Sniped!
#26
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I either use the buy-it-now function, or I snipe.
The most surprising thing to me is that when I snipe, I almost always pay a lot less than I was willing to pay, or I don't get the item. Typically I'll enter a snipe amount around $75 and the item will sell for $40 (to me) or $140 (not to me). Either way I'm happy.
If EVERYONE sniped at the last minute (well, 7 seconds before end of auction) nothing would change. The person who entered the highest bid would win the item, and the price would be pretty much the same as otherwise expected.
The most surprising thing to me is that when I snipe, I almost always pay a lot less than I was willing to pay, or I don't get the item. Typically I'll enter a snipe amount around $75 and the item will sell for $40 (to me) or $140 (not to me). Either way I'm happy.
If EVERYONE sniped at the last minute (well, 7 seconds before end of auction) nothing would change. The person who entered the highest bid would win the item, and the price would be pretty much the same as otherwise expected.
#27
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Sniping is the correct strategy for ebay. Keeps the bidder from getting caught up in the action and over bidding. I come up with the maximum I'm willing to pay for something, then bid with less than 5 seconds left. I can't make a second bid, no auction fever possible. I never regret losing because I am convinced the winner overpaid
#28
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Frankly, I don't understand all this bruhaha about online auction tactics, methods and psychology. I have a simple rule that I apply to determine how much I am willing to bid and never stray from it. Namely, I never pay more than it would cost me to find it elsewhere, be it some other online store or Buy it Now (BIN) or Craigslist or whatever. And if it is some rare item that is only to be found infrequently on eBay, then I simply establish in advance an absolute maximum amount that it is worth to ME and let the chips fall where they may. No complicated bidding tactics, sniping software or voodoo. Just like most things in life, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, and I don't lose any sleep over it.
#29
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I use www.esnipe.com. Bidding early on an ebay auction just reveals your interest and helps other bidders. I only snipe bid. Then if someone beats me, its because they valued the item for more than me, rather than raising their bid in response to my bid. Lots of snipe options out there.
#30
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I don't snipe, but it is kind of fun when you win that way. I think we all kind of like the feeling of victory, and sniping makes it more so.
If I really want the item, I put my max price in and forget it. If someone wants it more, fine, even by a penny.
If I'm interested in a bargain, I follow it and see where it seems to be going, then make a decision on what I'll spend and stick to it.
I'd say I'm about 50% successful getting either what I want or a good buy.
CL here is getting a lot more parts out there than it used to. It has it's own problems, but I like meeting bike people, and that's a plus.
If I really want the item, I put my max price in and forget it. If someone wants it more, fine, even by a penny.
If I'm interested in a bargain, I follow it and see where it seems to be going, then make a decision on what I'll spend and stick to it.
I'd say I'm about 50% successful getting either what I want or a good buy.
CL here is getting a lot more parts out there than it used to. It has it's own problems, but I like meeting bike people, and that's a plus.
#31
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I don't think sniping really matters. I've sold items recently where they were bid up early up to what they were worth and sold for that. Some of these items had over 20 people watching and I was ready for some heavy sniping, but no snipers came in because the items were already over what they wanted to pay. The only time I get snipers is if the item is below mkt value a few minutes before it closes.
#32
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Frankly, I don't understand all this bruhaha about online auction tactics, methods and psychology. I have a simple rule that I apply to determine how much I am willing to bid and never stray from it. Namely, I never pay more than it would cost me to find it elsewhere, be it some other online store or Buy it Now (BIN) or Craigslist or whatever. And if it is some rare item that is only to be found infrequently on eBay, then I simply establish in advance an absolute maximum amount that it is worth to ME and let the chips fall where they may. No complicated bidding tactics, sniping software or voodoo. Just like most things in life, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, and I don't lose any sleep over it.
#33
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The same thing has happened to me several times on Ebay. You come up with a fair price, and if you really want it, you bump up the bid just to make sure you'll win. Your the highest bidder all the way through as you watch the time expire and find out you were outbid by a GD nickel by someone who hadn't been bidding the whole time. Is it possible that someone has figured out how to see your top amount and is able to zip in a bid at the last second? I think this is a problem for Ebay. Are you listening Ebay?
I tied with someone a fews ago. He submitted his bid 5 days before I did and won based on that.
#34
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The reason is you'll often end up paying more by bidding early. Early bidding encourages counterbidding, which means that if you win the item, you'll pay more for it than you would have if you had waited until the closing seconds to bid. Your competitors, who only learn of your interest in the item when it's too late to counterbid, have no time left to drive up the final price.
#35
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Ebay used to make me stress, but not anymore. If it's something I want I may stick around for the end of the auction... If not I just bid whatever I want to pay and let the Ebay gods decide.
#36
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I can understand sellers not liking snipers, but for buyers, it's a way to eliminate much of the item inflation from the competitive aspect that Ebay promotes.
I only snipe now, sometimes using an automatic service and sometimes manually, as Tigerprawn does. When I lose, it's because the market value was more than the maximum I wanted to pay - simple as that.
I only snipe now, sometimes using an automatic service and sometimes manually, as Tigerprawn does. When I lose, it's because the market value was more than the maximum I wanted to pay - simple as that.
#37
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When I'm bidding on eBay, my goal is not just to win the auction, it's to win the auction at minimal cost to me. All I'm saying is, if you enter a bid that allows a competitor enough time to counter your bid -- and we're only talking about a few seconds here -- it will increase the amount you pay in the event you're lucky enough to win the auction.
#38
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Shimano made a variation of these, they work nicely. I definitely prefer them to the SunTours.
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#39
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On the contrary, sniping very much favors the buyer. A lot of the eBay price inflation is due to auction psychology: once a buyer enters a bidding war, he does not want to lose even if he ends up paying more than the item is worth, thinking the other buyer's bid justifies his own overbid. Many noob buyers make several bids, until they bid more than the current winner. As a seller, I am happy when two such buyers show up at my auction. Sniping removes this emotional part, so favors the buyers.
#40
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I use a sniping service but only because often I'm not online or around a computer when the
auction is scheduled to end.
Sometimes I'll throw a direct lowball bid in on an item and see where it goes, I've been surprized that
I've actually won some of these.
ebay is sure less friendly than it was say 5 years ago.
marty
auction is scheduled to end.
Sometimes I'll throw a direct lowball bid in on an item and see where it goes, I've been surprized that
I've actually won some of these.
ebay is sure less friendly than it was say 5 years ago.
marty
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#41
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I NEVER enter a bid in advance of the closing time. That just encourages the newbies to bid in $1 increments until they've beat my bid by a whole dollar. Much more satisfying to school them with a well-placed snipe at the end.
Sorry to hear you lost your holy grail, though. I've actually got a used set here, but it's earmarked for my Gitane tourer. I may change my mind about that, and if I was absolutely certain that I would not be using it, I'd sell it to you, but for now, It's for a build, so....
Sorry to hear you lost your holy grail, though. I've actually got a used set here, but it's earmarked for my Gitane tourer. I may change my mind about that, and if I was absolutely certain that I would not be using it, I'd sell it to you, but for now, It's for a build, so....
#42
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Now you guys know why 24mm seatposts now go for a fortune on eBay.
#43
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I'm leery of sharing my eBay information with a 3rd party so I use a free, open source program running on one of my computers (a server, so it's always on and always connected to the internet): https://esniper.sourceforge.net
Works for me!
Works for me!
#44
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If an item is rare and desirable, then the only way you're going to win it at anything approaching a reasonable price is to snipe it. Too many collectors are experienced Ebayer's and experience, teaches you.