To the SOB that outbid me on Ebay...

[LRDG]

Jimmymac - if you're on here - Congratulations you SOB Outbid me in the last 30 seconds and got the Jacbs exhaust brake for $610

 

[Matt400]

I hate it when that happens!, I just bought one of those from Cummins for an 03 and it was way more than that.

 

[surfbeetle]

It's called "sniping. " When you are bidding, if you get into a bidding contest, then the price goes higher and higher. What people do is to use a bidding service or bidding program that is loaded on the computer. They enter the max bid that they wish to pay. Seconds before the auction ends, the SNIPE takes place and you have no chance to respond with a higher bid. Most likely, while you were babysitting your computer attempting to win the bid, their bid was placed automatically while they were no where near a computer. The way to tell for sure that this is what happened is to view the bidding history and see if the winner had any previous bids leading up to the final winning bid, they probably only bid the winning bid. It's not right and as a seller, we get screwed out of some $$ cause the prices stay lower. Just do a web search on "ebay snipe" and start reading.

 

[LRDG]

Thanks for the info surfbeetle. I looked it up and now understand extactly what you're talking about. I feel a little better knowing it was lost before I strated - but not that much... . :{ It definitely screws the seller though.

 

[Matt400]

It's called "sniping. " It's not right and as a seller, we get screwed out of some $$ cause the prices stay lower.

I had heard about that but didn't realize that would happen. Makes since though cuz others may have bid higher before time ran out. Is snipping wrong or just a tricky way do win?

 

[rrausch]

ebay encourages sniping--they tell you how to do it.

I've been outbid with only 3 seconds to go!!! :-laf

 

[Matt400]

ebay encourages sniping--they tell you how to do it.

I've been outbid with only 3 seconds to go!!! :-laf

I don't see how that can happen though if you just place one bid for the max you would pay.

Doing that is like having ebay do the snipping isn't it?

I do that all the time and if it goes over then I didn't want it anyway.

 

[GKainz]

That's the way eBay is designed to operate. You enter the maximum price you are willing to buy at, and the eBay software will automatically bid on your behalf, up to your maximum bid price. I usually only enter about half of my max bid and start watching the item as it nears auction end, and then adjust my max bid as necessary.

 

[WDixon27]

that just drives up the price, sorta like watching one person fight to stay high bid all week against allcomers then i deflate them by stepping on them with a couple seconds to go my best was by $. 05 and 3 seconds, i remember when ebay was new and sniping was uncommon, boy it was easy back then :-laf

I don't see how that can happen though if you just place one bid for the max you would pay.

Doing that is like having ebay do the snipping isn't it?

I do that all the time and if it goes over then I didn't want it anyway.

 

[rrausch]

I gotta admit, I'm a sniper! A pretty good one too! But I've lost lotsa things to better snipers than me! :-laf



But snipers sometimes get what is coming to them. I once watched an auction for a '53 Chebby part (forgot what it was now) the part was a little bit rare, but not extremely rare, the bid sat at $27. 00 for 6. 9 days, then in the last 7 seconds TWO snipers, who each thought he just HAD to have the part, placed a maximum bid of around $110--which is what it sold for. That seller was happy!

 

[BigEasy]

I'm a sniper too... but I don't use any program to do it... I simply wait until there's about 30 seconds left, in case I need to re-raise... cable internet makes eBay MUCH cheaper!



Don't EVER bid until, at most, 12 hours before the auction ends... why let others know that you're interested early on? Simply put it on your watch list. The sellers can see who's watching, and sometimes will contact you for a 'buy it now' at a lower price than advertised. I bought a Jeep that way last year.

 

[Bertram65]

With expensive items just bid the max you are willing to pay 10 or 15 minutes before the auction ends, if someone outbids you who cares it is more than you wanted to pay. With cheap stuff sniping is pretty easy, just give yourself about 5 seconds and the same rule, bid you max, if they try and snipe but don't go high enough they may not have time to bid again.

 

[trqmnstr]

Another factor... cable connection. I have a cable connection and I can place a bid within the last three seconds without sniping. I couldn't imagine having dial-up.

 

[surfbeetle]

So right now, I have some mirrors up there and I have four people watching the auction on one of them, but no bids. It will interesting to see how it turns out with the whole sniping thing. In the end, I kinda think that a seller would then have to set either the reserve or initial price high enough to get what he wants before the snipe takes place. I guess its just another necessary evil...

 

[MSLiechty]

I've used Power Snipe and it's about $30-40/ year. Works well and has allowed me to win a few using it. I don't use e- bay enough to justify the cost of the program.



Hope This Helps

Michael

 

[LRDG]

Vengeance is mine!!

Jimmymac did not pay up! Therefore, as next highest bid, I just bought a 2004. 5 Jacobs e-brake kit for $550

 

[Matt400]

Lucky dog!

 

[Koa Man]

I've used Power Snipe and it's about $30-40/ year. Works well and has allowed me to win a few using it. I don't use e- bay enough to justify the cost of the program.



Hope This Helps

Michael

JustSnipe is free up to 5 per week. After that you pay. I use JustSnipe since I don't bid more than that on Ebay. Sniping is the only way to go, otherwise you give someone a lot of time to think about how much they really want the item.

 

[rrausch]

LRDG, I'd be cautious and check things out. It is unfortunatly becoming a scam for people to mimic the email address of the seller and attempt to con the second-highest bidder into sending them money.



That said, CONGRATULATIONS! (If it's legit!) :-laf

 

[LRDG]

Thanks - I checked the message on "my-ebay" to make sure as I had heard about that. Additionally, I need to contact the seller by phone re shipping, so I'm pretty confident that all is above board - and pretty happy