Out bid on ebay yet again.

I concur wholeheartedly with what SharpByCoop has to say about "sniping".

I've been buying knives on eBay since early '99 and sniping has saved me an enormous amount of money for the same reasons SharpByCoop has mentioned.

As an example, one of my relatives wanted a particular knife and I found one on eBay for him. I emailed him the link and told him not to bid on it until the last minute of the auction. He did not heed my word. Long story - short, he ended up paying about $200.00 more than he should have for that knife because he kept bidding on it with days left in the auction. He ended up bidding on the item about 10 times during the auction period and the same guy would just bid a bit more then he did each time. If he had bid just once at the end, he would have paid a lot less for it.

I, personally, also like to use a 10% rule when bidding. I think about the max price that I would pay for a knife and then I add another 10% to it. I do this mainly to ease my own pain if I lose an auction. I hate thinking that if I had just bid another 2 or 3 dollars more, the knife would be mine. This way, if I add the extra 10%, I don't feel so bad when I've lost an item because I then tell myself, "Well, it was more than I wanted to pay for it in the first place".

-- This works for me anyway.
 
70chevelless said:
I concur wholeheartedly with what SharpByCoop has to say about "sniping".

I've been buying knives on eBay since early '99 and sniping has saved me an enormous amount of money for the same reasons SharpByCoop has mentioned.
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At this point, I must say I too concur wholeheartedly. ,

hey - it's really simply showing up at the auction when it's auction time.
 
I use a unique method of simply entering my max bid through ebay software and then if I win, I really win because I get what I want for what I am willing to pay.

I just scored a great Spyderco. I miss lots of them, but they sell for way more than I want to pay. So in reality, its not losing at all.

Just enter the max price you want to pay and forget it.

They'll tell you if its yours.
 
I think you snipers are fooling yourselves, but thats ok. Your max bid is your max bid no matter if you place it 1 day before or 1 min before it ends. I just don't beleive your getting anything any cheaper by snipeing and Ive never had anything sniped away from me at a lower price than my max.
 
if you dont go into it with a max you want to pay-you will get screwed-
been there done that years ago-

now a just bid my max and dont sweat it- there will always be another
 
I kinda agree what your saying about "a max bid is a max bid, regardless of when you post it" but there's something to be said in what coop says also about "emotinal investment".

It's east to get caught up in the auction and justify to yourself that "I can go higher".

I'm one of the ones that don't like the "snipers". The sneaky SOB's;)

I'll be the only bidder on an item, for days, and then a sniper with some software such as auction stealer or esnipe or whatever comes in at the last few seconds and wins is for 25 or 50 cents more then my bid.GRRRRRRRRR:mad:

If I had the chance, I would of bid more money. but no, the snipers take that opportunity away from you. At least at an open auction, you have the chance to bid more if you want.

and yes, I guess I could of bid my max of $100 up front, for a item worth $25. Then, if I lose, I least I know they got hosed instead of me. But sometimes that backfires and I'm the one getting hosed:eek:

Oh well, I guess it's just "sour grapes" on my part. I'll keep playing the game and I'll win a few and lose a lot:D

just my .02 rant.

Mark T.
 
Largely, I snipe on the principle of minimax regret - If I get beat, I get beat, and there's no way I can convince myself I could pay a bit more.

As far as putting in high bids... I know one guy I've bid against and always lost. I decided to thrash him and put in a w-a-a-a-y high snipe. He got burnt.

The item was worth say $5-$15. I quite liked it and decide to snipe bid $40. He took it for $41.

I bet he reduced his max bid after that.

It also means I occasionally get things cheaply. A guy is winning something and he either hasn't set max bid, or bid meanly. I bid higher than that with 6 seconds to go... he's unlikely to beat me.

