Big Al Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 Right at the 6-second mark. How do people do that? Not like "Have they no conscience?" but more like "HOw are they able to watch the auction in real-time?" Just boggles the mind! Scary to think there was someone else watching an auction for Don Sebesky's GIANT BOX LP for $0.99. Ah well.... keep on lookin'..... I hate when that happens!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 http://www.auctionstealer.com And plenty of other tools out there to do the same -- some server-based, and some that run off your own computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 In the late '70s and early '80s, there were cutout copies of "Giant Box" EVERYWHERE. Shouldn't be too hard to turn up another one, cheaply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 Looking forward to the Sebesky box-What A Bargain-Just Kidding!!!!! Seriously though I had that happened to me on E Bay a time or two. Definitely something that frosts your cookies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 Well, it's not 99 cents, but if you gotta have it.....Giant Box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Gawd, I love to snipe. And I love to hear others complain about it! Ebay just brings out my inner asshole... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 (edited) Right at the 6-second mark. I hate when that happens!!! I've got two snipes programmed to fire off at 5 seconds within the next day. God help ya if you (or even a jazz luvin' she) are in the way, Al. ....you don't really want those Mel Torme cds anyhow. Edited March 22, 2007 by Son-of-a-Weizen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morganized Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Gawd, I love to snipe. And I love to hear others complain about it! Ebay just brings out my inner asshole... A side of Moose we seldom see!! Hey Moose, maybe you're showing the wrong end in your avatar? ....just kidding of course. Have a good one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.D. Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 I get sniped all the time. Got irritated the first couple of instances, but quickly concluded it's just part of the game. I console myself by thinking that, even if the sniper only beat me by 25 cents (or whatever), he probably would have been willing to go $10 (or whatever) higher in order to win... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 I'm a snipe master. No programs for me, just reflexes and timing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Ptah Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Isn't sniping just skillful use of ebay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted March 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Probably. I even remember telling myself to just bid $5.00 with 20 seconds left. Lesson learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Probably. I even remember telling myself to just bid $5.00 with 20 seconds left. Lesson learned. Al - The auctionstealer website that RT mentioned above offers 3 free "snipes" per week if you sign up with them. You can pay and get more, if your volume on ebay is worth it. The free snipes are usually within the last 10 seconds (I think) of the auction, and as long as nobody else snipes with a higher price, you'll get what ya want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dig'Em Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 As far as I'm concerned, anything having to do with sniping is irrational. Bid as much as you think something's worth. No more, no less. If you're upset after being sniped, you underbid. I can't see what advantage a sniping program provides, again, assuming you and your 'adversary' bid your max. I don't mean to be a jerk about it. I know it genuinely upsets people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 (edited) Bid as much as you think something's worth. No more, no less. If you're upset after being sniped, you underbid. I can't see what advantage a sniping program provides, again, assuming you and your 'adversary' bid your max. I agree with your first comment. But regarding sniping, it's hard to tell if you're underbidding until the auction is over. That's the frustrating part for some people, because you don't really know what the "right" bid is, and maybe you'd have made a higher bid if you had the chance. No chance for a counter-offer. But even with a snipe set up, you have the opportunity to adjust your maximum bid during the auction as you watch any ongoing bidding. If you get outbid by another sniper, it's just that someone wanted it more than you. Edited March 22, 2007 by Aggie87 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 I can't see what advantage a sniping program provides, again, assuming you and your 'adversary' bid your max. I don't mean to be a jerk about it. I know it genuinely upsets people. However, from a seller's perspective, a sniping program has to be viewed as a good thing because it allows some better known deep pockets types to hang out in the wings until the very end rather than have them enter into the mix at an earlier stage -- a move akin to a largemouth bass entering the minnow pool and essentially 'scaring off' other potential bidders who realize that they have virtually no chance of beating him out in the final stretch. There's at least one eBayer that has that effect on me......and if I see him sitting there with three days to go, I simply move on. Well, okay...there was that one time that I turned and did a tap dance on his face...but it cost me $160. Now how dumb was that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Sniping tools are useful if you can't sit on your computer at the exact ending time: working, time zones, ecc. I use it basically for every auctions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Sniping tools are useful if you can't sit on your computer at the exact ending time: working, time zones, We're tired of your hollow excuses. If you're going to place more importance on things like going to the movies or showering or trimming the hedges, than you are on cd acquisistion, then we just can't be bothered having you around anymore!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Sniping tools are useful if you can't sit on your computer at the exact ending time: working, time zones, We're tired of your hollow excuses. If you're going to place more importance on things like going to the movies or showering or trimming the hedges, than you are on cd acquisistion, then we just can't be bothered having you around anymore!!! I don't care about cd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 I often snipe myself. While rival snipers are too busy reacting to my old bid, I'll up the ante in the dying seconds. I rarely use eBay anymore. It's so 2002. