Ebay Sniper

[fudgeman]

Hmm, this topic seems to have gotten way off track! If I read the original post correctly, it was asked for recommendations for a free sniping service! I don't know of a free service, however, I highly recommend e-snipe which is very reasonable and very effective.

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

LOL-honor in online bidding.....

I ask b/c I've had items sniped from me;an item I'm looking at closes later this evening that I won't be able to baby sit in order to win.

I asked for opinions on snipe products, not opinions on sniping. Thanks

That's what happens here... unasked for opinions. Par for the course.


No, I don't use Ebay, so I don't have any ideas for you....sorry

[wvpiper]

Well I won, sniper free for what it's worth.

[dfmacliam]

Congrats

[thanmuwa]

And for those who still want a sniper recommendation, Goofbay is free (and has some other useful tools, like a search for misspelled auctions). Bidnip isn't free, but is supposed to be better (more likely to get that bid in to ebay at the last second apparently because of more servers or somesuch) and gives you 5 free auctions (that you actually win.... lost auctions don't count) before you pay anything.

[ForresterModern]

I have bought hundreds of things off ebay and personally sniped manually on numerous occasions, and been sniped on a lot more. Like others have said, unless you absolutely have to have an item at any price, sniping is a waste of time and energy. I value an item at what I am willing to pay for it (usually 10-20% less than identical new retail), wait for the last few hours of an auction, then bid the max amount I am willing to pay for it, figuring in cost of shipping as well. If your price is best you win. If not, somebody else does.


the only real reason to snipe is if you absolutely HAVE to have a specific limited availability item, and are willing to pay any price (or almost any price) to get it. Even then, though I look at it as still falling into the above category-----bid as much as you are willing to pay for it and let the chips fall where they may. if you are willing to snipe up to a thousand dollars, why not just make that your first bid earlier and let others try to outbid you.

[thanmuwa]

the only real reason to snipe is if you absolutely HAVE to have a specific limited availability item, and are willing to pay any price (or almost any price) to get it. Even then, though I look at it as still falling into the above category-----bid as much as you are willing to pay for it and let the chips fall where they may. if you are willing to snipe up to a thousand dollars, why not just make that your first bid earlier and let others try to outbid you.

The reason snipers work to get you something cheaper is the effect I am sure anyone who has bid a few times on ebay will know... when you bid against someone and your absolute maximum bid is not quite enough. You get tempted to add a little bit and add a little bit until you have bid loads more than you intended, ie you get ivolved in a bidding war. Snipers prevent bidding wars and mean that you stick to your pre-decided maximum. And just as in a real auction, two people bidding on the same thing = high price, one person bidding = bargain.