Auction Page made me MAD!

[jon lynn]

One of our members informed me of the auction 'Sniper!'

Never auctioning again.

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by jon lynn

One of our members informed me of the auction 'Sniper!'

Never auctioning again.

Yep, when I first started e-baying in 2006, I would wake up at all ungodly hours in the morning to bid on auctions that were about to end. I would wait until the last 5 seconds and then enter the highest amount I wanted to pay for something and either I would win it or I would lose it.

The reason I decided to start "sniping" is because the first time I started bidding on something on e-bay was for a pair of carbon fiber bicyle wheels that I told myself I wouldn't bid more than $900 for. Well, I started bidding on them with 5 minutes to go in the auction and another bidder and I got into a bidding war. Next thing I know, I was up to $1,300 for them. Luckily, I came to my senses and let him win at something like $1,350. Afterward, I reflected upon it and told myself never again. When an item gets higher than I like in bidding before we get to the last minute of the auction, then I just delete it from my watched items. Plain and simple.

Some auction sites keep auctions open for a couple of minutes after the last bid made so that bidding wars can continue on and then the "true" price is determined just like a regular auction would be handled. Personally, I like the firm auction end time so that everybody can bid their maximum toward the end and the madness can stop there.

Anyway, after waking up several times in the wee early morning such that it felt like I should be getting ready to go hunting instead of sitting in front of the computer, I found out about a program that allows me to snipe on e-bay. I just enter the auction number, my maximum price, and how soon before the auction end I want it to enter my maximum price and it takes care of all of it for me. So, I don't have to worry about being in Court or meeting with a client when an auction is scheduled to end. It makes life a lot simpler.

[jon lynn]

fabsroman,

I can understand why you use it, but in my eyes it defeats the theory of what an auction is.

I (from my point of view) see it as the site allowing cheating, if they are to cheap to monitor the stuff and not assure fairness, they are little better than an cheesy online Asian bazaar. (Ask Dom to tell you about the Asian Markets just inside the Czech border)

With the human element gone, it is not truly an auction.

I know a real auction has people on the phones bidding, but a human is waving that goofy little paddle for the guy/gal on the phone.

[fabsroman]

Originally Posted by jon lynn

fabsroman,

I can understand why you use it, but in my eyes it defeats the theory of what an auction is.

I (from my point of view) see it as the site allowing cheating, if they are to cheap to monitor the stuff and not assure fairness, they are little better than an cheesy online Asian bazaar. (Ask Dom to tell you about the Asian Markets just inside the Czech border)

With the human element gone, it is not truly an auction.

I know a real auction has people on the phones bidding, but a human is waving that goofy little paddle for the guy/gal on the phone.

The program isn't really any different than how a real auction would work except for that these auction places do not run these things like real auctions to maximize the sales price. Especially with e-bay where they do not extend the auction end time after the last bid is made.

The way I look at a sniping program is the way I look at hiring an agent to bid on something for you. You can hire a person (i.e., an agent) to represent you at an auction and give him/her instructions as to what your max bid price is. The exact same thing is done with these sniping programs. Essentially, the agent and the program allow you to avoid having to attend the auction. Difference is that a sniping program cannot be used at a non-internet auction. Just like hiring an agent, the sniping program charges a fee for each auction you win.