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 Even with my 5-second snipes and pocketbook-crunching, I still can't get anything off of eBay. Totally 2002. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dig'Em Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 I can't see what advantage a sniping program provides, again, assuming you and your 'adversary' bid your max. I don't mean to be a jerk about it. I know it genuinely upsets people. However, from a seller's perspective, a sniping program has to be viewed as a good thing because it allows some better known deep pockets types to hang out in the wings until the very end rather than have them enter into the mix at an earlier stage -- a move akin to a largemouth bass entering the minnow pool and essentially 'scaring off' other potential bidders who realize that they have virtually no chance of beating him out in the final stretch. There's at least one eBayer that has that effect on me......and if I see him sitting there with three days to go, I simply move on. Well, okay...there was that one time that I turned and did a tap dance on his face...but it cost me $160. Now how dumb was that? I can see some logic in this, though I don't think it would change my behavior. Everything has a clear value to me. What it is worth to anyone else really isn't part of the equation. Sniping tools are useful if you can't sit on your computer at the exact ending time: working, time zones, ecc. I use it basically for every auctions. I suppose this would make sense to me if your 'value' changes by the minute... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 I can't see what advantage a sniping program provides, again, assuming you and your 'adversary' bid your max. I don't mean to be a jerk about it. I know it genuinely upsets people. However, from a seller's perspective, a sniping program has to be viewed as a good thing because it allows some better known deep pockets types to hang out in the wings until the very end rather than have them enter into the mix at an earlier stage -- a move akin to a largemouth bass entering the minnow pool and essentially 'scaring off' other potential bidders who realize that they have virtually no chance of beating him out in the final stretch. There's at least one eBayer that has that effect on me......and if I see him sitting there with three days to go, I simply move on. Well, okay...there was that one time that I turned and did a tap dance on his face...but it cost me $160. Now how dumb was that? I can see some logic in this, though I don't think it would change my behavior. Everything has a clear value to me. What it is worth to anyone else really isn't part of the equation. Sniping tools are useful if you can't sit on your computer at the exact ending time: working, time zones, ecc. I use it basically for every auctions. I suppose this would make sense to me if your 'value' changes by the minute... Wich would be the value for records? Value is fixed by the people who want that particular record at that particular moment. I observe closely the auction until I can, look at bidders, etc, then I decide if to snipe an item or not. Late seconds bid keep the price lower for me, if my max bid is the highest, because when you are running with a compulsive bidder in the last minutes he could rise his bid to insane $$$. Late seconds snipe avoid the hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 (edited) TRUE STORY (cuz it happened to me) Years ago, before I discovered automated snipers -- I was just a manual snipester. And one week there was this one really obscure classical CD that I was just DYING to get (three obscure 20th century trumpet concerti, with the same soloist as the Henze Trumpet Requiem). Well, I was due to literally be on-stage with the Kansas City Symphony that night (singing in the chorus), during the exact time when the auction closed. DRAT, I wouldn't be around to manually snipe the auction, if necessary - at the last second. Well, there was either only one really low bid (like $5), or maybe no bids, I forget which. So I used eBay's proxy bidding to bid some crazy max amount that I knew wouldn't get outbid --- THINKING that I was gonna get this thing for less than $10 or $15 -- so whatever happens, happens. So, with about an hour left in the auction, I proxy-bid (through eBay) some crazy amoung -- like $100 maybe (a whole lot, is all I remember) -- and I left home confident that I would win the auction, and probably cheap (after all, the only bid was like $5). Surely I would get it for $10 or $15, and all would be well. WELL, I get home from the concert, and check my eBay account and -- HOLY SHIT!!! -- yeah, I had won the auction, but my winning bid was something close to $60!!!!! The one $5 bidder had come back, and chipped away at my proxy bid, dollar by dollar (the guy must have bid 40 or more times!!!). And each time my proxy would outbid him, just like it was supposed to. He finally gave up at like $57 -- so with shipping, I was out a little over $60. Now if I had known about the auto-sniping stuff back then -- I would have surely won this disc for only $10 or $15 (or maybe $20). Some lessons you just have to learn the hard way. Edited March 22, 2007 by Rooster_Ties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted March 22, 2007 Report Share Posted March 22, 2007 (edited) The one $5 bidder had come back, and chipped away at my proxy bid, dollar by dollar (the guy must have bid 40 or more times!!!). And each time my proxy would outbid him, just like it was supposed to. He finally gave up at like $57 -- so with shipping, I was out a little over $60. . That actually ties in to another reason not to place early bids but rather wait to snipe at the very end. Let's say for instance that you're on some rock board and know that fellow board member 'Tommy' has been dying to get a rare copy of a Monkees CD...and suddenly one appears....and soon afterwards you see that 'Tommy' has placed a bid. Well, you're pissed at 'Tommy' because he insulted your mother and also beat you out on 10 other auctions over the years, so you start to screw with him (he doesn't know your eBay handle) and start placing bids. Well, given the fact that he's been foaming at the mouth about this rare cd for 2 years you just know that, up to a point, he's gonna keep coming back.....so you decide to place a few more bids and up the ante...but not too high......and suddenly just back off. The auction finally ends two days later and 'Tommy' ends up paying $78 for the disc...but had you not 'intervened', he might have had it for $40? He telegraphed his interest by placing an early bid and you took the opportunity to mess with him a little. He should have just popped in with a few seconds to go and avoided it. Edited March 22, 2007 by Son-of-a-Weizen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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