Auto-bidding software for e-bay...

[gbb]

Auctions work at their best when you don't get carried away with emotion, so I would actually look at the ability to set your limit with a calm head as a plus and then if you don't win, accept that it went over your limit.

The reason that items go for just a little over your limit anyway is due to eBay auto bid automatically incrementing other peoples bids by just enough to win the item.

Nooo no, emotion doesnt come into it.
I look at something, do i REALLY want it, how much am i prepared to pay. I make a judgement early on. I may also re-assess that judgement later on IF i decide i want it that bit more than i did when i started.
BTW, my preferred method is to place an early low bid (just to play fair to the seller), then come in at the end with a final bid. As i said, i may re-assess my maximum depending on how much i want the item, and how much interest there is in it. You never really know until the last few seconds whats going to happen.

Your point about JUST being beaten is correct of course. It may be they bid £10 over what i was prepared to pay, but only the next increment shows. But you still dont know one way or the other.....i still prefer to be flexible in the last few seconds.

 

[Crackle]

Bidnapper: Yes you have to use your e-bay username and password, never had a problem, removes the one more bid emotion, you don't have to be there at auction end and the only time it's failed is when I didn't bid as high as someone else. I can't tell you how many times I've been outbid in the last minute before I used it.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I've never used sniping software myself. I think it would take the fun out of it; I much prefer to watch the items I want as they're finishing and bid manually in the last fifteen seconds or so. If I can't do that I either don't bid, or stick an early bid in up to the maximum I'm prepared to pay.

 

[bonj2]

These programs are - by definition - written for, and more importantly by, people who don't understand the way ebay is supposed to work - so it's quite a leap of faith to assume that they do understand much about internet security.

 

[John the Monkey]

I've used auctionsniper for a few years, and won a few auctions with it.

+1 for auction sniper.

I like the bidgroups function on auction sniper too.

I like sniping because I can put in a maximum and forget about it - like Crackle, I don't like getting caught up in that "Oh well, I'll just bid £x more..."

 

[Maz]

+1 for auction sniper...

Interesting. Today I logged on to my ebay account and was asked to verify a 'scrambled letters/numbers' thing and type it into a little window. Never seen that before.

Would auction-sniper be able to get around that?

 

[dodgy]

That's a 'captcha' dialogue, and it's unlikely that Auction sniper would get around it if it was presented with the same challenge.

Dave.

 

[gbb]

While not questioning the value of sniping programs if you're not going to be there, i MUCH prefer to be there at the end, just for the buzz
Half the fun of ebay is the uncertainty, do you really want the item or are you just looking for a bargain,thinking on your feet (so's to speak), assessing the last minute bids, ...i personally dont want to sanitise it and make it boring.

For me, ebays mostly for bargains and the occasional serious buy. It's for fun. I've won a lot and lost a few.

For those who feel the need, we are all worrying about the security implications of registering your details with the program...but in reality, the fact is millions (probably) of ebayers use sniping progs without a problem. We'd soon know if there was anything dodgy about them.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

While not questioning the value of sniping programs if you're not going to be there, i MUCH prefer to be there at the end, just for the buzz
Half the fun of ebay is the uncertainty, do you really want the item or are you just looking for a bargain,thinking on your feet (so's to speak), assessing the last minute bids, ...i personally dont want to sanitise it and make it boring.

For me, ebays mostly for bargains and the occasional serious buy. It's for fun. I've won a lot and lost a few.

For those who feel the need, we are all worrying about the security implications of registering your details with the program...but in reality, the fact is millions (probably) of ebayers use sniping progs without a problem. We'd soon know if there was anything dodgy about them.

agreed, it's the thrill of the hunt eh?