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eBay: anti-sniping policy?

Hi

It's been ages since I last used eBay when I've had to snipe auctions. It seems that when I count down the clock and put in a bid at roughly 10 seconds to go it states that the auction has already ended when I placed my bid. This means that I have to snipe earlier, probably at 30 seconds.

Has anyone noticed this? I only bother to snipe to try and stop even more bids being made, so I get a lower price for the item. This is useful for computer preipherals!

I've looked on their website and haven't come across this, unless I've overlooked something.

Any pointers?

Reply 1

thefish_uk

14

NDGAARONDI

Hi

It's been ages since I last used eBay when I've had to snipe auctions. It seems that when I count down the clock and put in a bid at roughly 10 seconds to go it states that the auction has already ended when I placed my bid. This means that I have to snipe earlier, probably at 30 seconds.

Has anyone noticed this? I only bother to snipe to try and stop even more bids being made, so I get a lower price for the item. This is useful for computer preipherals!

I've looked on their website and haven't come across this, unless I've overlooked something.

Any pointers?

Hmm, I don't see any way in which they can have a rule against snipers which would actually work, because the snipers would tag on and just bid before that deadline comes instead.

Anyway, sniping is a pretty dirty strategy which annoys people a lot... I mean, if you see an auction which is going to end soon then fine, but if you wait while it ends just so you can bid and pip someone to it, then that's irritating.

Reply 2

PrOdiGy_

listing times correctly can be dependant on your internet connection. also im not entirely sure what youre asking

Reply 3

thefish_uk

14

PrOdiGy_

listing times correctly can be dependant on your internet connection. also im not entirely sure what youre asking

Yeah, how do you know when there's only 10 seconds left, you keep refreshing until it says 1 minute remaining then count down? eBay isn't meant for this kind of high precision stuff. Maybe their web server is slightly out of sync with the actual database/auction server or something, plus the lag on your own internet connection...

Reply 4

sleepyeba

9

I have sniped (and competing with another sniper too) down to the last 2 seconds. I don't have a problem, and I'm on BT broadband.. which is um, variable. Maybe you wait too long in between refreshing, or the page takes too long to load.

Reply 5

NDGAARONDI

OP

16

I have broadband myself - 512k internet line with CPU resources well reserved. I didn't make it too close a call, as I attempted to list my bid around 15 seconds to go. I wouldn't bother sniping but I also find it irritating that people put in a maximum bid, become outbidded, and put in a further maximum, many times over three times for one lot.

Reply 6

PrOdiGy_

oh yeah, i believe that there are also some programs you can get to do that upto a certain chosen amount.........

Reply 7

NDGAARONDI

OP

16

PrOdiGy_

oh yeah, i believe that there are also some programs you can get to do that upto a certain chosen amount.........

Oh I know about them. Also web based providers who do it for you too.

Reply 8

TheWolf

15

http://www.ezsniper.com/

Highly recommended!

Reply 9

mobb_theprequel

15

Sniping is cool: an item which I was selling got bid up from £60 to £76 (6 bids) in the last minute. :biggrin:

Random point (I've only just started using Ebay, so forgive me if I sound stupid) but how does the "Second Chance Bidding" work? Does it mean that somebody can bid for an item after the auction has closed?

Reply 10

visesh

17

I managed to snipe 2 weeks ago and won. The time it takes for the snipe to go through depends on eBay traffic at that time. What time od the day/week was your auction?

Reply 11

NDGAARONDI

OP

16

TheWolf

http://www.ezsniper.com/

Highly recommended!

They're handy for bidding on auctions that are ending when you are not there to physically bid for yourself, such as at work, uni or asleep. How long do they leave it to snipe before the auction ends?

Also http://www.auctionstealer.co.uk - they do it up to 7 seconds to go. But using a 2Mbps connection at college, I managed to snipe an auction manually with two seconds to go. The auctionstealer.co.uk's paid service only does it to 3 seconds. So I can beat someone using them :cool:

Reply 12

NDGAARONDI

OP

16

visesh

What time od the day/week was your auction?

Today at 5pm ish. I only bothered sniping because it's a 1TB external hard disc. The item itself was located in the USA. Despite shipping costs that disc might have come £200 cheaper than the cheapest one I can find on price comparison websites for shops located in the UK.

Reply 13

pghstochaj

11

thefish_uk

Anyway, sniping is a pretty dirty strategy which annoys people a lot... I mean, if you see an auction which is going to end soon then fine, but if you wait while it ends just so you can bid and pip someone to it, then that's irritating.

Erm, dirty strategy?! Have you never been to a real auction in your life? Sniping is one of the possible methods you use, there are lots but sniping is a good one although not as effective as when it's a fixed time auction.

What is stupid is people bidding up days before and raising the price needlessly, just bid when you want to and everybody else will. If you hate sniping then put in the maximum you will pay, it doesn't matter whether you get sniped or not, if you can afford it you will get it, if not, you won't and never would have, snipe or not.

Sniping on fixed time auctions is one of the best methods to use and anybody who fails to see that should learn a little more about auctions.

Reply 14

pghstochaj

11

mobb_theprequel

Random point (I've only just started using Ebay, so forgive me if I sound stupid) but how does the "Second Chance Bidding" work? Does it mean that somebody can bid for an item after the auction has closed?

Means if the first bidder is an idiot/you end up having more than one item available you can make it available to the second highest bidder for their bid through ebay.

Reply 15

ThePants999

14

thefish_uk

Hmm, I don't see any way in which they can have a rule against snipers which would actually work, because the snipers would tag on and just bid before that deadline comes instead.

How about - randomly postulating - a rule that prevents new bidders from bidding in, say, the last hour of an auction? Only people who had previously bid before that time can bid after it. It won't remove sniping completely, but you at least guarantee that there'll either be no snipers or competing snipers :smile:

Reply 16

Logan

4

well, snipers can be easily defeated.... max bids help a lot, no matter if you snipe at the end you get outbidded, unless your snipe cost is way much larger

Reply 17

pghstochaj

11

nasht

well, snipers can be easily defeated.... max bids help a lot, no matter if you snipe at the end you get outbidded, unless your snipe cost is way much larger

In which case it doesn't make any difference whatsoever when you bid - it's the amount.

The only time "when" comes into it is the normal pyschological bidding procedures....

Reply 18

NDGAARONDI

OP

16

pghstochaj

In which case it doesn't make any difference whatsoever when you bid - it's the amount.

Yep. I just find it annoying that people have 5 or 6 different maximum bids on one item. Just do one.

Reply 19

sleepyeba

9

one way eBay could get around sniping is by showing a range of time left, insted of the exact time, e.g. 1-2 hours --> 30-45 mins --> 15-30 mins --> 0-15 mins.. makes it more difficult to snipe (but still not impossible if you are smart/have enough time on your hands).
But I hope that doesn't happen..

eBay: anti-sniping policy?

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