Sniping Revisited...A real world study

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mrmopar

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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.
 
Very interesting- I usually try to bid at the last second on auctions because anytime that I bid early, I am always outbid.
 
You were probably bidding against me:D 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
 
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!
 
I think it helps prevent schill bids also...too many sellers try to bump up odd amounts to figure out where your bid is.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!
 
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