E bay strategy - Sniping?

[Speicher]

Usually when I bid on anything in Ebay, if the bid fails, I am not too bothered, just the way the cookies crumble!

But, something has been listed that I do really want, and have been looking for about five years, and nearly given up looking. It is a item/design no longer made, but not related to cycling.

I would like to maximise my chances of getting this item. The bidding ends on Monday of next week.

Is it too soon to put a bid in? How do I set up a "snipe" ?
Are there any other strategies you use?

Thank you for your help. I am not normally an acquistive person, but I make an exception in this case.

Your help to a less than competant ebayer is appreciated.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I don't use sniping software myself - I prefer the thrill of the chase - but here is the first entry that comes up when you google "sniping software". Your strategy is sound, and if you can be online when your item ends, resist the temptation to place a bid until the last ten seconds or so. The advantage of this is that you don't needlessly push the price up by bidding too early: the main disadvantage is that if someone has placed a higher maximum bid than yours you don't have time to increase your bid and win the item. Good luck!

 

[PaulSecteur]

There are auto snipers you can use, but you have to put in your ebay credentials so I havent used them, although plenty have.

If you can be at your PC at the time the auction ends you best bet is a manual snipe.

For this you need 2 things...

1-You need to know how good your internet connection is. If you have broadband you should be OK for putting in a bid with just 10 seconds to go.

2-You need you know your "Absolute top maximum" bid value.

The way I do it is within 5 mins of the auction ending have 2 internet windows open, one showing the item with the countdown clock, and another where I have put in my bid ammount and it is at the page wit the "confirm bid" button.

When the countdown gets to 10 seconds I confirm my bid. As I have put in my absolute max bid I will either win it or not. For example, I put in my max bid as £50 and the highest bid by someone else is £30, I will win and pay £31. If someone else has bid higher I will loose because it has gone over my max bid.

Its all about setting the max you are willing to pay and not getting into a bidding war 4 days from the finish.

Hope that helps,

Paul.

 

[gaz]

The advantage of this is that you don't needlessly push the price up by bidding too early: the main disadvantage is that if someone has placed a higher maximum bid than yours you don't have time to increase your bid and win the item. Good luck!

Spot on.

+ stragegy for selling, always make sure your items end between 5pm and 9pm on a sunday, most people are in at those times

 

[simon_adams_uk]

I've used this in the past
http://www.vrane.com/snp.html
Although I agree that sniping does ruin the 'thrill of the chase' somewhat

S

 

[Speicher]

Thank you RT. I will read that through. Can I ask tho' does sniping work like a normal "maximum bid", in that what you pay is just slightly more than what the next nearest bidder offered?

Oh, lots of other people have posted as well thank you.

On this occasion, I can do without the thrill of the chase. The bidding ends at 4 pm next Monday.

 

[chillyuk]

I sold a bike last week, ended on Saturday morning. I was watching the auction, and it went from £50 to it's final £82 in the last 10 seconds.

When buying I often pop a last second bid in. I don't use sniping software though. If the item is something I cannot live without and have to have it an whatever cost, with a few seconds to go I place a bid far in excess of the item worth and just hope some other fool doesn't do the same thing!!

 

[gbb]

I'm not a 'program' sniper, i like to do it myself, and especially in your case, you want to be flexible....see how its doing in the last minute and adjust your expectations and bids accordingly.
Sniping programs dont allow you to be flexible if you really do want the item.

Personally, i like to put in one bid early on...thats just to be fair to the seller (as a seller myself, it's so disheartening to see no bids...then it goes cheap in the end)..that early bid makes me feel fairer...you dont have to, but my concience feels better when i do.

When it comes to crunch time, those last few seconds, put in a bid at least two incrememnts above the next bid amount.. more is better if its still well within your budget.

Alternatively, contact the seller and ask if he is prepared to take a buy it now for an agreed amount. It can work sometimes. A colleague just got a roll bar for his truck that way. Similar items were selling for 20% more than he offered...it seemed the seller either hadnt done his homework or just wanted a quick sale.

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

Just stick the maximum you want to pay at the start - ebay will auotobid up to this amount.

Often sellers use 'shill bidders' - so you may get a mysterious 'second chance offer' if outbid

It's just not cricket is it - has happened to me a few times.

 

[swee'pea99]

auctionstealer.com Three hits per week is free, beyond that you have to pay. I've used it for several years, free, with never a hitch.

It will bid, 10 seconds from the close, the maximum you are prepared to pay. ebay will then make you the winner at the lowest possible price, unless you get outbid. Eg, your maximum £20; next highest bid at close of auction £10; you win, at £10.50.

 

[Speicher]

Is that different to "Sniping"? My maximum bid will probably be quite high, but do not want to pay a huge amount more than the next bidder.

 

[swee'pea99]

I'm not a 'program' sniper, i like to do it myself, and especially in your case, you want to be flexible....see how its doing in the last minute and adjust your expectations and bids accordingly. No no no! That's just a recipe for getting carried away. One of the main pros of sniping software is that you can sit down calmly a week ahead and decide your maximum, and that's that.
Sniping programs dont allow you to be flexible if you really do want the item.

Personally, i like to put in one bid early on...thats just to be fair to the seller (as a seller myself, it's so disheartening to see no bids...then it goes cheap in the end)..that early bid makes me feel fairer...you dont have to, but my concience feels better when i do. No no no! All is fair in love and war. And ebay auctions. They want the highest price; you want the lowest. End of.

Good luck!

 

[swee'pea99]

Is that different to "Sniping"? My maximum bid will probably be quite high, but do not want to pay a huge amount more than the next bidder.

That *is* sniping. The amount 'more' you pay is set by ebay, which has varying 'increments' at different levels. I'm not sure what they are, but it's something like up to £10, it will beat the next best bid by 20p; from £10 to £50, it will beat the next best bid by 50p; from £50 to £250, by £1...and so on. You will never pay more than you need to to win.

 

[Crankarm]

I have lost a couple of items, good camera lenses to other bidders using bid cheat software. On one a rather nice fast Canon L pro lens I got a highest bid literally in the last second (bid history) only for it to be beaten by £1 by another bidder. This happened to me on two occasions. I complained to Ebay that I suspected bid cheat sofware had been used. Ebay's response was basically that it was outlawed but that they didn't really give a sh1t as they saw nothing irregular in bidding patterns. Which they wouldn't as the more an item achieves, the greater their commission.

The bid cheat software only seems to come into effect on the highest bid immediately before the auction ends.

 

[Speicher]

[quote name='swee'pea99']That *is* sniping. The amount 'more' you pay is set by ebay, which has varying 'increments' at different levels. I'm not sure what they are, but it's something like up to £10, it will beat the next best bid by 20p; from £10 to £50, it will beat the next best bid by 50p; from £50 to £250, by £1...and so on. You will never pay more than you need to to win.[/QUOTE]

So Auction Stealer is a "sniping" programme, and there are others.

My maximum bid on a sniping programme will be slightly above the next bidder, not thirty or more pounds.

As you say, I can calmly decide on my maximum bid, and not get carried away.

I think I need to practice setting up a snipe, there are some items ending this week, that I would like. So I can register, and make some mistakes before endangering my Important Bid.

Please note you will be very disappointed if (?) you find out what it is.