eBay Sniping

OK. This isn't meant to be a discussion on whether or not I should, just one to help me figure out HOW.

I've picked up another hobby that is readily fueled by eBay (don't ask! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif) and it seems to be one frequented by snipers.

So, how do I compete? What free services/software is there? I don't want/need last .25 second sniping, the last 10 seconds should be fine. Mostly, I'd like it to be free. Is that even possible?

Thanks!

HAMMERTAP.COM

Trust me.

1. Determin your max bid
2. Bid that ammount
3. E-Bay proxy bidding will now bid for you up to you max then quit.
4. E-Bay proxy bidding is free and is the normal mode.
5. REMEMBER...bid the MAX you're willing to pay. You can get the item for LESS than your max bid. Proxy bidding will keep bidding for you untill it reaches your max.

I can't say that I haven't sniped, so it is with this experience that I can suggest. If you can't be there to watch the last few minutes then you really have no choice but to follow Roy,s suggestion. No matter what other program you come accross it is not going to do anything other than eBay does already. What I can't abide by is the ones with 2 different accounts that do the bid retraction thing.

BLG,

I set up a timer on my desk and use it to tell me how long before the bidding ends. The following proceedure is complex and difficult only the first time it's done. After that, it's a snap.
<ul type="square">[*]First, click refresh on the eBay page and compare the time that the page says is left with what is on a wall clock.
[*]Second, calculate where the second hand should be (I call it a magic point) when you click refresh next time so that the time given by eBay is xx minutes and 00 seconds to go.
[*]Third, calculate exactly how many minutes to go when the clock second hand next reaches the magic point.
[*]Fourth, enter that many minutes on the timer and start it when the second hand reaches the magic point.
[/list]From then on I can click the refresh button, and whatever time is shown on the timer is the remaining time that will be indicated on the eBay page when it loads up. You can click the confirm buy button later on when the time left is 5 seconds, or even shorter. Admittedly, this is time intensive, but it is cheap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Paul

The problem with just doing it the eBay way, is that the maximum amount for items seems to fluxuate so much, it's nuts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif One day, it goes for $1, the next, it goes for $10.

And, it seems that when I'm watching an item, my browser always seems to be slow right in the last few seconds. So, mainly, I just want to give the sniping thing a try.


On HammerSnipe, what is the the 'Weekly Points' & 'Available Points' section about? It's not mentioned in their FAQ...

Then I can only offer this. at 1 minute left for the auctiion, bid your first amount. Let the confirm screen come up, and sit there. At about 10-15 seconds before the auctions end, click the confirm button. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't.

But I hope my telling you doesn't mean you are going to use it against me. I don't make a practice of this, but if I am trying to keep someone from running the bid up, it is the only way.

Good Luck

[ QUOTE ]
PaulW said:
BLG,

I set up a timer on my desk and use it to tell me how long before the bidding ends. The following proceedure is complex and difficult only the first time it's done. After that, it's a snap.
<ul type="square">[*]First, click refresh on the eBay page and compare the time that the page says is left with what is on a wall clock.
[*]Second, calculate where the second hand should be (I call it a magic point) when you click refresh next time so that the time given by eBay is xx minutes and 00 seconds to go.
[*]Third, calculate exactly how many minutes to go when the clock second hand next reaches the magic point.
[*]Fourth, enter that many minutes on the timer and start it when the second hand reaches the magic point.
[/list]From then on I can click the refresh button, and whatever time is shown on the timer is the remaining time that will be indicated on the eBay page when it loads up. You can click the confirm buy button later on when the time left is 5 seconds, or even shorter. Admittedly, this is time intensive, but it is cheap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Paul

[/ QUOTE ]

What happens if eBay or the page is busy and doesn't respond/communicate right away? Wouldn't you be a second too late?

Well, before I tell you my secrets, what is it you're collecting? <G> (after all, can't help a competitor...)

Seriously, look at esnipe.com and auctionsniper.com; they're web-based (so your computer doesn't have to be connected, or even on, when the auction concludes) & bid your max at a user-defined interval before the end of the auction.

The 'secret' in sniping is to set your snipe for your real max (which requires some introspection to determine exactly what the item is worth TO YOU) & then leave it alone. You'll either win @ your max or something less, or you'll lose.

I started sniping after I was 'stalked' by another collector of Disney Watches. Everything I found & bid on, he would outbid me in the last couple of seconds... so I started sniping. Now I'll occasionally place a 'placeholder' bid in to announce my intentions, but usually just snipe @ the end.

Both auctionsniper & esnipe charge for their services; quite reasonable in both cases though. I just 'deduct' the charges from my maximum along with s&h to come up with my snipe amount.

good luck.

kf

No, I don't collect Disney watches so you're safe /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I did come across those just doing a quick Google search. And, I guess I'm just not ready to pay for sniping. It's bad enough my PayPal account charges me fees for ALL incoming funds, no matter if they're bank transfers or credit card based. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

So, I'm trying to keep it cheap and free! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

[ QUOTE ]
BugLightGeek said:
What happens if eBay or the page is busy and doesn't respond/communicate right away? Wouldn't you be a second too late?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, that's the problem. It is the reason you can't set it to enter the bid at 1 second to go. It's a statistical question as to how late the bid might be. I have found that my dial-up service varies by no more than 2 seconds (thus far); hence my use of 5 seconds to provide a measure of safety.

Paul

If you have an always-on or otherwise reliable connection, you can try jbidwatcher: http://www.jbidwatcher.com/ -- it's free, java-powered, multi-platform, easy to use and well-supported.

Keep in mind that with any sniping strategy, you're still entering the maximum price you'd be willing to pay -- your goal in sniping is simply to minimize the time available to your fellow bidders to re-evaluate their own positions and beat you.

[ QUOTE ]
neogoon said:
If you have an always-on or otherwise reliable connection, you can try jbidwatcher: http://www.jbidwatcher.com/ -- it's free, java-powered, multi-platform, easy to use and well-supported.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll have to give that a try.

[ QUOTE ]
neogoon said:Keep in mind that with any sniping strategy, you're still entering the maximum price you'd be willing to pay -- your goal in sniping is simply to minimize the time available to your fellow bidders to re-evaluate their own positions and beat you.

[/ QUOTE ]

That, my friend, is exactly what I'm trying to do /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

Here's an earlier thread about sniping.

I have used several snipers. Best I found is vrane.com the website isn't pretty but they are accurate and reliable. Some other good tools there also.

Best regards,
Randy

I consider sniping just a part of the ebay game. I have tried it myself, and won some, lost more. My telephone line is not fast enough.
Mostly, I just do as suggested here, and place a bid for the max I am willing to pay.

It is so easy to get caught up in the bidding game, and pay more than you want to. I have been trying buy an item, but it seems to go for about a third of the whole item. Not a good deal in my opinion so I just keep bidding and losing. I still have fun.

Jerry

Sniping is something you pretty much have to do if you want to win.

I use auctionsniper.com. They seem to work fine for me. You also get five free snipes. If you end up trying them out let me know and I'll refer you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

How does referring me to auctionsniper.com help? Can't I just go there and signup?
How much is it after the first 5 free ones?

I must be missing something. If I bid the MAX that I'm willing to pay and let E-Bay proxy bid for me, why do I need a Sniping Program?

From what I have seen, you don't...

I have not used EBay, but I have bid at real auctions and found that many folks get caught up in the bidding process and will pay far more than something is worth to get the satisfaction of winning. And EBay is no different.

To me it seems, you snipe if you "want to overpay at the cheapest possible price". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

-Bill