ESNIPE ON EBAY

[Dave James]

I'm an end game bidder too. Sometimes that costs me because I wait a few seconds too long to submit a bid and an item I would've won goes to someone else because I didn't pull the trigger fast enough. Caveat emptor.

What I don't understand at this point, is why anyone even bothers to bid while an auction is ongoing. There are so many snipers out there, it's almost like anyone who bids before an auction concludes is just wasting their time. So, who does this? I suspect it's mostly neophyte bidders who really don't understand how the game has come to be played, or others who just think they'll get lucky and grab something that stays under everyone else's radar. I'd guess that in a couple of years, you simply won't see any action on any item until the very last second. Not sure that matters much in the great scheme of things. I suppose that might make it a little harder on the seller (of which I am not one), but that kind of goes with the territory.

With regard to sniping programs, I don't use them, but I think I understand how they work. Seems to me this takes some of the fun and excitement out of the bidding process.

Up over and out.

Edited April 18, 2005 by Dave James

[Brad]

Like Jazzmoose said, it doesn't matter if you lead the whole way but where you are at the end. I think to call it sniping is pejorative. You're just trying to make sure you get the item for the least amount possible. Where this would be useful is having a bid at the last possible second. You always try to time it correctly but that doesn't always work and then you never get a chance to bid. So if the servers of esnipe and ebay are properly synchronized, you could at least get it in. This sounds like a business ebay would want to purchase as it's only to get bigger and lead to more money, a la paypal, which they now own. Anything that will get them more money will be of interest to them.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Back then, children were taught the value of thrift

I continue to find it amazing that the fed. govt. has made absolutely no effort over the decades to whip together a brief ad campaign stressing the importance of saving money.

[AmirBagachelles]

I laughed too when I saw that comment about being on the top the longest. A world without sniping would be like a world without two-out come from behind victories in the bottom of the ninth. If you're crying about sniping, you've probably got some other issues to tend to.

[porcy62]

Back then, children were taught the value of thrift

I continue to find it amazing that the fed. govt. has made absolutely no effort over the decades to whip together a brief ad campaign stressing the importance of saving money.

Are you serious? The whole system is based on overconsuming.

[Brad]

Back then, children were taught the value of thrift

I continue to find it amazing that the fed. govt. has made absolutely no effort over the decades to whip together a brief ad campaign stressing the importance of saving money.

I use to have a pretty cool eagle looking bank when I was a kid, almost looked like one of those German type eagles. Apropos of not saving enough, there was an article this past weekend (can't remember where) indicating that most people are not really ready for retirement or even thinking about saving for retirement.

[Jazzmoose]

With regard to sniping programs, I don't use them, but I think I understand how they work. Seems to me this takes some of the fun and excitement out of the bidding process.

Without a doubt. I would imagine most only use them for times that are incovenient. There's nothing as satisfying as a sucessful manual snipe on eBay. Snatching that puppy away with three seconds left to go and imagining the look on Conn's face is priceless...

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Snatching that puppy away with three seconds left to go and imagining the look on Conn's face is priceless...

[connoisseur series500]

With regard to sniping programs, I don't use them, but I think I understand how they work.  Seems to me this takes some of the fun and excitement out of the bidding process. 

Without a doubt. I would imagine most only use them for times that are incovenient. There's nothing as satisfying as a sucessful manual snipe on eBay. Snatching that puppy away with three seconds left to go and imagining the look on Conn's face is priceless...

...Conn frowns a bit, then breathes a sigh of relief he didn't end up spending more money...

[wolff]

Remenber Dr. Larry from eBay? For months this guy sniped me on everything I was bidding on. I had zero luck with manual bidding. He spent around 20K in a few months. I'm sure he was imagining the look on my face. He's a big reason I now use Esnipe. If you can't beat 'em.....

Edited April 19, 2005 by wolff