It also means that no-one can bid up my max bid easily.
 
greebozz: I buy a few nice Al Mars and paragons every week, I used to torture myself to bid at the last moment, sometimes good sometimes bad, lost a few unreplaceable knives due to falling asleep, a freind of mine told me about hammersnipe, the ebay items I lost were usually in the last 10 seconds, I have been using hammersnipe as a paying member for 2 months with great success, purchase prices are way down except for the rarer peices, there is no charge for up to 3 snipes a week as a ebay member, upgraded membership is available for about 10.00 a month, I have saved 50, 100, and even more on many knives in the last 2 months, my bid hits the item in the last 3 seconds, well worth the trivial expense. The problem with ebay is everyone bids upfront, most of these people never win a item but only suceed in driving up the price, auctions are all about the last bid! Check out www.hammersnipe.com good luck! John at infobound1.
 
jhillas, db and the likes: with all due respect, you're missing the point of sniping.
If everyone only entered one amount (their max bid, as rosconey 2 said) you would be right. But if only one doesn't (and we all know it is A LOT more than one) sniping is beneficial both ways
ex: an item is $50 2 days before the end. I am prepared to pay $100.
If I enter my bid there and then, it will show $52. Then imagine than 1 guy is prepared to pay $90, but doesn't bid his max : he will enter $55 (outbid, told he needs to enter $59 min), $65 (outbid, told he needs to enter $69 min)... all the way to his max. In the mean time, the price I'll end up paying increases (in this case, $92).
If I bid the same bid in the last seconds, and the same guy thought he was winning with his $55, I get the item for $57.
On top of that (and that is very useful if you REALLY want something BADLY :D ), sniping with your max bid doesn't give you a chance to get carried away should you be outbid of your max: no time. Just make a cool heaeded decision when deciding your max :jerkit: .
Sorry for sounding so patronising, English is not mother tongue.:yawn: :yawn: :yawn:
 
I'm not missing any point. I think snipers are trying to justify or come up with a good reason to snipe. The fact is the hiest bid wins no matter if it is placed 1 day before or 1 min before it ends. I'll admit that sniping can be a useful tool for those that don't have any self control and it prevents them from raiseing their hi bid.
another example I place my max bid for itemX of $5 1 day before and lilsmiper sees it and decides to snipe it in the last few seconds for a price of $5. Who wins?

Not to pick on Coop but his example sounds more like buyers remorce than anything else. His max bid is either his max bid or it isn't. Coop is assumeing the other guys first bid would be the same if the time or sercomstands had been different. I bet the other guy had his price he was willing to pay and to try and guess you may have or could have gotten it cheaper if only you sniped it is unrealistic. I find it interesting you think you would have let the other guy have it for cheaper than your max bid if you would have been there watching it. Again I do see how maybe sniping helps some people control their own bidding some what but thinking you are getting some kind of deal or something cheaper by sniping doesn't wash. you lose no matter if you snipe or not if your bid isn't the hier bid.
example 2
2 snipers want the same item they both use supersniper program sniper a will pay $5 and smiper b will pay $66. Who you think gets it?doesn't really matter whos bid is first and whos is last the hier one wins. Doesn't matter if it happens in the last second or the day before.
 
I have been buying on EBAY for about 8 years now. Early on I also resented the "snipers" but realized it is just part of the game. EBAY actually has a for "fee" service to snipe in the last few seconds of an auction for you.

I also agree with SharpByCoop. Putting your max bid out early allows people to out bid you. I actually had some clown that out bid me once send me an irritated email, because HE bid more than he was happy with, to snipe an auction from me! If everyone put out their max bid true...the highest bid wins.

BUT...there are plenty of bidders that get caught up in the excitement and are stubborn to the point where they bid above their predetermined max to WIN!

Spend some time "watching" items you are interested in. If you go and look at the bids after the auction ends, you can see who bid and when. In my experience, most everything I look at is won in the last 10 seconds or less! Especially nice knives.

I have done well overall but there are some valuable lessons I have learned in the process. EBAY is the ideal environment for low life thieves is key. If someone wants to rip you off there is little you can do about it. Also, MANY people misrepresent items by embellishing the descriptions and using vague pics to get rid of things they couldn't sell face to face.

That being said, if you do your homework and know what you are buying, EBAY can be rewarding.

