Do you use a sniping service?

[Leon]

Since this seems to be a hot topic I wonder how many of us use a sniping service?

[edjs]

I didn't even know there was such a thing.

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by edjs

I didn't even know there was such a thing.

I was just like you Ed... Until I came here and discovered these neat tools. That said, I still use them minimally, mainly when I'm traveling, asleep, or when a seller has a bunch of auctions ending within seconds of each other (sellers prob lose money when they do this). I try to never use them when I'm able to get on line because I've been burnt by the fact they enter my max at 6-8 seconds left. This cost me at least $200 once when a person was able to get 3x bids in within that timeframe and walk up toward my max. Had I manually sniped at 1-2 sec only, I'd have won for 2 bid increments lower. Still won and was still happy with the price.

[chipperhank44]

Never used one before. Are they free? Can't really see myself paying for this type of service....

[Leon]

Originally Posted by chipperhank44

Never used one before. Are they free? Can't really see myself paying for this type of service....

Most are free. I use gavelsnipe and it's free. Frankly I am quite surprised at the results so far...

[Howe’s Hunter]

The great thing about a snipe service is you put in your max bid to begin with, and then don't worry about it again until after the auction is over.

If you get it, yah! you got if for what you were willing to pay or less.

If you lose it, dang-it, it went for more than you were willing to spend.

That leaves you with more time to look at other stuff or even (hard to imagine) spend time outside the hobby.

[brewing]

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

The great thing about a snipe service is you put in your max bid to begin with, and then don't worry about it again until after the auction is over.



If you get it, yah! you got if for what you were willing to pay or less.



If you lose it, dang-it, it went for more than you were willing to spend.



That leaves you with more time to look at other stuff or even (hard to imagine) spend time outside the hobby.

So, kind of like bidding without snipping?

I've known about it, just never understood the benefit. It may be me though, I'm the time of person that is hesitant to do things the new different way.

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

The great thing about a snipe service is you put in your max bid to begin with, and then don't worry about it again until after the auction is over.

If you get it, yah! you got if for what you were willing to pay or less.

.

I agree this happens 90% of the time, but as was case in my example using the snipe service actually hurt me. By placing my max bid at 8 seconds, it allowed time for the eventual under bidder to take me up 3x bidding increments. Ebay's new one click bidding feature means that someone can rattle off 3-4 bids in a couple seconds.

Again, 90% of the time it goes off without a hitch (with exception of this past weekend).. However, think there's no replacement for bidding manually at about 1-2 seconds. In my case, I was on line and could've/would've done so, except the snipe cannot be changed or deleted within 5 min of close. Looking at bid history, the item was mine at X, maybe X plus one increment had I sniped it manually.. But ended up at X+ 3 increments with automatic snipe.

Overall, very happy with the service though.

[edjs]

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with snipes, I just didn't know you could get someone else to do it for you. I always thought "sniping" was hitting that last second bid to get the win. I do that.

[wolf441]

Originally Posted by Leon

Most are free. I use gavelsnipe and it's free. Frankly I am quite surprised at the results so far...

+1 on Gavelsnipe. I don't use it very often, but it's a nice option to keep the wife happy during family functions where you are not sneaking off to throw in last second bids !

[bn2cardz]

I use gavelsnipe, but find that if it is an item I really want I am still watching when it is going to end and sometimes bidding against my snipe at the last second. Yet there are times I just can't be there to bid and I am glad that I already have it set.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by wolf441

+1 on Gavelsnipe. I don't use it very often, but it's a nice option to keep the wife happy during family functions where you are not sneaking off to throw in last second bids !

I use it somewhere around 99% of the time and bid on average about once a day.

[chernieto]

Originally Posted by Leon

Most are free. I use gavelsnipe and it's free. Frankly I am quite surprised at the results so far...

I don't feel like I should vote since I just signed up and entered my first snipes yesterday!
I too always thought snipping was just placing the bid in the last few seconds until a few months ago when others here mentioned the snipping sites.
Honestly I feel like a lot of folks here are understandably quiet about the snipping because it gives an edge over those who are not using the service. No credit card was need to sign up with:
www.gavelsnipe.com
I have missed out on countless auctions because I was not at a computer when I needed to be & now I'm free from wondering if I will be available to bid at the close- albeit long after countless smart
folks here have taken advantage of the services.

[frohme]

Originally Posted by Leon

Most are free. I use gavelsnipe and it's free. Frankly I am quite surprised at the results so far...

As am I - surprised on two fronts, even:

1. that the results are so even - who wouldn't use one??
2. that I've quoted two posts of Leon's in 1 day ... not that there's anything wrong with that

Been using gavelsnipe since 2008 with my first successful eBay snipe on 10/19 ... there should be no surprise what set the card was from

--
Mike

[auggiedoggy]

A sniping service?

[wilkiebaby11]

I've used other sniping sites that allow you to change the time of your bid.
For example, if you go below their "10 seconds before auction end" then they don't guarantee the bid will be placed.
Looks as though GavelSnipe's is defaulted to 20 seconds. Has anyone had problems lowering their snipe timing?

