Reply With QuoteI've used auctionsniper on the few occasions I haven't been able to be near the computer. Never had a problem with them.
I have always frowned upon the use of technology for eBay auction bid sniping but having lost out recently on so many auctions at the last minute - usually for next to nothing - I'm thinking if you can't beat them, join them. Presumably, if there's a non-ebay server involved somewhere this involves giving your ebay credentials over to a third party, which understandably makes me somewhat nervous. Moral arguments aside, has anyone had experience - good or bad - of using such a service?
I've used auctionsniper on the few occasions I haven't been able to be near the computer. Never had a problem with them.
+1
Being using Auctionsniper for years now. In fact if it's not BIN format I always use the sniper.
Quite cheap as well.
Jake
I use Myibidder having been sniped myself. The other advantage to this is that you can cancel your bid easily up to minutes before the end if you change your mind
Maybe it's my lack of morals............ but I don't feel the use of a sniper is in any way untoward.
Whilst I do enjoy placing a manual bid in the last few seconds of an auction, there are often times when I can't be at a computer to place a bid, or the auction ends at an ungodly hour.
I snipe with a clear conscience.
Another happy user of AuctionSniper.
Ezsniper is great too
If you lost out on "usually for next to nothing", then you simply didn't put in a high enough bid to win it.
Your gripe about sniping is unfounded, and using the same software won't make a jot of difference if you still don't put in a higher max bid than other bidders!
In principle that's true but in practice using these tools undoubtedly increases your chances of winning and winning at a better price.Originally Posted by PJ S
How many times have you bought something at your maximum and looking at the bidding you can easily see someone has slowly bid until your maximum becomes clear and stopped just before or until they just outbid you.
Putting your maximum in just before the end doesn't give them time to play these games.
Yes you could put £100000 as your maximum and you'd get most things but they wouldn't necessarily be good buys.
Goofbay for me.
For me I just tend to bit late - literally the last 8 seconds. That way I can't get carried away and put in more money than I wanted. Never used a sniper site, just worked out it's easier to limit yourself and go in late.
Doesn't always work but then I'd rather not over pay!
Indeed.
Whilst bidding too early definitely drives up prices more than would otherwise be the case, bidding manually in the last 30 seconds or less is most unlikely to do this in practice. There is simply no need to use automated sniping tools (unless it is to bid when you can't do it manually). In this scenario (i.e. manual sniping in the last few seconds of an auction) it doesn't matter if someone bids at the last second with an automated tool and beats you; if that happens it really does just mean that you didn't bid enough.
That's why I use JBidWatcher (http://www.jbidwatcher.com/), which runs locally on your PC (or Mac or Unix box). No risk providing your eBay password to a third party, nor of breaking eBay's Terms & Conditions.
Another myibidder user here. So easy to use, imports your watch list and set your limit and away you go!
Sniped for years, currently using Gixen - free and has never let me down.
"I looked with pity not untinged with scorn upon these trivial-minded passers-by"
That's a fair point, but surely to some extent it depends on the sniper's tactics and how they arrive at their maximum bid value. The key drivers for me are a combination of opportunity and value. The former is quite likely influenced by the price at the time of the bid and, as has been suggested above, early bidding usually pushes the final price up. Therefore it is possible that being able to snip at the last minute could (and I stress could) win an item that would have been lost had my bid been placed earlier.
I often can't be on-line at the time and so yes, automated bidding capability is something else I'm looking for.
Thanks for the info all, I will look into this further.
I have been using eSnipe for many years without issue. But as the others have mentioned, you have to carefully plan your highest bid and then hope no one participating in the regular auction has a higher bid.
It seems there are three types of eBay winners nowadays: Those who win by regular auction (ever-diminishing in number), those who snipe (the norm, perhaps), and those who contact sellers and make private deals. In the past year or so, many auctions seem to be pulled before they are supposed to end. Curious, that.
If you're going to snipe, snipe like a man. Manually.
Software is for pussies.
I use Goofbid personally.
I didn`t realise there were so many options for sniping !
If I`m keen on an item (as opposed to just being opportunistic) I tend to wait till the last 15 / 20 seconds and bid my max even if it looks like going for an absolute bargain. If you think you can get away with a low bid near the end you normally end up being beaten by your evil, cleverer twin!
I may look into alternatives for the US auctions that finish at 2am (UK time)!!
I use manual sniping , two pc, s one watching the other primed with my max bid. I usually go at 7 seconds as i have been caught out with flaky internet speeds before now. Its a strange effect , because even at low values , you still feel your pulse increasing. Must be fight of flee response.
Reading this, I fear that you do not understand how eBay's proxy bidding system works, and you are perhaps thinking of it as a traditional "going, going, gone" auction.
