Sniping on eBay?

[AtomHeartMother]

I'm not usually one to use sniping programs and whatnot, but I'll unfortunately be at work when an auction for an amp I want ends. So, I won't be around to leave a last minute bid like usual.

 

Are there any free programs available? I don't want to pay for something I'll use once. Also, does the computer need to be turned on and whatnot to work?

[Oldskool Texas]

I'm no ebay veteran or anything, but I've bought and sold a few guitars and other gear on it. I have found it far simpler to simply bid the absolute top dollar amount I'd be willing to pay an item and letting the bidding just take its course. Yes, someone might get it for two dollars more, but you gotta draw the line somewhere. AFAIK, even with sniping software you have to set the parameters of what you're willing to spend.

[FckStick Jones]

I'm no ebay veteran or anything, but I've bought and sold a few guitars and other gear on it. I have found it far simpler to simply bid the absolute top dollar amount I'd be willing to pay an item and letting the bidding just take its course. Yes, someone might get it for two dollars more, but you gotta draw the line somewhere. AFAIK, even with sniping software you have to set the parameters of what you're willing to spend.

 

 

Thats ridiculous. Why would you want to give someome time to outbid you by 2$. If your snipe bid ends up being to low then so be it.

 

There are a bunch out there, Esnipe is pretty cool. You get a couple of freebies. Just search cnet.com you'll find plenty.

[GCDEF]

EZSnipe gives you 3 snipes free. It's done from their computers, not yours.

[GCDEF]

I'm no ebay veteran or anything, but I've bought and sold a few guitars and other gear on it. I have found it far simpler to simply bid the absolute top dollar amount I'd be willing to pay an item and letting the bidding just take its course. Yes, someone might get it for two dollars more, but you gotta draw the line somewhere. AFAIK, even with sniping software you have to set the parameters of what you're willing to spend.

 

 

Sniping's useful in that it doesn't let other bidders know they have competition, and it helps avoid the competitive nature of people that want to win at all costs. If somebody has their bid in at say $25 and they're winning and think they're alone, and you bid $26, the human drive to win may make them bid $27 even though they may not otherwise bid that high. If you snipe, they won't have time to respond. Sniping isn't a guaranteed win of course, but there it can help.

[pipedwho]

I've been using this one for years, it's free, and it works well: http://www.jbidwatcher.com/

It's a single program, no adware, no nagware, does what it needs to do and nothing else. And it's easy to use.

[AtomHeartMother]

http://www.ezsniper.com/

 

Is this the one you guys are talking about?

[GCDEF]

http://www.ezsniper.com/ Is this the one you guys are talking about?

 

 

That's the one I was talking about.

[yabba]

I use http://www.auctionsniper.com - you get 3 free snipes there when you sign up as well. it's actually worked for me every time I've resorted to using it.

Hmm... actually, if you send me your email address I can send you a 'referral email' and get free snipes myself! let me know if you're interested

[ianlange11]

http://www.auctionsniper.com/default.aspx

 

You get 3 free winning snipes, if you don't win you don't lose one of the three.

[AtomHeartMother]

I use http://www.auctionsniper.com - you get 3 free snipes there when you sign up as well. it's actually worked for me every time I've resorted to using it. Hmm... actually, if you send me your email address I can send you a 'referral email' and get free snipes myself! let me know if you're interested

PM'd you!

[tomr63]

I use auctionsniper too. I use it all the time.

[strangedogs]

Nothing beats actual "sniping"... I have my wife do it as she's home or I run to a local Library close-by if I'm working (I'm a contractor so I can leave when I want)... I keep 3 seperate windows open and ready with bids already to go and wait for the last 45 seconds... much more satisfying

[GibsonQC]

I've used ezsnipe and bidnip. Bidnip is my favorite--www.bidnip.com

 

You can put in the # of seconds to bid before the auction ends (6 is almost a sure-winner, providing you bid a decent amount), and they only deduct from your balance if you win the auction. 20 snipes is only $5, they take paypal, and there are NO percentages to pay. Some bidding agencies will charge you a percent of the auction cost.

 

I think they give you some freebies when you sign up, too.

