eBay sniping services - who do you use and why

EndersShadow

Looking to "UP" my eBay game a bit to get some items that I've been losing out on recently due to using eBay's bidding system to enter bids (even at the last minute) v an sniping program.

I submit my bid within the last minute (which is a pain to drop everything to bid on something) and am winning right up until about 5 seconds left, so I'm fairly certain I'm being beaten by a snipe program.

So if you cant beat em..... join em....

Suggestions welcome.

heiney9

esnipe for about 8 years now. It's cheap, very effective and easy to use. Plus it archives all of your activity (wins and misses). You get charged a penny per dollar bid, no charges if you don't win. It will bid in all currency forms as well.

You buy bid points and you can replenish at anytime in any increment and they never expire. I buy 500 bid points at a time for $5 and it's good for $500 worth of WINNING bids. Again, no charge if you get outbid.

I don't bid on Ebay with anything else, ever!

H9

[Deleted User]

My only advice brother, if you're bidding on something you really want, don't rely on a dodgy free program. They can work, and they can fail...and usually on the item you *really* wanted. You should get a few good suggestions here..

EndersShadow

Bodhi wrote: »

My only advice brother, if you're bidding on something you really want, don't rely on a dodgy free program.

I agree, but these are items I need eventually (cant complete my loft setup without), but they come up fairly often so its not something I will see once and then never again so I try to be patient. Added in is the fact I'm on a strict budget, so again gotta just be patient.

@heiney9 I saw that so I will check it out tonight.

Dennis Gardner

I use the best phone app out there Ebidder. I think it cost $13, but it has never failed me.

motorhead43026

If you know the most you are willing to pay for an item why do you need to snipe? Just enter a max bid.

heiney9

The snipe services are a lot more reliable and they cost almost nothing to use.

It's been probably 10 years since I bid using EBay's max bid, but IIRC, you can get into a bidding war early on as Ebay will incrementally bid for you up to your max. It (Ebay) doesn't wait until the last second (literally) to place your max bid.

H9

scubalab

What motorhead is saying makes sense. If you know your max bid, place it anytime, and let proxy bidding do the rest for you. I do, however, find myself often waiting until the last 10-15 seconds of an auction to put my bid in. I don't know... for some reason I feel like if I bid early, it shows more interest in an item and encourages further interest/bids...

It is frustrating though when you put in a last second bid (with your max) and you get outbid by one bid increment. Then there's no time to up your bid by another couple bucks. But, chances are, the bid that beat you had a higher max anyway and that additional couple bucks wouldn't have won either.

Although I often wait until the end of an auction to bid, I've never used a 'service'. I guess I feel better KNOWING my bid was placed than relying on a third party service (even if they are very dependable).

Keep trying Dan! Something will fall in place.

heiney9

Esnipe is faster than you can bid through Ebay manually. Many, many times with Ebay there is a server delay of several seconds, that can make or break.

The proxy bidding on Ebay will not wait until the very last second to place your max bid which means it gives others a chance to outbid you.

A penny per dollar spent is very, very cheap.

heiney9

scubalab wrote: »

It is frustrating though when you put in a last second bid (with your max) and you get outbid by one bid increment. Then there's no time to up your bid by another couple bucks. But, chances are, the bid that beat you had a higher max anyway and that additional couple bucks wouldn't have won either.

This IS exactly what a 3rd party provider (like Esnipe) will prevent.

H9

scubalab

How would it prevent that Brock? You still give Esnipe a max bid you're willing to bid, correct?

What I was saying is occasionally, I'll have a max bid in mind, and then I'll see that I've been outbid by say $1.00 more than my max. At that time (and as time runs out), I've sometimes thought, alright, maybe I can go another $5.00 or so, it's still a good deal... But by then it's too late.

I don't see how Esnipe can do that for you. I understand it might bid faster than humans can, but it can't think for you... or can it? It's still bidding your max at the last minute. There wouldn't be time to readjust to your 'new' max then.

I agree also that a penny per dollar is worth it not to have to sit there watching a countdown (that sometimes skips a few seconds too!)

Now, Esnipe and other services WOULD be able to do the stealth (last minute/seconds) bid.

heiney9

I just think Esnipe has more consistency bidding at the last second. Maybe not "faster", just more consistent. And no, I didn't mean to imply it would somehow allow you to bid higher than your max bid. But I think a snipe program always has a slight advantage as far as precision and consistency vs. Ebay proxy. Especially when many bidders are involved.

