Ebay anti-sniping program?

[71-LS6]

Here's a little question for you guys with more Ebay knowledge/experience, than me.

For the third time in a week, using two different computers, I have watched and attempted to bid on some low dollar listings ($0-$200). All three times, with less than 2 minutes left, my screen was frozen and I either did not get to update my bid (once), or place my bid (twice). In each instance, I would have bid higher. I am using a high speed cable connection or my WIFI connection. My M.O. is no different than what I always do. Did they implement some sort of anti sniping program?

[Late BrakeU2]

[ QUOTE ]
Here's a little question for you guys with more Ebay knowledge/experience, than me.

For the third time in a week, using two different computers, I have watched and attempted to bid on some low dollar listings ($0-$200). All three times, with less than 2 minutes left, my screen was frozen and I either did not get to update my bid (once), or place my bid (twice). In each instance, I would have bid higher. I am using a high speed cable connection or my WIFI connection. My M.O. is no different than what I always do. Did they implement some sort of anti sniping program?

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A tad confused,are you actually using a sniping program?.If so you should check your settings-the format should fire in you highest bid with six seconds left in the auction.If you are manually trying to bid as the auction is expiring you will never be able to reload and beat the computer unless you put in a very high amount.I experienced CRT lockup at the moment of truth on a must have item and to top it off it went for peanuts which really salted it-have been using e-snipe ever since it's worth the fees.Kinda like Tivo for auctions,they are on your time as opposed to vice versa

[71-LS6]

Yes, I am manually entering the bids. This always worked before......but that was before. I guess I'd better update my process. You mentioned e-snipe, do they charge by the bid, or just a flat fee? Thanks, Steve

[Chevy454]

Steve: I don't see the feasibility or an advantage for Ebay to have an anti-sniping setup. It would be shooting themselves in the foot from a higher fee per sell standpoint, and it defeats the purpose of having a time limit on the auction in the first place. My money would be on the amount of traffic/bandwidth on the server on Ebay's end...

[71-LS6]

I did a quick google search on the topic, and there is a program for sellers who dislike snipers. Evidently these sellers were denied the right to vote in Florida sometime ago, and are now getting even with the "man". I see no rationale for disabling snipers either, especially, when I'm selling on ebay.

[Mr70]

In the past,I've seen a few sellers stating in their auction descriptions that because they despise the sniper bidders so,they would not accept any bids in the last 5 minutes of their auctions.Needless to say this made the snipers place their final bids 5 minutes before these auctions ended.So the sellers revised their descriptions to say now they would not notice any bids within the last 10 minutes of their auctions.Needless to say this made snipers bid 10 minutes before these auctions ended.
It was all quite comical.

[Allen]

That would be unusual.

I think everyone can and should go ahead and snipe away. There's no major advantage to those programs outside of being able to place a bid for you when it isn't convenient otherwise (like auctions ending really late or during the work day).

I've read about all sorts of complaints from people who were outbid by others using sniping programs...... no big deal. Simply bid your maximum. If the item exceeds your max, you've been saved from overpaying. Sniping programs don't help you win auctions when someone else is willing to pay more.

[427TJ]

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I think everyone can and should go ahead and snipe away.

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Yep. It's all about winning and losing. If you hate losing on eBay then you have to be prepared to be a sniper. If that bothers you then eBay might be the wrong place to shop. I've sniped and been sniped upon and it's just the cost of war. You win some, you lose some.

Now if a seller doesn't like snipers then that's their own business. You can choose to participate in their auction or pass.

EBay is a lot like the Wild West: there's the quick and the dead. It's very competitive and he who hesitates loses. Losing sucks but if you want to play...

[jfkheat]

Rick, how would you stop someone from not bidding in the last 5 or 10 minutes of an auction short of ending the auction early. I don't think that is a very smart thing to do. I have seen the final bid double and triple in the last minute of an auction. I do a lot on Ebay and welcome last minute bids.
James

[Allen]

The only way you lose (as a bidder) is when someone else is willing to pay more. Sniping becomes a non-issue.