 

Good luck, and welcome to the world of sniping!

[marauder6666]

I always snipe, but always do it manually, its so satisfying winning that way.

[Oldskool Texas]

Thats ridiculous. Why would you want to give someome time to outbid you by 2$. If your snipe bid ends up being to low then so be it.

 

 

And how is that any different than just bidding your max in the first place?

If your bid ends up too low, "so be it." The fact is, you can get beaten by $2.00 anyway.

[Burning Babies]

And how is that any different than just bidding your max in the first place? If your bid ends up too low, "so be it." The fact is, you can get beaten by $2.00 anyway.

 

 

It doesn't make a difference if you have a max price and are bidding against other bidders who are also putting up their max. Where it makes a difference is bidding against people who throw out multiple lowball bids. Those people will keep bidding higher and higher until they are the high bidder. By sniping, they never get a chance to one up you.

[FckStick Jones]

And how is that any different than just bidding your max in the first place? If your bid ends up too low, "so be it." The fact is, you can get beaten by $2.00 anyway.

 

 

It's completely different. Why would you give someone all day to top your bid.

 

Why is this so hard to understand?

 

It's free, simple to use and it works.

[Mazi Bee]

I use Auction Sentry. It's free for the first 10 days. If you like it, then you can buy a license for like $15. Totally worth it.

 

What I like about it is that you don't have to enter your personal eBay user info on some 3rd party website. Auction Sentry is a small program that runs on your PC only. So there's no security issues.

 

Plus, the guy that created it sends out automatic updates to the software.

 

http://www.auction-sentry.com/

 

And yes, your PC has to be on and connected to the internet in order for the software to work.

[DRPool]

E-snipe has worked great for me. When I started with them it was 5 freebies IIRC and since then it is a product of the auction price. I'm not a big spender but it's a great way to 'set it and forget it'. Give one of them a try, there's nothing sweeter than a well executed snipe with 4 seconds left. Booyaa.

[stanfield]

I keep 3 seperate windows open and ready with bids already to go and wait

 

 

that is genius.

[Pope on a Rope]

I like to bid my max right up front. I rarely ever pay my max when I win an auction anyway. The only way I am going to lose is if someone outbids me. It doesn't matter to me if the price gets driven up all day or all week. I don't care if I don't get the item for rockbottom, I have a set price and that's what I am willing to pay. I usually just bid on Items that aren't easily found locally. I bid to win not get a deal. If I pay a little more than I need to. . . oh well, I got what I wanted.

I know I'll win if I bid max because I'd probably be bidding against you cheap bastards anyway.

[Oldskool Texas]

It's completely different. Why would you give someone all day to top your bid.Why is this so hard to understand? It's free, simple to use and it works.

Oh, I see. I was under the impression that in both cases, you had to set your maximum bid, and if someone exceeded your max they'd win the item. I guess I'm way off.

But thanks for posting in such a condescending tone, Fckstick. That's what I love about the internet: you get to converse with so many assholes you wouldn't otherwise get to meet.

[DARKMETL/]

I dont think Jones was trying to be condescending necessarily, probably more to do with having the same argument over and over again trying to explain why this works. It really only works when the person with the current bid has bid their maximum already, of course you dont know this and are comfortable in topping their bid in the last second....BINGO, you win and dont give him the chance to outbid you since you sniped last second.
It gets tiring explaining it all the time and that can sometimes lead to a condescending tone like remark.

[jeverist]

That bid waiting around all day waiting for someone to top it is likely not the highest the user was willing to bid.

Bidding early with the maximum you are willing to bid is every bit as valid a bidding strategy as sniping, and will actually most often beat a snipers bid.

Why? Because snipers are looking for deals. The average person who puts in a max bid has either bid at a fair price or even a few dollars higher. Someone sniping for a bargain is not going to beat that max bid.

Sniping works a) if you are lucky and find something that has been underbidded b) if you are stupid enough to overpay with your last minute snipe bid. Its not going to regularly beat people who put in fair bids early on, unless you fall under category b - aka the stupid snipe bids.

It's completely different. Why would you give someone all day to top your bid. Why is this so hard to understand? It's free, simple to use and it works.