I've found that once a bid is placed, the snowball starts rolling and people see that there may be something they are going to miss out on. They figure they will pay $1.00 more than the current bid.
If the snipe is taken away, there is no reason not to go ahead and jump in the pool with a bid. You either win or don't.
But clearly, something with bids attracts more attention just because of the bids.
------
"Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
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stonecold613
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posted on December 1, 2003 09:11:41 AM new
eBay needs to promote and ultimately charge for the proxy bid
Are you kidding? That is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. If Ebay starts charging to set a proxy bid, I can guarantee that the dollar amounts that we realize for our items will drop like a rock. Our sell through rate will become nearly zero as no one in their right mind would pay for the right to bid on any item. This also goes against your anti sniping argument as well. For those that are willing to pay your incredibly stupid proxy fee, they will all wait until the last minutes on an auction to bid and in most cases, there would be a log jam of bids at the minimum price.
IMHO, if a person wants to bid a proxy bid, great. If they would rather snipe. Great. As long as they are bidding without stupid stipulations as to why they shouldn't bid.
More bids = More sales and profits
More stupid restrictions = far less sales and negative cash flow.
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thepriest
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posted on December 1, 2003 10:46:56 AM new
Hi ... there's some different views on the powerseller board.
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Damariscotta
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posted on December 1, 2003 05:30:20 PM new
I wonder why eBay doesn't have their own snipe program yet? They could charge a user fee and pick up another piece of change. Plus bidders wouldn't have to hand their passwords over to a third party.
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artnouveau
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posted on December 1, 2003 05:32:40 PM new
As a buyer, if I bid my maximum, I can’t be upset if I lose an auction to someone willing to pay more. All sniping does is prevent others from deliberating about my bid in a possible attempt to engage me in a bidding war. Does this hurt the seller? No, as long as we both bid our maximum.
I suppose you could get upset with those who chose not to engage in a bidding war, but this is a buyer’s prerogative under any auction format – whether they allow snipes or not. Snipping encourages you to bid your maximum because you know you won’t have a second chance. Bidding wars only encourage bids nominally higher than the last. As a seller, I’m sure you prefer the highest bids you can get. Thus, it’s in your best interest to welcome and encourage snipes.
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thepriest
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posted on December 2, 2003 06:46:43 AM new
Hi...thanks for the imput
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thepriest
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posted on December 3, 2003 08:33:47 AM new
As an update...more auctions have ended with the sniper block. Although the sell through percentage dropped (there's more on that), the final prices were up. Additionally, on those that did not sell, several bidders contacted said their program wasn't working...what would I sell it for?
Otherwise, it is working well.
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lurkyloo
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posted on December 3, 2003 09:33:43 AM new
thepriest,
I'm wondering....how can final prices be up due to not allowing sniping? Seems to me a snipe only serves to raise the price. Either the snipers (a) bid more than the current high bidder and win either by the bid increment or by beating the current bidder's proxy (thereby raising the ending price), or (b) they don't bid high enough to knock out the current high bidder's proxy bid, and therefore the ending price is raised anyway.
I just don't get how snipers are not an advantage!!! I'd really appreciate it if you or someone else could tell me how they are detrimental to auctions. Even if I'm sitting at my computer to bid instead of using vrane, I always try to bid within 1 minute of the auction ending anyway. What's the difference between having a snipe program do it or sniping manually?? 
BTW I would imagine that your prices might be up due to the holiday season--more bidders trying to get gifts online.
Not lurkyloo on eBay
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thepriest
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posted on December 3, 2003 09:37:58 AM new
Hi... thanks for your imput...yes, when sniper's are allowed, they can push up the price. I've been experimenting with some select auctions that have a block snipe.
The result has been - emails from potential snipers asking why ..and, earlier bids ... no waiting until the end.
The prices these items are receiving are higher than normal...or, those with a snipe.
I'd like to see bidding begin earlier...not at the last minute.
Plus, several of the snipe programs aren't working... most buyers simply believe their bid wasn't high enough.
Just an experiment...so far though, it's going well, a little better than I expected.
thanks
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Damariscotta
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posted on December 3, 2003 10:42:35 AM new
I think the reason for this excercise is to see whether forcing bidding action earlier (by prohibiting sniping) will create more interest and overall higher bids. By letting bidders know that anti-snipe actions are taken, then they will (if they are interested) bid earlier. This may create more "buzz", as well as alerting those bidders who shadow other bidders. These of course may benefit the seller, but not the bidder.
Auctions are an adversarial marketplace; buyers want to pay as little as possible, and sellers want to get as much as possible. I think eBay's reserve system makes a good middle ground, it allows reserves, but encourages sensible ones by refunding when if met.
