Posted By:
davidcyclebackSomewhat repeating what was said above, I beleive that snipe bidding
is a major reason why auctions end early now days. Especially with a unexperienced seller,
when he sees zero to no no bidding in auction over days, he is more likely to take what
seems to him to be a decent offer. As there is almost no bidding, he may not
feel that that there is much interest in the item. Without healthy bidding all along,
meaning no snipe bids, sellers are less likely to end auctions.
Snipe bidding is a bidder's technique to subvert the traditional auction format in
order to get the lowest price possible. It should not shock that sellers in turn
will try and find techniques to counter this. People may feel that ending an auction
early is unethical, but snipe bidding used to also be considered unethical.
Do I find ending an auction early a subversion of the traditional auction process?
Yes, I do, and I'm against it. But I find irony in snipe bidders complaining about
people subverting the traditional auction format. For every action is a reaction,
so they say. The reaction against bidders placing last second snipe bids, which leaves
lengthy durations where the nervous seller sees no bidding or interest, is the seller
ending auctions early to get a perceived reasonable price.