Getting so sick and tired of being 'sniped'

[mjkacmom]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who thrives on the adrenaline rush of a last second bid! I always do it manually and really, I can't think of a time I've lost (but I also make use of buy it now, and will not even bother to bid at all if the price is higher than I want to pay in the hours before an auction closes). And it's a dirty secret, but if there are a lot of bids early on I'm always suspicious that the seller has a friend or second account that's being used to drive up the price. Last week I snagged a vintage lunchbox I wanted, got it for $65. and the one selling earlier in the day (with lots of early bids) went for $260. which was way out of line (wasn't in perfect condition of anything like that).

The only thing that matters in an auction is the last minute. Bidding 4 days earlier and watching it and re-entering bids only drives up the price and potential interest. Save time and money by waiting until the last minute.

Now, if only I can get my dh to understand that the only part of the football game that matters is the last 10 minutes or so. It's what decides who wins or loses, right?

I can't understand why someone would start bidding days ahead of time. All it does is drive up the price! And they're the ones I seem to encounter bidding on something I really want, and I would love to email them and tell them we can have a sniping war at the end, but STOP making the price increase! Bidding on ebay is like watching a basketball game - you just need to watch the end. I usually set up an alarm the day an auction I'm watching is going to end as a reminder of when to snipe.

 

[JessicaR]

I can't understand why someone would start bidding days ahead of time. All it does is drive up the price! And they're the ones I seem to encounter bidding on something I really want, and I would love to email them and tell them we can have a sniping war at the end, but STOP making the price increase! Bidding on ebay is like watching a basketball game - you just need to watch the end. I usually set up an alarm the day an auction I'm watching is going to end as a reminder of when to snipe.

Some pople dont have the time to sit and watch an auction. If I see something I want, I bid the highest amount I'm willing to pay and walk away. I find out when I'm emailed if I win. I guess thats not the norm. I honestly never looked at it your way.

 

[Magic Mom]

The snipe doesn't win by 10, 15, 20 bucks. They win by a dollar. I put it 'retail' price for this item. It really has nothing to do with the amount. Had that amount gone in more than 7 seconds before the auction ended, I would have raised mine - KWIM?

It doesn't give you a chance to raise your bid. And they don't have some obnoxiously higher than you were willing to pay, amount.

Why is it OK for you to bid 7 seconds out and not OK for someone else to bid 2 seconds out? I'm sorry, but it sounds like sour grapes to me.

 

[Magic Mom]

ETA: I'm a sniper myself. I do it by hand, and you wouldn't know if it was electronic or manual by looking at the auction.

Me too.

 

[Angelhalo]

Sorry you got sniped Cat! I hate when that happens too.

Although, I must admit I have definitely bid on something and won at the very last second...however I don't think I've ever bid on and won anything that already had someone bidding on it.

Anyhoo everyone likes to vent now and then, even when they acknowledge that they are being whiney. Sometimes things just frustrate us and the only way to move past it is to just vent and let it all out. I don't understand why everything always has to turn so sour around here

Here's a hug for your lost item And may you find another one soon!

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I guess this is why I don't go to ebay I have never heard of sniping until now

 

[Disney-Kim]

eBay.

It never fails, I get sniped all - the - flipping - time. Always by a buck, always within seconds of auction end, always by someone who had no bids the entire auction.

I hate to sound like a whiny kid, but it's not fair!!! The auction I lost last night, ended at midnight. I stayed up to be sure I got it and 7 seconds before auction end *POOF* it's gone.

It's making the entire eBay experience -SUCK- lately. Not even worth it anymore. I wasted sleep, last night only to get sniped in 7 seconds.

I use a snipe service any time I buy on Ebay...I don't have the time to sit and watch for my item's auction to End. It only cost a fraction of your auction...you should really try using one !!

 

[Silent1CB]

I use a sniper, but its very rare that I'm bidding on something that anyone else is ever interested in.

 

[HeWhoMustNotBeNamed]

I am a big-time sniper ... Just last night won 12 auctions for silver-age comics on Ebay, each one a snipe. (I actually type in bid in last 5 seconds)

The thrill of the hunt.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

This has turned into a Sniper's Anonymous thread.

My name is Mare and I am a Sniper. I haven't bid on anything in a very long time, but I always waited until the last few seconds, sometimes winning, sometimes losing. What a rush! I had no idea there was a term for it...I thought I was just bidding.

