Do you use a sniping service?

[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!

[chernieto]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

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!

Last night while reading to my daughter I won my 1st snipped auction well below my max price. What a great sense of freedom being able to set a bid and forget about it!

[CowboysGuide]

I've been using Gavelsnipe for about three years now. Love it! However, this past weekend I had two snipes set that did not fire off. I wrote to them to ask what the deal was and got back this response...

"There were connection problems over the weekend that prevented Gavelsnipe from completing the snipe records. These have been restored and you can now view the results for your missing snipes in your snipe history."

Did anyone else experience a problem over the weekend?

[freakhappy]

I've used Gixen for the past few years...I'm surprised no one has mentioned them yet. I've been very happy with them and I have no complaints.

At first I was hesitant because it just feels wrong giving some random website your eBay user and password, but it's great not having to worry about keeping track of an item for several days and eventually placing your bid. Plus, placing a late bid is usually your best bet for not getting run up.

[mawitzi]

I have been using Gavel Snipe for a few years now. I have never had a problem with it. I like to think that it makes it a little harder for people to shill bid against me.

[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.