You seem confused about how bidding works on eBay. Lots of folks are confused at first, as eBay auctions are not really like standard outcry auctions that many are used to seeing.
There is no need to report sniping, as sniping -- bidding at the end of an auction -- is explicitly allowed by eBay.
https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/bidding/bid-sniping?id=4224
Auctions allow multiple users to place bids. At the end of the auction, the highest bid wins. In the case of a tie, the earlier bid is considered the winner.
As long as eBay receives a qualified bid and time stamps it before the end of the auction, it is considered a valid bid, even if you can not see the bid until the auction is over.
The amount the winner pays is determined by the second highest bidder in most cases. eBay only reveals enough of the highest bidder's amount to beat the second highest bidder by up to one bid increment.
https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/bidding/automatic-bidding?id=4014
Just because you were outbid by a dollar does not mean that that high bidder bid that amount -- that is the amount that was needed to beat your bid amount and take the lead. The actual bid placed may have been much higher.
Because of the way online auctions with fixed deadlines work, it is very easy to be the only bidder for the vast majority of an auction time, and then lose at the end by being outbid at the last second. Keep in mind that it is the high bid that wins, not the last bid.
Many veteran bidders recommend calculating the maximum amount you are willing to spend taking into consideration any shipping or taxes, and then bidding that amount once, as late in the auction as you are comfortable with. If the bid amount is a round number, consider adding a few odd cents to decrease the chances of a tie, which would go to the earlier bidder.
If you bid your maximum amount and you are outbid, that means that someone was willing to spend more money than you were on that item. If you bid less than your maximum, you can be outbid and lose for an amount that you were willing to spend. Which is why bidding less than your maximum is not a good idea.
If you think of the auction as a race, if you want to win, the goal should be to be in the lead at the end of the race and cross the finish line in first place. Just because you lead for 499 laps does not mean you cannot be passed in the last lap.
lady_madonna