I think Esnipe is more "precise" at bidding at the last possible second than the Ebay proxy method.

H9

maximillian

Second Esnipe service. I've used them for a few years too.

You have to set your maximum in mind and enter it into Esnipe. That is the bid that is sent into Ebay at the final 6 seconds (settable). Ebay's bid butler (that's what they used to call it) continually ups the bid to the bid entered by Esnipe (which will be your maximum).

Scubalab, if you could have gone $5 extra, then that is what you should have entered into Esnipe to begin with. You really shouldn't plan for a "new" max, you should really set a max to begin with and stick to it. You will not be charged for your maximum bid if all other users are lower. It is no different than using Ebay's max bid feature. The difference is, if you use Ebay's max bid feature manually then you have to enter it 20-60 seconds before bidding ends (manual sniping). This gives some users time to think about "new" max bids and enter accordingly. Esnipe does it at 6 seconds before end (the default). So it prevents prevents manual snipers from winning.

I have lost many auctions using Esnipe this way but it was not due to their service, rather it was because other users thought the item was worth more than I did. Of course, that is the point and I have no issue with it.

EndersShadow

@scubalab

The reason for using the sniping program is that say I notice an item I want to bid on with 3 days to go. I decide I'm ok with up to 150 bucks to buy it. If at that time I put in 150 as my max bid, as more people put in bids, eBay will bump the price up until it passes everyone but one persons max bid. I may or may not be that person. Addtionally anyone who is OUTBID gets the opportunity to increase their bid which means if I AM winning, they can increase their max a little at a time till they bump me.

The purpose is to keep THOSE people from beating me by a buck or more. If their max is more than mine, either on eBay or in the sniping program they use, I still lose, HOWEVER if their initial max is NOT higher than mine, by submitting at the last 6 seconds, it removes their opportunity to bump their max to where it beats mine.

This doesnt change the fact that I think its worth 150, but it would allow me to win against someone who at first has a max of 125, and then after my bid still wins, waits till 30 seconds left and puts a max bid in of 175, which would beat me.

heiney9

I actually set Esnipe to bid in the last 2 seconds.

vcwatkins

I've used a freebie, Gixen, the last 4 or 5 years without any problem at all.
http://www.gixen.com

scubalab

Brock, maxmillian, Dan - this all makes sense. I certainly see where Esnipe could help. Dan - what you mention about allowing people time to change their max bid because you placed your max bid earlier definitely is the downside. That's why I usually wait until the last few seconds to hit "confirm bid".

I've put my max bid in with 30-40 seconds to go, and waited at the "confirm bid" button only to hit it and find out that my max was already beaten.

maximillian wrote: »

Scubalab, if you could have gone $5 extra, then that is what you should have entered into Esnipe to begin with. You really shouldn't plan for a "new" max, you should really set a max to begin with and stick to it.

I certainly agree with this. I guess what I meant was, it's more of a regret/hindsight/second-guessing kind of thing. There have been times that I've set my max bid at a price that I feel is a good deal hoping to win, only to be beat out by ONE other bidder by one bid increment. Yeah, I know, they may have set their max WELL over mine, but it's slightly frustrating when you keep missing something you want by a dollar or two. And there's that little bit of jealousy that someone else got the good deal (plus a buck or two)! My consolation is telling myself (and believing) that their max bid was likely WAY higher! It's much easier to accept when you see multiple bids over your max. Then you don't feel so bad.

I'm sure there have been times when you may have been outbid by a buck or two and thought to yourself, man I wish NOW that I set my max $10 higher. If not, you have much better restraint than I do!

In any case, I just have to tell myself it just wasn't meant to be.

EndersShadow

scubalab wrote: »

Brock, maxmillian, Dan - this all makes sense. I certainly see where Esnipe could help. Dan - what you mention about allowing people time to change their max bid because you placed your max bid earlier definitely is the downside. That's why I usually wait until the last few seconds to hit "confirm bid".

Which is what I do, but depending on when the auction ends (late or overnight/during work hours) its not always feasible, which is one more reason something like this is something I'm going to try out next time...

Dennis Gardner

If you have the time to sit and be available at auction end.....you don't need a program, since half the fun of waiting it out is the auction feeling of not knowing whether you outlast the others. These programs are for those that know ahead of time how invested they want to be in a certain item, as the want for the item doesn't rule their thoughts and keep them awake.

I use it when I won't be available and know what my max bid is and if I win, I get the notice on my phone while I'm out enjoying the other parts of my life or working a deal on something in person. If I don't win, no problem as another one will come along.