Automatic Bidding and Sniping during online auctions

[Darkbulb]

I put a snipe bid 100% of the time these days. I found that if I don't I get suckered into 'one more dollar....one more' as the price edges up.
This way I have to give what I really consider a fair price a long thought...enter it and then basically forget about the auction until it ends.
I'd say I've won some auctions this way - but also of course lost a ton but in the end I always had a good feeling about winning or losing from looking at the final amount.

 

[Nick_S]

I've only ever bought one item (a pair of DiMarzio pickups for a guitar) on eBay, and that was a bargain for me. I bought in the traditional manner, ended up getting two, brand new items in box, for less than half of what one would have cost retail

I bowed out of eBay soon after as I realised I could bankrupt myself easily

Then I discovered wet shaving....

 

[Dj-Steved]

Probably just my own paranoia but I have never used any sniping sites as I;m guessing you have to hand over your eBay login details and have never trusted they would be kept safe.

Has any of you guys ever had any account issues?

 

[sɐǝɹpu∀]

Probably just my own paranoia but I have never used any sniping sites as I;m guessing you have to hand over your eBay login details and have never trusted they would be kept safe.

Has any of you guys ever had any account issues?

That's why I use JBidwatcher. It's a standalone application that runs on Windows/MacOs/Linux, so your ebay credentials stay on your computer. The program is open source, so if you're paranoid you can get the source code and check for yourself. The only drawback is that your computer needs to be running when the auction ends.
I've been using it for years.

 

[Darkbulb]

That's why I use JBidwatcher. It's a standalone application that runs on Windows/MacOs/Linux, so your ebay credentials stay on your computer. The program is open source, so if you're paranoid you can get the source code and check for yourself. The only drawback is that your computer needs to be running when the auction ends.
I've been using it for years.

Does it come with a tinfoil hat or do you have to make your own?

 

[UKRob]

...Fishing forums are full of armchair anglers too, it's just an online disease.

But I always fished from a chair - although I have to agree that carrying an armchair to the river bank is a bit over the top.

 

[chrisbd]

Personally, I don't use a sniping service, not that I have any ethical objections to them. I should probably use one, as I have a tendency to watch stuff and then forget to bid, although I confess I am usually a 7 second ninja - if I remember / can be bothered at all. I think the main reason I don't snipe is that I watch loads of stuff, mainly out of curiosity, with no real intention of bidding/buying.

The people who really wind me up are the bidding wars that start up when there are still 6 days left to go.

+1. Most of the time I watch items of interest trying to get a sense of price trends. Still haven't figured it, unless it's Fatboy Toggle razors (and more recently Fatboys) at inflated "Buy It Now" prices.

An early bidding frenzy punctures my interest.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Dave-the-rave]

I usually BIN. That way I get what I want at a price I'm happy with.
Every Dick and his Donkey is bidding on those auctions.

 

[DevonStan]

Probably just my own paranoia but I have never used any sniping sites as I;m guessing you have to hand over your eBay login details and have never trusted they would be kept safe.

Has any of you guys ever had any account issues?

'Goofbid' for me. Never had any problems. Have been outbid many times but never any security issues to my knowledge. Just put in my maximum bid and click and forget. I get a note to say if I've been outbid as soon as the other, higher, bidder places his bid and out-does me....otherwise I get a note to say I've been successful. Can't really see a problem but then much of the above debate has gone clean over my head.

 

[Purbeck]

Does anyone really bid the old fashioned way anymore ? I've been sniping for as long as I can remember as I was fed up with losing out at the last minute. I assumed it was the norm these days.
Pretty sure Ebay put in overtime bidding a few years ago to maximise profit - when that counter hits zero there is about 20 seconds left where the snipes pile in. You won't see it on the screen but bids are definitely accepted after the zero.

 

[Billyfergie]

Well..The Way I See it on EBay is that You Bid You're Max for what its Worth to You or What You Would Otherwise Pay..I Don't See it as Winning Anything..I Just Paid More or Less than the Other Person..

Some of the Best Deals I Have Got are BINs Because Folks Just Sit & Stare at them..Never Quite Got that One..

Billy

 

[Gordy]

Pretty sure Ebay put in overtime bidding a few years ago to maximise profit - when that counter hits zero there is about 20 seconds left where the snipes pile in. You won't see it on the screen but bids are definitely accepted after the zero.

That doesn't seem legit, an end of something is an end period. I can't say I've noticed this happening on any auctions I've taken part in, the page usually refreshes straight away to tell me I've been successful, or not.
I must say though, I also prefer BIN to auctions.

 

[Purbeck]

That doesn't seem legit, an end of something is an end period. I can't say I've noticed this happening on any auctions I've taken part in, the page usually refreshes straight away to tell me I've been successful, or not.
I must say though, I also prefer BIN to auctions.

I've watched the auction end and seen the +1, +2 etc in red. Bids are still accepted in this time. It's probably also giving the extra processing time should a plethora of snipe bids come in at once.

 

[UKRob]

Have to say that I've never experienced 'overtime' in any auction I've followed. However, I'm wondering if a digital 'lapse' is possible.

 

[Chris]

Having done a bit of reading it seems to me that one thing the sniping services would be useful for is that as your bid isn't submitted until the final seconds you haven't actually bid, so a change of heart is easy. The other thing is that Gixen claims that you can bid on several items and when you win one it'll cancel the others.

Having had a bit of a splurge on the BST recently I think I'll be staying off Evilbay for a bit though...