Sniping Revisited...A real world study

[mrmopar]

Here is a real world example of why I snipe. Now the auction was not over when I got back to it, but I am already outbid and didn't plan to go any higher. This was not a critical item for me and I assumed I would not make it home in time to bid, so I submitted a proxy bid. I was the high bidder when I shut down last night @ $4.25

As you can see, Mr. 201 feedback overtook the original bidder an hour after the item was listed. There he remained high bidder until I took him down with my bid of $8.88, 6 days later. He awoke the next day to a new high bidder (me) and proceeded to bid me up until he was the high bidder again.

Now we will never know if a snipe would have taken it for $4.25 or if something else would have happened, but I do know that had I not bid, he would still be high bidder now at $3.14 and my chances for sniping and winning would have been much greater, and at a much cheaper price.

Sniping, as much as it may be despised by some or misunderstood by others, saves you effort and money in the long run, in most cases.



4***e( 201) US $9.38
Feb-01-10 06:48:23 PST

ME ( 5296) US $8.88
Jan-31-10 23:22:05 PST

4***e( 201) US $8.04
Feb-01-10 06:48:14 PST

4***e( 201) US $5.26
Feb-01-10 05:13:30 PST

4***e( 201) US $4.00
Jan-25-10 20:35:41 PST

l***c( 1517) US $2.89
Jan-25-10 19:49:32 PST

Starting Price US $0.99
Jan-25-10 19:26:37 PST

So, I decided to play around a little. I tossed out another bid. Now I know that I am $0.01 behind the leader! If I snipe, I may win this after all! If he is watching, he may pad his high bid or outbid me if I take the lead. If he is not watching, whether I snipe or not, he is toast.

4***e( 201) US $10.00
Feb-01-10 06:48:23 PST

ME( 5296) US $9.99
Feb-01-10 19:09:52 PST

ME( 5296) US $8.88
Jan-31-10 23:22:05 PST

4***e( 201) US $8.04
Feb-01-10 06:48:14 PST

4***e( 201) US $5.26
Feb-01-10 05:13:30 PST

4***e( 201) US $4.00
Jan-25-10 20:35:41 PST

l***c( 1517) US $2.89
Jan-25-10 19:49:32 PST


Starting Price US $0.99
Jan-25-10 19:26:37 PST

Well, it turns out that unless I sniped at least $10.01, I would not have won or even saved much money. When he passed my $8.88 bid, he padded himself a little.

Bidders:3Bids:7Time Ended:Feb-01-10 19:26:37 PSTDuration:7 days
Sorry, you were outbid. This item sold for US $10.00

Only actual bids (not automatic bids generated up to a bidder's maximum) are shown. Automatic bids may be placed days or hours before a listing ends. Learn more about bidding.
Show automatic bids
Bidder Bid Amount Bid Time
4***e( 201) US $10.00
Feb-01-10 06:48:23 PST

ME( 5296) US $9.99
Feb-01-10 19:09:52 PST

ME( 5296) US $8.88
Jan-31-10 23:22:05 PST

4***e( 201) US $8.04
Feb-01-10 06:48:14 PST

4***e( 201) US $5.26
Feb-01-10 05:13:30 PST

4***e( 201) US $4.00
Jan-25-10 20:35:41 PST

l***c( 1517) US $2.89
Jan-25-10 19:49:32 PST


Starting Price US $0.99
Jan-25-10 19:26:37 PST

Still, he may have never placed that $10 bid had I not outbid him. I think my proxy bid cost me the item ultimately.

 

[mlbme22]

Very interesting- I usually try to bid at the last second on auctions because anytime that I bid early, I am always outbid.

 

[David K.]

You were probably bidding against me Just kidding! I like to place a low bid and later on...near the end the max bid......but somethings.....I just keep placing bids. Best regards, David

 

[mrmopar]

That is not uncommon David. Many bidders get wrapped up in the heat of the moment and end up bidding more than they had planned. Heck, I upped my bid tonight, even after placing a proxy and stating I was not going to go any higher. I missed being forced to buy the card I didn't want to pay more than $8.88 for by 2 cents!

 

[mindbinge]

I think it helps prevent schill bids also...too many sellers try to bump up odd amounts to figure out where your bid is.

 

[Loyalty32]

Snipe = Nike

Just do it.

Thanks
Craig

 

[dankir96]

When I first started to bid on eBay back in 2003, I drove myself crazy staying up late or waking up in the middle of the night to bid on an item that I wanted. After a while I said this is crazy. Now I set a max on something I want and if I'm outbid, then so be it. 90% of the time, the item I wanted will pop up again down the road on eBay for me to bid again.

 

[Jeffo65]

I do not use sniping. I place one bid, which is the most I would pay for an item and see what happens. If I win it, I know it is at a price that I can afford. If I lose the auction, it is because the price is above what I was willing to pay.

I thinking the sniping s/w out there is great and have messed with it a number of times, but just don't use it anymore.

 

[97honda]

Where is a good free sniping service?

 

[JamesNevans]

There are times I have forgotten to snipe an item I really wanted, now I don't wait for the last second but often can be hours before the end of the auction. Sometimes I do like David K and get a low bid in and if I'm around I'll hover the auction near close to see if someone wants to try to snipe me!

 

[tdoran70]

https://www.justsnipe.com

5 free snipes per week