bizzycrocheting
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posted on March 24, 2004 10:10:36 AM new
I started to include the following in my listings. I hope it comes out sounding complimentary to snipers, but also informative to warn newer bidders. In other words, I'm not discouraging sniping, but teaching new bidders about them and how to bid. What do you think?
"OUTWIT THOSE SLY SNIPERS: A sniper is a bidder who comes in during the last 30 seconds or so of the auction and can snatch this item away from you. Take advantage of Ebay's proxy bidding system. Simply enter the HIGHEST AMOUNT you are willing to pay for this item. Every time a new bid is placed, Ebay will automatically up your bid each time until it reaches the proxy amount you entered. Don't let a sly sniper snatch this item from you!"
Also, I found something I was interested in bidding on this morning. I put in my proxy bid and walked away. A sniper came in and tried to outbid me, but ran out of time and I ended up winning the item. So that is my case in point with the above. Opinions, please!
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replaymedia
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posted on March 24, 2004 10:17:41 AM new
Although everything you say is true, to a newbie that may sound like you are just trying to get them to bid more.
You just really cannot win with this situation.
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
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classicrock000
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posted on March 24, 2004 10:26:24 AM new
as a sniper I think it sucks.I dont want some newbie outbidding me with a proxy
THAT IS ALL
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on March 24, 2004 11:31:00 AM new
I think you could change the wording to sound more like you are educating than trying to get more money:
Try something like:
Some bidders wait until the last minute to bid and some use the proxy bidding. Either way you may want bid the maximum amount you are willing to pay for the item and enter that amount in order to avoid losing the auction by not being able to get back in at the last second etc etc??? Something like that!
Doesn't ebay send newbie an email explaining that it no longer legal to bid before the last 10 minutes anyway?? lol
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Reamond
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posted on March 24, 2004 11:38:20 AM new
A wise bidder also knows that using the proxy strategy will open you up for shill bidding.
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micmic66
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posted on March 24, 2004 11:38:58 AM new
It's amusing to me that this is still a discussion....
Find it-
Like it-
Enter what its worth to ya-
Walk away-
If someone outbids you it was worth more to them than it is to you
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bizzycrocheting
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posted on March 24, 2004 11:56:44 AM new
Ladyjewels -- That's exactly what I would like to do. I would like to educate the new bidders because they don't really know how to bid. I watch them on my auctions trying to bid a quarter at a time and usually they end up losing the item mainly because they don't know any better.
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Reamond
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posted on March 24, 2004 12:03:07 PM new
micmic66 - on the surface I would agree. However, even when a buyer bids only the proxy amount he/she is willing to pay and then gets shilled up to there limit, they are still p1ssed off.
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Libra63
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posted on March 24, 2004 12:05:04 PM new
I don't think there is any way to educate a new bidder how to bid. It takes experince, some bidders find out right away and some have taken awhile.
I don't mind sniping. When I find an item I like I bid. I bid the highest I want to pay for the item plus postage. If someone wants to snipe me that's fine but great for the seller. I love to watch the sniping at the end of the auctions. I have had some jump $50.00.
If is was me I wouldn't say anything about sniping.
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photosensitive
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posted on March 24, 2004 02:22:03 PM new
When you use the words "snatch this item away from you" it seems too judgmental to me. It assumes that someone who is the high bidder for any amount of time "owns" the item. The highest bidder at the end of the auction owns it no matter when they bid. Maybe you could say the sniper wins in the last seconds.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
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stonecold613
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posted on March 24, 2004 07:24:38 PM new
Also, I found something I was interested in bidding on this morning. I put in my proxy bid and walked away. A sniper came in and tried to outbid me, but ran out of time and I ended up winning the item.
This sounds more like you got shilled instead of sniped. You also need to take into account the time of year. This time of the year is one of the slowest throughout the year because of tax time. You statement is honorable, but IMHO just too much info for a newby to try to digest.
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sparkz
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posted on March 24, 2004 08:14:25 PM new
Instead of seperaring the snipers from the proxy bidders, and providing the newbies with a real life education, why not include one simple line in your auctions that reads "50% discount on shipping if you submit the winning bid in the final 15 seconds of the auction" 
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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OhMsLucy
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posted on March 24, 2004 08:17:01 PM new
I like that, Sparkz! Maybe I'll try it...
Lucy
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bizzycrocheting
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posted on March 25, 2004 07:54:32 AM new
Sparkz -- I'm not so sure about that one. You could end up having everyone trying to bid in the last 15 seconds and you could end up with selling it for only 25 cents above your listing price. Can you explain the flip side?
Stonecold -- I don't think I got shilled on this one. I have previously sold to the attempted sniper and know that these are the items that she buys. Of course, I never will know for sure.
Thanks to everyone else for your thoughts and ideas. I'm seriously considering some of them.
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