How to fix sniping, revolutionize bidding, increase sale values, and make buyers and sellers happier

[imac7065]

One of the biggest gripes from both buyers and sellers is the ebay bidding system... Buyers hate snipers, Sellers hate that someone bidding $500 on an item only shows their bid 25 cents to a dollar higher than the next highest bidder....

Here's how we solve both.... CHANGE HOW AUCTIONS END.....

Instead of ending an auction with a finite / definitive ending.... have a system in place that all bids placed within the last 30 seconds of listing increase the auction duration (10 seconds or 30 seconds would be my recommendation). With each bid the clock resets and the winner is crowned once the clock expires.

What this accomplishes: 

1) No item could ever be sniped again, as attempting to snipe would result in massively overpaying for any item 

2) Buyers will be able to keep bidding and not lose a "bidding war" at the last moment. Mad the item sold just before you click bid? Solved. Upset your were the highest bidder until the screen refreshed and said a sniper bought it? Solved. Really want that item but someone keeps outbidding you over and over? Solved

3) Sellers will have increased sales due to FOMO and increased bidding opportunities

4) Ebay will collect more fee's due to higher bids and bidding activity.

Win-Win-Win-Win

what says the community?

[selsa84]

Oh and btw. Buyers are the ones doing the sniping. I snipe auctions multiple times a day and it works. 

[theteamsetguy]

@imac7065 ,

The only bidders that don't like snipers are the cheapskate nibble ones that are looking for a bargain. I usually make one bid at max I willing to pay. If lose to sniper so be it.  

[theteamsetguy]

@toysaver ,

The losing bidders hate snipers.

[slippinjimmy]

If you want this type of thing go over to Deal Dash and enjoy overpaying and quite likely never winning anything.

I won't call them a scam because what they do is actually legal but they depend on an endless churn of suckers and extremely misleading advertising.

If eBay were to go to a similar system it would be the final nail in the coffin of the auction format on eBay (which is already on life support).

[luckythewinner]

Buyers hate snipers

I love sniping, both as a buyer and as a seller.

Sellers hate that someone bidding $500 on an item only shows their bid 25 cents to a dollar higher than the next highest bidder

Just as sellers at live auctions hate that buyers who are willing to pay $500 for an item only pay one bid increment above the next highest bidder. That is just the nature of all auctions.

eBay auctions have worked this way for 2.5 decades. They are not going to change it now.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Indefinite end times would be difficult in an online setting where the doors are open 24-7, and bidders would be forced to babysit every listing they want to win on. That could potentially drive sales down, not up.

[simba6]

Bidders would quit bidding.  Many items would sell for the opening bid.   Then their would be bidding games to see how long they could keep an auction running, not paying in the end.

No, they was tried many years ago by other auction sites.  They are all gone now.  eBay has to be bid as a sealed bid auction, not an outcry.

All the big search engines had auctions with various snip shield options sellers could use.  Not a one lasted.

Just stick to fixed price / buy it now listings.

[itsjustasprain]

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@imac7065 wrote:

what says the community?

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The community says 'Oh God - not this again.'

Here is the discussion to end all discussions on this very question you are floating: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Extend-the-auction-by-three-minutes-when-a-bid-is-placed-with-...

Bottom line: that idea is a non-starter. This is not an open-outcry format of auction. The auction is won by the highest bid - not the latest. If your high bid gets outbid in the final seconds then someone wanted it more than you did.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Many buyers love sniping and are snipers.

IMO this is a non-issue in the 21st century when many auctions cannot find two bidders.

Many other buyers are professionals. They bid their maximum price and allow Ebay to autobid to it when competition is there. They do not care whether anyone snipes because they are disciplined and will not pay more than what they think the item is worth.

The remainder may find it frustrating, but it is rare that you can please everyone.

[pls-consignments]

Welcome to eBay 2025. Unfortunately, sniping is here to stay because it gives buyers a perceived advantage at potentially winning and getting a good deal at the same time. Many Sellers don't like it because it lowers comp values. 

[eburtonlab]

As a bidder, once you have bid your maximum, bid extensions cannot help you; they can only hurt you.

Whatever you were planning to do in the extra three minutes you would receive under the proposed extended bidding system, just do that three minutes sooner now and no changes by eBay are necessary.

[a_c_green]

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@pls-consignments wrote:

Many Sellers don't like it because it lowers comp values. 

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It does? Sniping? Please explain how you're seeing it that way...

[gurlcat]

I'm sorry you got piled on so hard.  For future reference, a truly new idea or problem is actually a fairly rare thing here in the forums, so if you want to save time and not have a reaction like this, try the search feature and see if someone has already posted your topic, and what the replies were. 

[chapeau-noir]

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@pls-consignments wrote:

Welcome to eBay 2025. Unfortunately, sniping is here to stay because it gives buyers a perceived advantage at potentially winning and getting a good deal at the same time. Many Sellers don't like it because it lowers comp values. 

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I used sniping software in 2000. I recall it had to activate my dial-up to do it.  Not sure how it would lower comp values, though. If one doesn't bid enough one won't win anyway.

And yes, gotta love when people present an 'idea' that's been done to death already.

[bashort]

the online auction industry has perfected auctions with one key element that they do not advertise, that being that the auctioneer gets to see the bidders max bid.