Author Topic: Sniping on eBay (Read 8745 times)

Hounk · « **on:** January 22, 2015, 07:36:33 AM »

I recommend "sniping" if you want to be successful at eBay. That means, that you place your bid just a few seconds, before the auction ends, preventing other bidders to raise their offer once more. I never put a second offer on a running auction and snipe whenever it is possible (for me to be online, when an auction ends).

For that, it is important to estimate in advance, what you are max. willing to pay for the product. It's best to calculate this at least an hour before the auction ends. (If the retailer tells the shipping costs to your region, otherwise you have to ask him and give him/her naturally more time, to answer you.) And once you figured that out, stick to it. There is a wonderful picture of a German auction of an Ikea voucher worth 50€ sold for 64 €. (That means, there had been two idiots: the "lucky" one and one, who was willing to pay 63 €.)

So don't let yourself been carried away, because somebody else was willing to pay more. If you know before, what it's worth for you,then let himor her have it! And look out for the next auction.

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=1475.0

jungleboy · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2015, 07:38:56 AM »

Quote from: BabyGamer on January 22, 2015, 07:13:54 AM

If I paid 5 euro for the tunnel, I'll be damned to pay 20 for Darmstadt..

Speaking of which, you haven't found any other €5 copies of the Tunnel by any chance, have you?

Hounk · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2015, 07:42:19 AM »

This would interest me, too.

danisthirty · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2015, 07:45:52 AM »

Quote from: Hounk on January 22, 2015, 07:36:33 AM

I recommend "sniping" if you want to be successful at eBay. That means, that you place your bid just a few seconds, before the auction ends, preventing other bidders to raise their offer once more. I never put a second offer on a running auction and snipe whenever it is possible (for me to be online, when an auction ends).

You can even get “sniping” programs which will put your bid in at the last possible moment for you. I’ve never used one, but I know of people who have.

Although it’s an effective way of winning auctions and most people seem to do it, I’m not a big fan of sniping. I don’t know why eBay even allows it either, as it seems like it should be very easy to add, say, 10 minutes to the end-date of an auction if it receives a bid in the last 30 seconds. This would give other interested bidders a chance to respond with a counter-bid which would ultimately drive up prices (meaning more money for the seller and eBay) and ensure that whoever is genuinely prepared to pay the most wins the auction.

I dare say there must be reasons why they don’t do this but it seems like a good idea to my simple mind...

Hounk · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2015, 08:00:03 AM »

Well, if they would put a "10 minute to end" limit, it would sure just make no difference to me. I would still just give my bid at the last time possible for me. Like I sometimes give a bid half a day before the auction ends, because I know (or at least think) in advance, that it would not be possible for me to be online later on. (And I still won auctions like that.) Nevertheless, I would not be genuinely prepared to pay more than, what I place on my bid, well probably a few cent more would make no difference. If I win the auction like that, and it comes close to my initial offer, I am pleased, but I never consider it a "great bargain", that happens, when the second best offer is really much smaller, than my own one.

It happens quite often as well, that I am just preparing myself to "snipe", when eBay tells me, that there was already someone willing to pay more. Than the auction is finished for me, I check, if there is an other auction to put an eye on or logout at eBay.

BabyGamer · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2015, 11:19:07 AM »

Sniping machine? Hmm.. Sounds complicated... $:-\$ What if everyone has one and then they all bid at the exact same time just before the item closes, will it not malfunction then?

My bid just got overbid...

So annoying.. *whines*

Andrew the Ambo · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2015, 01:59:31 PM »

In New Zealand we have TradeMe. This is, per capita, way bigger than ebay, but is NZ based only. It will extend an auction for 2 minutes after the last bid is placed to prevent sniping. Although I tend to wait so if someone else had a bid they do not think there is other interest in the auction and do not actively watch the end of it. If you place your bid with 2 minutes to go, they may not even realise they do not lead the bidding as well. Sneaky.

Whaleyland · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2015, 02:22:09 PM »

I hate TradeMe. Everyone thinks its the same thing as craigslist here (they also all seem to think craigslist is really just a child prostitution service). They are totally different and TradeMe really is not that helpful at anything except overpriced, second-hand lawn chairs. Virtually everything we've bought her to furnish our house has been from garage sales because TradeMe was just annoying. Craigslist: first come, first served; no bidding, just arrange a time to pick it up; free items are allowed and encouraged (no such option on TradeMe); specifically regionalised so you can search only in your specific community. Ugh. Kiwis!