(excuse me for saying something good about eBay in this forum)
[ edited by Damariscotta on Dec 3, 2003 10:44 AM ]
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toolhound
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posted on December 3, 2003 03:41:00 PM new
How about a link to your auctions so we can see for ourselves? I don't know you but to tell you the truth I find it hard to believe that you are getting higher than normal bids by blocking snipe bids.
I only bid by sniping because other tool sellers were just following me around to find the good items that I was finding. They knew if they outbid me by $1.00 or whatever the bid increment was they could still make money off it and they didn't have to do any of the work.
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horsey88
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posted on December 3, 2003 04:01:23 PM new
Yes I am from Missouri...Can you SHOW ME the auctions so I can see for myself ??
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thepriest
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posted on December 4, 2003 02:35:13 AM new
Hi ... thanks for your insights.
As far as showing our auctions, we thought of that, but all things considered...I'm sorry we cannot.
For those that doubt it is working...there's little I can advise.
thanks
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toolhound
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posted on December 4, 2003 01:12:45 PM new
That is what I thought you would say.
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horsey88
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posted on December 4, 2003 01:29:25 PM new
Yea I have a 14" tool but don't ask me to show you
I suspected all along thta this has a troll to advertise the SNIP website that was posted
[ edited by horsey88 on Dec 4, 2003 02:22 PM ]
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thepriest
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posted on December 5, 2003 06:23:24 AM new
Hi... sorry we don't have any affiliation with that site and don't use them. Sorry but your suspicions are not valid.
thanks
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horsey88
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posted on December 5, 2003 06:55:24 AM new
One has to wonder,when someone starts a thread claiming ignorance of the topic and then all of a sudden becomes an expert on the subject recommending a useless obscure servive.
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thepriest
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posted on December 5, 2003 06:57:14 AM new
Hi... I never recommended any programs. I asked if anyone knew of one. When I found one - I asked.
Then, I offered an update.
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tammysue68
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posted on December 5, 2003 08:17:16 PM new
Interesting discussion. Many valid points from both the pro-snipe and anti-snipe "camps".
But, from the posts, many might well conclude that the pro-snipe posts are from predominately eBay buyers, not sellers.
Might be wrong. However, for those posters who so strongly favor the "the snipe", care to list your eBay seller ID here so we could look up how many items you currently list? Certainly would increase your credibility, at least with me.
Heck, I might like something you are listing and snipe it.
Tammy
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lurkyloo
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posted on December 6, 2003 01:38:26 AM new
As a buyer, I would stay far away from a seller who doesn't allow snipes. Unless a seller has blocked a bidder from their auctions, I don't see why they should dictate when and how a legitimate bidder wants to bid. If a seller doesn't like the way I bid, they certainly won't get one from me. JMHO.
Not lurkyloo on eBay
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neroter12
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posted on December 6, 2003 04:37:05 AM new
I could never see them CHARGEING for a proxy bid. That would be crazy. Probably violates some consumer laws about auction bidding, too.
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stonecold613
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posted on December 6, 2003 10:22:37 PM new
wow,
Thepriest thinks he is auctiondoofus
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thepriest
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posted on December 10, 2003 06:59:27 AM new
Hi ....... as an update...please review Ina Steiner's recent AuctionBytes news flash.
thanks
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vidpro2
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posted on December 10, 2003 07:13:30 AM new
[quote]Hi ....... as an update...please review Ina Steiner's recent AuctionBytes news flash.
thanks[/quote]
Referring to this one?
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y03/m12/i10/s01
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thepriest
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posted on December 11, 2003 04:43:08 AM new
Hi... yes, that's it...
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rocketguy
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posted on December 11, 2003 05:22:55 PM new
As someone who is primarily a buyer on eBay and a lurker here I've got to ask this question: do you folks have any idea how stupid this whole topic sounds?
For those sellers that are unhappy with rigid auction stop times I have a suggestion. Stop listing on eBay and take your stuff to a live auction house. Problem solved. You'll have all the bidding wars you want and no more pesky snipers.
For those of you that don't like snipers; get a clue. There is so much merchandise available on eBay that if I found a seller that tried to dictate how and when I bid I'd just move on until I found someone that really wanted my money.
Of course I realize this is just one persons opinion and you'll do as you want anyway. Good luck to you however you proceed. Just remember it's the buyers that hold the key to your success.
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kiara
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posted on December 11, 2003 06:19:19 PM new
Well said, rocketguy. I agree with you.
For an example of how bids go up at the end of an auction, perhaps take a look at this one and then think about the logic of using a program to stop snipers.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2577560245&category=10183
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JapErTOn
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posted on December 11, 2003 06:37:29 PM new
I wonder what the person who bought it thinks about this deal?
http://www.fluteworld.com/Merchant/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=WF-SH&Category_Code=AC38
I don't know much about flutes, though!!!
J
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toolhound
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posted on December 12, 2003 11:05:01 AM new
THANK YOU rocketguy and kiara. Well said and a great example.
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