Bid Sniping

Question

I just got sniped again. I was the only person to bid on this item in 8 days. I was watching the clock tick down, and when it got down to 2 seconds, the screen flashed and it said I didn't win. This person outbid me by .50. I had a higher maximum bid in, so first they had to figure out what that was. I defy anyone to do that manually in 2 seconds. I'm sure eBay could put a stop to this practice if they wanted to. I implore other eBay users to let them know you oppose this tactic as unfair and di...

woodland_gnome · Answer

Sniping is a defensive tactic that is the best single defense against shilling sellers. You have no need and no right to know anything about my bid to be able to bid effectively. Why didn't you bid what you were willing to pay when you had the chance? Why do you think the other bidders owe you the information on their bid? You had x days (usually 7) to bid what the item was worth to you, why did you insist on bidding less than that?

eBay's auction format is what makes it fair to those in up to 24 timezones with different work/sleep/computer schedules. Anyone can bid what the item is worth to them at any time and anyone can set up with a third party (there are reliable and secure ones which offer free limited use) to submit that bid in the last few seconds to get the defensive benefits of not having one's hidden maximum out there for others (again, including shilling sellers) to probe or otherwise base their bids on. Making it so those who are able to be there to react at the end have the advantage is unfair.

lady_madonna · Answer

@suda_7102

The winning bidder could have bid MUCH more than you. Ebay took just enough of their maximum bid to put them in the lead and therefore the winner of the auction.

You did not lose to a "sniper", you lost to someone who bid more than you.

Ebay allows bids to be placed at any time in the auction, from the first second to the last second, so there is nothing Ebay needs to "stop".

Highest bid wins, not the latest.