With eBay, there is never any point (especially if you are sniping) in bidding any amount other than the maximum you would be happy to pay for that item. When you are placing a bid on an item, always ask yourself "if I could win this auction for £1 more than this, would I be happy with the result, or would I feel that I had paid too much?". If the answer is the former, then you are not bidding your maximum.
+1
+2
I've been using Gixen for free for years.
The great thing is that you can keep amending you bid up to the last minute but never commit.
Another recommendation for The myibidder app on the IPhone has been spot on for me! Will bid 3secs before the end and you can remove bid close to auction end.
+1 to jbidwatcher.. im normally too busy/forgetful to bid so if I want to bid I set my max. At least you only show your intentions towards the end of the auction and generally pay less due to no inflated bidding war
Been using eSnipe for about 7 years. Has paid off many times.
As far as I can remember I have never won a competitive auction without eSnipe, although I have lost many with it - as obviously, you can get outbid...
Cheers,
Steve
I usually use EZSniper for the reasons mentioned elsewhere, but because of the auctions being pulled thing, will often put in a manual bid of 1/2 - 2/3 of my maximum as soon as I decide there's an item that I want.
That way, anyone trying to do an off eBay deal will need to at least outbid my lowball bid before the seller will take them seriously, and it will also put the seller's mind at rest that there is interest in their item and it isn't going to sell for just 99p.
As an aside, I do like the quote from elsewhere, that when you buy something at auction, you have succeeded in paying more for it than anyone else thought it was worth...
<grin>
I really should use one of these - what do we think is the best free one then? Anyone got a link?
I've used Auction Sniper for years https://www.auctionsniper.com/securelogin.aspx Can't fault them, they are long established and do what they say on the tin.
I use it when auctions are in the middle of the night or when I just know that auction fever will grab me by the throat and make me spend the Grandchildrens' inheritance !....
I know how you feel OP. I have lost out to auto bids in the dying seconds, so now, I have purchased the popular sniper OSX app for my Macbook. I have yet to use it however, but I will get round to it eventually I guess.
Same here. I'l bid my maximum with about eight seconds to go and cross my fingers.
I've never used an automated snipe tool because I don't want my eBay details in a third-party's hands.
Me too... I check the prices they usually go for and the price new and decide the max and I'll bid in the last 6 -7 seconds. Any later and it's running the risk of losing due to internet speed.
Following the advice information provided above, I decided to try Myibidder on my iPhone. I felt this would be a safer option, given that the app would have been vetted by Apple, plus it provides your first 10 snipes FOC. Used it last night for an item that was finishing early this morning and lo and behold, I won it!
Admittedly only a sample of one, but looking promising so I'll stick with this for a while and see how it goes.
Thanks for all the advice folks.
That's not really a valid assumption, for a number of reasons. Firstly, all that the Myibidder app does is to pass your eBay username, password and snipe amount on to their web server, so it is no more secure than placing the snipe directly on their web site (and possibly less secure - they may also store your eBay password on the device, and I don't know how well they protect it there).
Secondly, it's not clear whether your eBay password is encrypted when in transmission from your iPhone to the Myibidder server.
Thirdly, the level of vetting that Apple do is minimal. They might check that the app is not serving pornography or malware, and that it's not making any API calls other than the ones that Apple permit, but that's probably about it. They most certainly are not going to vet Myibidder's security policies, processes, pre-employment screening practices, perimeter security, database encryption, etc, etc.
All true, but you run those risks in using any sniping service. Even if you use one based on your own PC, it's only as good as your own security. My point was that by going via Apple, I have not had to provide credit card or other financial information to (yet) another party. When I'm charged for the service, it's via in-app purchases which, I believe, are processed via Apple's servers using my iTunes account.
I have used JustSnipe. Free for 5 bids a week which is more than enough for me. And they provide a toolbar button that you click when you are on the page you want to bid on and it picks up the details for you.
A question... My understanding is eBay tries to prevent you making private deals and contacting the seller outside of eBay (eg preventing sending email addresses in messages). I'm looking at an auction with zero bids so far, long duration, and a high starting price. I'd like to contact the seller to ask if he's willing to entertain an offer below the starting price (you can always try, right?). So what would be the best way of doing this?
Nothing too stop you asking if they would consider a lower price as long as that was achieved by the seller reducing the starting price, putting a lower buy it now on or adding the best offer option.
Indicating that you'd want that to happen so as to ensure that you didn't fall foul of eBay's rules should stop you falling foul of eBay's rules.
There's a 'ask seller a question' tab, then choose to manually ask a question, not the option questions, then ask very politely if they would consider a off eBay BIN price....
Cheers..
Jase
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