 

[Tinijocaro]

So then it comes down to which sniping software is quicker, or waits the longest? That's not bidding. Again, IMO.

.

No, it comes down to who has the highest maximum bid-plain and simple. You are losing auctions because your high bid is not high enough.

Don't wait for the chance to raise your high bid late in the auction, just put your absolute high bid at the start of the auction, then you won't feel bad when you lose because you know that was your absolute max. The rules are different for online auctions than real life auctions. Either put down your absolute max right at the start of your bidding, or join the snipers.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I get up this morning to a nasty, all caps email from the only other bidder about how I sniped her and how unfair it is, blah, blah, blah. I deleted it. Sorry but it was what it was. I didn't sit around sinisterly plotting to overthrow her $12 bid.

How did that person get your email address?? When I see bidders, all they show is first letter, a bunch of stars, then last letter. This was done to prevent these types of emails. Like this r*****g. I'm curious.

 

[dcentity2000]

It annoys me. I always put down the maximum amount I'd be willing to part with and so what if I lose? C'est la vie.



Rich::

 

[Tinijocaro]

The snipe doesn't win by 10, 15, 20 bucks. They win by a dollar. I put it 'retail' price for this item. It really has nothing to do with the amount. Had that amount gone in more than 7 seconds before the auction ended, I would have raised mine - KWIM?

It doesn't give you a chance to raise your bid. And they don't have some obnoxiously higher than you were willing to pay, amount.

That's the problem you're having-you aren't putting your absolute max right from the get-go. No one will know your max. It won't automatically bid your max until someone else places a higher bid than what your current high bid is.

For example: Current max is 1.00, you are willing to pay 20.00 so you enter that, but it will only show your bid as 1.50. If someone else bids 2.00, it will up your max to 2.50. Little by little. It doesn't automatically jump to your max right way.

That's why the snipers are beating you by only a buck. It will only raise it .50 or a dollar, to make someone else the max bidder. Does that make sense?

 

[Tinijocaro]

What infuriates me are "fighters"!

I'd love to throttle those bidders that exhibit what I consider childish behavior. It's the same as "That's mine", "No, it's mine" tug of war kids do when arguing over a toy or game.

!

The last time I was an Ebay fighter was 10 years ago. I was in a bidding war with someone else for an adorable dress that my 2 year old dd HAD to have! We just kept going back and forth dirving the price up. I won it at 35.00 (a HUGE amount for a used dress-I'm pretty thrifty) and after, I kicked myself realizing that I had driven the price up so high. I HAD to keep seeing my name as the high bidder-it was a matter of ego. Ever since then, I've been sniping, either by hand or using esnipe.

 

[LisaR]

How did that person get your email address?? When I see bidders, all they show is first letter, a bunch of stars, then last letter. This was done to prevent these types of emails. Like this r*****g. I'm curious.

I forwarded the email to Ebay. Hopefully they will give me an answer.

 

[tinatark]

I don't consider bidding at the last minute/second sniping - sometimes when I'm "browsing" I will sort by ending soonest auctions and bid if a high bid is low.

I don't like the sniping services - if you want an item, either bid your max when you make your bid, or watch the auction and bid again if you are out bid.

I agree the software is not fair to other bidders - borderline unethical. Not in the spirit of "auction" if your software (not "you") are swooping in at the last second with a bid.

 

[travelbug]

3. My personal wish: I wish that Ebay would change their methods so that an auction is automatically extended if there is a bid in the last minute or so. Hence, if there is 10 seconds left on an auction, and a new bid comes in that raises the amount, then the auction automatically extends for five minutes. Then, after a five minute period has gone by without a new bid, the auction ends.

I have been to 'real' auctions, and I have never seen an auctioneer, during a period of hot bidding, announce "Times up! No more bids!"

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

Dh and I usually bid in the last minute of an auction. Why bid earlier if we can be around when the auction comes to an end. I never realized it was frowned up we just thought it was part of Ebay. Dh just one me the Disney dooney and bourke purse for what it costs at the park by bidding in the last minute!

 

[mommy2allgirls]

oh and we don't use a service, I didn't know there was such a thing. We do our bids manually.

OP I am sorry you were upset, I understand and have been there too