[Stonepony]

Originally Posted by wilkiebaby11

I've used other sniping sites that allow you to change the time of your bid.
For example, if you go below their "10 seconds before auction end" then they don't guarantee the bid will be placed.
Looks as though GavelSnipe's is defaulted to 20 seconds. Has anyone had problems lowering their snipe timing?

I snipe at 6 seconds. Never a problem ( that I'm aware of)

[mattsey9]

Originally Posted by wilkiebaby11

I've used other sniping sites that allow you to change the time of your bid.
For example, if you go below their "10 seconds before auction end" then they don't guarantee the bid will be placed.
Looks as though GavelSnipe's is defaulted to 20 seconds. Has anyone had problems lowering their snipe timing?

I've used MyIbidder for the last three years, and I always set it for 3 seconds to discourage last ditch efforts to top my bid. It's flawless so far.

I'm really happy so many people aren't sniping!

[CobbSpikedMe]

I've used Gavelsnipe a lot in the past and it was always a pleasure. I won lots of ebay auction using the service. More recently I've been sniping on my own using the ebay mobile app and I get my bids in in the last 5 seconds every time. I do sometimes miss the end of an auction but nothing that bothers me.

Thanks,

AndyH

[MikeU]

Originally Posted by Leon

Since this seems to be a hot topic I wonder how many of us use a sniping service?

Need a both selection. When on mobile, access to my snipe service is cumbersome, so I don't use it. When online, I do typically use. Probably 50/50 actually.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by MikeU

Need a both selection. When on mobile, access to my snipe service is cumbersome, so I don't use it. When online, I do typically use. Probably 50/50 actually.

Not really Mike.... I chose the wording of the actual poll question very carefully.

" Do I ever use a sniping service? "



.

[clydepepper]

I have no experience with this and am not even sure I understand the concept. That being said, if I do understand what is involved, it seems borderline unethical to me. Sure, you can justify it by saying that others use it...but isn't that the argument for PEDs?

Maybe I'm a simpleton, but I do like to keep it simple.

signed, 'blissfully ignorant'

[tschock]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

I have no experience with this and am not even sure I understand the concept. That being said, if I do understand what is involved, it seems borderline unethical to me. Sure, you can justify it by saying that others use it...but isn't that the argument for PEDs?

Maybe I'm a simpleton, but I do like to keep it simple.

signed, 'blissfully ignorant'

Not being disrespectful, or maybe clarifying the concept here. But how is a sniping service (setting an automation to bid on one's behalf in the last few seconds of an auction) different from sitting in front of the compute and hitting the bid button in the last few seconds of an auction? Or having a human do it on your behalf (either at a live auction or online)? Or trolling ebay and stumbling on something with a few seconds to bid and putting in a bid? Or simply, not knowing if you want to bid on something and making that decision at the last second?

[Cat]

I used to use one. I haven't in the last five years or so. I can't remember the name of it, but the software was loaded on my PC, so once that PC went Kaput I no longer used it. Although it died with my PC, the primary reason I stopped using a sniping service is that I am not very active on EBay any longer.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by tschock

Not being disrespectful, or maybe clarifying the concept here. But how is a sniping service (setting an automation to bid on one's behalf in the last few seconds of an auction) different from sitting in front of the compute and hitting the bid button in the last few seconds of an auction? Or having a human do it on your behalf (either at a live auction or online)? Or trolling ebay and stumbling on something with a few seconds to bid and putting in a bid? Or simply, not knowing if you want to bid on something and making that decision at the last second?

It is no different, but a sniping service allows you to be not tied to a computer. You can forget about the auction and no matter what you are doing or where you are, the bid will go in. Your house can lose total power, and your bid will (should) still go through!

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by tschock

Not being disrespectful, or maybe clarifying the concept here. But how is a sniping service (setting an automation to bid on one's behalf in the last few seconds of an auction) different from sitting in front of the compute and hitting the bid button in the last few seconds of an auction? Or having a human do it on your behalf (either at a live auction or online)? Or trolling ebay and stumbling on something with a few seconds to bid and putting in a bid? Or simply, not knowing if you want to bid on something and making that decision at the last second?

Taylor-

I'm not offended at all...remember, I'm blissfully ignorant ( and I excel at playing dumb )...but I see your point. I guess I prefer the 'hands-on' approach, but I can remember missing out on wanted items because I did not have the opportunity to watch it through to the end & of course, that is the value. Maybe it's the negative label of 'sniping' that caught my ire.

[slidekellyslide]

I use Gavelsnipe...it had never failed me in many years of using it, but last week it didn't even register my bid, and nobody even bid on the item at all. It completely disappeared from my snipe list even as I was watching it end. I had to ask the seller to relist the item with a BIN and she did. I'm still baffled by that one.

Worked for me today though without a problem.

edited to add: Now I see above I was not alone in this problem.

[bobbyw8469]

Did anyone else experience a problem over the weekend?

LOL....uh....yea..........remind me never again to end auctions over Labor Day weekend!

[ATP]

As I mentioned before, it gives a lot of trepidation to running no reserve auctions, which it seems like people are always asking for more of.

[jandr272]

I do now after reading this thread.

[Jeffrompa]

I was using a sniper for collectibles before I started to buy Pre War baseball .