Ebay sniping tool

jafsie

I have used an ebay sniper a couple of times now with success but there is something I REALLY want to win which is on ebay now.

The sniper I usually use offers a 95% success rate, but what I'm wondering is this, if I use 2 different snipers if one fails for whatever reason the other should get the goods.

Yes? No? what do you think? Can you see any drawback to my way of thinking?

bribrian

I've never used a sniping tool, I always wait till the final 15 seconds & then start placing my bid. If you really want the item, can you not just do that & place £1,000 on it, that way you'll certainly win it...;)

jafsie

There is a flaw in that system Bribrian sometimes the computer doesn't register quite quick enough and your bid gets there a couple of seconds late.

I know from experience:(

bribrian

Just start a little bit sooner then, If you really want to win the item & put in a high price you'll nearly always get it.... :beer:

Mandles

You only need 1 bid sniper . Just put in the very most you will pay. Bidnapper is what i use and is brilliant.

macfly

They are all the same. It's hardly rocket science.

Obviously_the_best

I always use https://www.auctionstealer.co.uk, on a free account it will put in a bid 10 secs before the end of an auction, and I think that it is the easiest to use

macfly

They are all easy to use also.

George68

I'm wondering is this, if I use 2 different snipers if one fails for whatever reason the other should get the goods.
Yes? No? what do you think? Can you see any drawback to my way of thinking?

It's possible that ebay could interpret the almost simultaneous log in/bid attempts coming from 2 different ip addresses as a possible account breach and block the bids, but not too likely. Many sniping services have more than 1 server submitting bids, and it seems not to cause trouble.

1 thing to do before setting up a snipe - be sure you're eligible to bid on the item (the seller ships to your country, etc). If not, your bid won't be accepted by ebay, and you wouldn't know until the auction was over.

Hidbid.com is a good service to use.

Just remember that regardless of when your bid is placed, it still has to be the highest to win. EXCEPT, when 2 bids are the same or there isn't enough difference between them to meet ebay's minimum bid increment. In that case, the 1st one in wins.

(Automated) sniping is a convenience for people that want to avoid drawing early attention to an item, and 'nibbling' bidders (bidders who will bid the minimun increment over and over until they're the high bid), both of which normally result in a higher final price. If you have the time, you can do it manually.

A couple more benefits of sniping:

1. Sniping is actually a way of combatting shill bidding - when the seller or his buddy bids on the item until they're the high bid, and know your max, then retract their bid, and use yet another account to bid on the item, bidding just below your max. You don't give the shiller time to retract their bid in order to leave you as the high bidder, close to your max. You can't do much about a shill bidder letting their bid ride to the end of the auction, if it just raises but doesn't exceed yours.

Also, look out for 2nd chance offers, as they would be a reason for the shiller to let their shill bid ride, you may want to decline any and look for a different seller with the same item. Unless of course, the price seems ok with you, even though possible artificially jacked up.

2. You can just cancel a snipe with up to 2 or 3 minutes before the end of an auction, if you change your mind about bidding on an item, and your bid won't be placed. If you place a bid on ebay and then retract it (not a seller's or ebay's favorite thing), you can be blocked from bidding on other auctions after doing this a few times, not sure what that # is.

Anyone bidding on ebay should understand ebay's proxy bidding system (increases your bid only until it is the high, or it has been exceeded), and have an idea about their bid increments:

pages.ebay.com/help/buy/bid-increments.html

pages.ebay.co.uk/help/buy/bid-increments.html

pages.ebay.de/help/buy/bid-increments.html

Micky_Mouse

bribrian wrote: »

Just start a little bit sooner then, If you really want to win the item & put in a high price you'll nearly always get it.... :beer:

With the added satisfaction of possibly beating a sniper.;)

alistair.long

the disadvantage is that the item may be worth £100 in the shop, and starts off at £1, Ive done this a lot and snipe upto £30-40, however the item then sells for 60.

So what Im trying to say is, dont always wait for the snipe, try to be there.