How important is auction sniping to you?

[Leon]

As I continue to contemplate giving ebay a run for their money....I want to see what fellow members think of the importance of sniping. For me, it is very important as I use it about 95% of the time. The other 5% I am just playing around. Would I use ebay without it? Yes, but I would much prefer to have it as an option. Please vote your level of interest in that option.....

[danmckee]

Hey! I was finally first at something in my life!! Yea!

[Leon]

I forgot to mention I made this a PUBLIC poll. So please be aware your vote will be seen. I didn't think there would be harm in that option for this one.

Way to go Dan...!!!! YOU are always first on my list...right behind your Dad of course. Please say hi to him for me...

[ibuysportsephemera]

Leon,

I hope that when you say "giving eBay a run for their money" you will include vintage sports memorabilia (ie publications, photos, ticket stubs, etc.).

I think that the time is right for someone to start an auction site for vintage sports cards and memorabilia.

Good luck!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by ibuysportsephemera

Leon,

I hope that when you say "giving eBay a run for their money" you will include vintage sports memorabilia (ie publications, photos, ticket stubs, etc.).

I think that the time is right for someone to start an auction site for vintage sports cards and memorabilia.

Good luck!

At the moment the idea is all sports items BUT only sports. I am busy looking into s/w at this point and have a s/w programmer as a partner. It is extremely early but I think this time I will give it a shot. NO ONE needs to worry about anything on the board today changing. It won't. No fees, no change. The goal, if I/we do it, is to have 1 more optional link on the board. No one will be forced to click on it if they don't want to. We are a long ways away at best...probably several months. Regardless of, if ebay changes back to categories or not, I probably want to give this a try this time. As mentioned in another thread I have always thought about doing it. There isn't too much downside to trying.

[Matt]

To add to the discussion, one of the options we're looking into is software the has an "anti-sniping" feature, which means that if a bid comes in during the last X minutes (say 10) then the auction gets extended X minutes from that point. Would that be preferred to sniping or at least a viable alternative?

[D. Bergin]

As a buyer I use it sometimes and like the option.

As a seller I don't really care. Seemed to be a lot more bidding wars on my stuff before the emergence of sniping. It also gives you an early sense of interest in your item without everybody waiting for the last second to snipe. I found people bid earlier and more often before the popularity of sniping programs caught on.

Nowadays I have no idea what something will sell for until the auction is over. Even watch lists don't really give a sense of interest. It's amazing the number of items with 2 or 3 watchers will outsell an item with 20+ watchers.

[famousgolfers]

I voted for "I would not use a personal auction platform without it." and I probably should have voted for "I would much rather have it but it's not essential." after thinking about it a little more. I was mainly thinking about eBay when I voted and I pretty much always snipe an auction I want to win. It really isn't an option with other auction sites.

[FrankWakefield]

I've never used a snipe service. I think that I never will.

Never wasn't an option, so I thought Rich needed company.

[Jim VB]

At the risk of outing a current (but non-card) auction, here's a good example of why non-snipers get hurt.

A zero feedback bidder placed 4 bids in 7 minutes and walked this one up from $200 to $400+.

I know it will go for much more, but it looks like Mr. zero feedback is trying to find the other guy's bid.

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=190336391115

[base_ball]

I would never consign an item to an auctioneer that allows sniping. Closing an auction at a fixed time costs the seller (consignor and actioneer) money. Think of how many times you were the under-bidder in an eBay auction and you thought to yourself, "That went cheap, I would've gone up some more." That is what happens in a real (live) auction....you have the opportunity to change your mind and get caught up in the fever. That is also what happens in the online auctions that have a 15-minute or whatever rule...assuming, of course, those auctions are on the level.

That being said, I love sniping. I do it all the time. As a buyer.

[buymycards]

Leon, your poll should have another option. "I don't care". I would love to see another auction site, and I will be happy to pay a fee to sell on the site, but it doesn't make any difference to me whether or not it has a snipe feature.

You may want a listing fee so you get a little bit of $ up front so people don't use the site as a free catalog and close their deals off site to avoid final value fees. PayPal is essential. Maybe you can avoid listing fees and sales fees by having sellers "join" the site for a monthly fee that would entitle them to list a set number of auctions.

Good luck!

Rick

[pitchernut]

why a seller would be worried about sniping, all the seller has to do is set a reserve or start the auction at the min. the seller wants. I think where ebay goes haywire is they charge more for reserves and what amount the auction starts at. To me a good way to run an auction would be just a flat fee for listing an auction and thats it.

[insidethewrapper]

I would like an alternative to ebay. My son sells legos on a lego site. No listing fees and all items have no deadline. Fees are paid only when an item sells. That sounds good to me.

I do like extended bidding. Anyone who makes a bid before the orginal deadline is eligible to continue bidding (all others locked out) If a bid was placed in the last minute,the auction would be extended by one minute each time a bid is placed until no bids for a minute. This is more like a real auction and helps the seller get the best price and the site gets additional income.

That's my opinion. Mike