Stop Sniping!

[chris.nall25]

I just recently started my eBay business and along with all the research I've been doing about buyer trends etc... I've noticed this idea of sniping and sniping services essentially nulling the point of an auction. Can we suggest eBay institute a system change if so where do we do that? My suggestion would be any bid placed within the last minute automatically extends the auction by 1 minute. This would allow the person willing to pay the most actually won the auction. Can you imagine going to a live auction where the auctioneer held a stop watch and whoever blurted out the loudest in the last 2 seconds won? No of course not, why should eBay be any different. eBay and sellers would make more money, The buyer who wants it the most gets it. Seems like a win win to me. What are your thoughts?

[the_right_stuff99]

You could always put no bidding allowed within the last minute in your TOS. Then if someone does, you could not sell it to him because he was an unwelcome bidder ]:)

Wrong. A seller's TOS cannot override eBay's policies, and one of eBay's policies is that a bid can be placed at any time before the auction ends.

Theory: you understand why it should work but it doesn't
Practice: it works but you have no idea how

[greatvibe]

[doug-yam-xt]

greatvibe. you busted me up!
Thanks for the laugh. I needed that today!:^O:^O:^O

[hondamedic]

GreatVibe.....

Now that's funny! Stop by anytime.....

[type2mtg]

One thing I can guarantee, that if there were no snipers, things would sell for less...
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[hondamedic]

> One thing I can guarantee, that if there were no snipers, things would sell for less...
>
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>


Yes they would!

[cookinsupper]

I was watching this auction last night http://cgi.ebay.com/Composition-Cat-Doll-11-Tall-Unmark-Dressed-Solid-Body_W0QQitemZ350178840550QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDolls?hash=item350178840550&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A4 amazing & unexpected snipe action!



Ended:Mar-22-09 19:16:21 PDT
US $1,225.00 Mar-22-09 19:16:16 PDT
US $1,200.00 Mar-22-09 19:16:15 PDT
US $138.88 Mar-22-09 19:16:07 PDT

[tbil60]

I doubt if the seller will complain about that sniper!!

[ifwecouldbeheroes]

Personally I enjoy sniping, it is a skill that has to be honed. Knowing the last second that your system will allow you to snipe and it takes nerves. By the way what are you complaining about? The last few minutes of any auction is when the most bidding takes place. So some ones snipes and you make more money (kind of a no brainer) Try it you might like it!

[tbil60]

I think the ones who complain the loudest about sniping are the buyers who lost the item by 1 cent. I know that will honk me off everytime!!

[mgb50441]

I have to admit 2 things...
1st when selling an item,i may have 1 bid,and 10 watchers.Yet no one else bids..I wait,and i have to admit,that i Love it when one snipes,just brings Bid higher..Better having a sniper,then only having one Bid.
2nd>>> Ummmm i can be a Sniper also..Geesh,it was one of the first things i learned to do after being a Bidder at the time,has i lost much,until i learned the ropes.
To me,there's nothing wrong with the Snipers,has actually all they do,is help with the Final Bidding..

[sherrill12]

Just checked this link and there are some strange things here. Neither the buyer nor the seller have left feedback for each other. How strange is it that that someone would top a $1200 bid at the last second when the last bid needing to be topped would have been $138.88. Bid increments of $25, make it seem really strange. No bids show in between which means that the $1225 bidder must have known that the previous high bid was $1200.00. Who would post a bid of $1225 with a top bid of less than $200 showing? Maybe I am missing something, but this looks really strange even for sniping.

[sherrill12]

Just checked this link and there are some strange things here. Neither the buyer nor the seller have left feedback for each other. How strange is it that that someone would top a $1200 bid at the last second when the last bid needing to be topped would have been $138.88. Bid increments of $25, make it seem really strange. No bids show in between which means that the $1225 bidder must have known that the previous high bid was $1200.00. Who would post a bid of $1225 with a top bid of less than $200 showing? Maybe I am missing something, but this looks really strange even for sniping.

[the_right_stuff99]

How strange is it that that someone would top a $1200 bid at the last second when the last bid needing to be topped would have been $138.88.

Not strange at all. Why would someone bid $150 when they believe the item is worth $1200? That's a waste of time and a sure way to lose.

No bids show in between which means that the $1225 bidder must have known that the previous high bid was $1200.00.

Not at all. You've been on eBay long enough to know that no one can see the leader's maximum proxy bid, not even the seller. The $1225 bidder may have bid $2000, but with the increment being $25, eBay only needed $1225 to put them in the lead. This is basic proxy bidding.

Who would post a bid of $1225 with a top bid of less than $200 showing?

Only someone who had a realistic view of what the item was worth, i.e. someone who wants to win and knows he can't do it with a lowball bid.

Maybe I am missing something, but this looks really strange even for sniping.

You sure are. A sniper only gets one shot. They're not going to blow it by bidding $200 on an item that's worth $1200+.

[sherrill12]

Still seems strange to me. Neither one has left feedback on the deal, and I checked the bidder's bidding history. Doesn't matter to me though.