One thing I STRONGLY suggest....pay with a credit card if at all possible. If things go awry...you at least have an option to enlist the help of your credit card company.

Peter
 
DB and jhillas: We'll just have to agree to disagree. That's cool. :thumbup:

Saint-Just: Yes, crystal-clear to me.

If you can be unemotional about bidding you are a better man than I. There is no question it taps into the soul. I get wound up. So by coming in later, I have NO second chances to get entangled. I know my strong points and my weak ones. Having a 'winning bid' is tipping my hand early, and confines me to my emotional 'ownership'. It's a recipe for disappointment.

See you guys at the closing bell!

Now, that said, if the auctions were to extend five minutes until the auction bidding really stopped it would change everything. But, that's another story.....

Coop
 
I guess whatever works for you guys. :) Personally the stuff I bid on is typically so obscure these days that I'm usually the only bidder.
 
infobound1 said:
auctions are all about the last bid!
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db said:
The fact is the hiest bid wins no matter if it is placed 1 day before or 1 min before it ends.
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Hmmm

I think it is the highest bid, not the last bid, that wins - in ebay's "hard close" auction format.
 
forum members: Hammer snipe does not bid before the last few seconds, paying members of snipe can bid in the last 3 seconds, free members who are allowed 3 snipes a week, (no fee) bids are in the last minute. not bad for free, I am a glutton for knives and punishment so it behooves me to pay $10 dollars a month for unlimited auctions and the ability to bid in the last 3 seconds. I watch ebay hours a day, or used too. now with snipe, I watch my item and bid in the last day, if my max bid is too low I am alerted up till the end of the auction, I no longer stress or lose out , or even worse overpay in the heat of the moment, as in the al mars their is competition for the nice peices, I would consider my self on top of the world financially, but have 2 other collectors who regularlly boggle my mind, with what they spend to win, but this is the way in life, All in All sniping will improve your collection and your bottom line financially. Best of luck in your buying! john at infobound1.
 
Alot of good advice here. I tend to put items I'm interested in a "watch" status. Ebay then sends an e-mail letting me know when an item is about to close. I can then look at what the item is going for, decide my max bid and put it in near the end. That way your max is not out there too soon. Also, I agree with those who say figure out your max and stick with it.

One thing I have noticed when buying several knives from the same maker: some sellers will recognize you as someone who is willing to pay for their knives, and if they think the price is too low for a knife they will either come in with a bid of their own (using a different account), or have someone do it for them. Be very suspicious if you see a bid from someone who is on ebay for the first time making a last second bid (but not too last second). I feel I got burnt by one maker using this strategy. I no longer bid on his knives.
 
I have been using ebay since 1999, and stuck to the "put in your max bid and let the chips fall where they may" strategy for a very long time. I was very suspicious of the "sniping" services/software for a long time, too. However, I've had a change of heart and for the past year I've used one of these services. ezsniper.com, in my case. It costs 1% if you win. I know it shouldn't matter when you bid, if you're bidding your max amount anyway, but in reality it has mattered for me. I feel that the last minute sniping really only undercuts people artificially bidding up their items. It also helps me place a bid, then stay hands off and keep detached and impersonal about it. Auction craziness isn't confined to ebay. A couple of months ago they had our annual surplus equipment auction at work, and I know for a fact that several pieces of our worn-out equipment went for what it could be had for new, simply because two stubborn people got to bidding on it.
 
will_77 said:
A couple of months ago they had our annual surplus equipment auction at work, and I know for a fact that several pieces of our worn-out equipment went for what it could be had for new, simply because two stubborn people got to bidding on it.
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That happens every time at every auction everywhere online or not. I suppose in part its why there are such things as auctions. People get so wrapped up in "winning" that they lose sight of what they are doing... right up until it's time to pay the winning price and the auctioneers premium. :) I can't count the number of times at an auction I've seen the exact same behavior. Two things you MUST know to get a good deal at auction: What your max will be on any item you bid on, what the market value of everything you bid on is.
 
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