“Sniping” apps - what works best?

daddyjt
daddyjt Posts: 2,305
I’m new to the practice of using a “sniping” app to win Ebay items. Curious which one(s) works the best - there’s something I’d like to win this evening:-)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions...
"Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Comments

  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,346
    There is no guarantee any of them really work. After all, does it make sense that only one person is using such a service and will get the highest bid when others are using the same thing? Just bid the amount you are comfortable with bidding and add two cents. :)

    Ebay really has no control over proxy bidding which can drive up a price and leave someone who is using a bidding service paying more than they should. That may be one of the many reasons they put in the "Make an offer" feature years ago.

    I still use Ebay occasionally and look around for the best price/condition and then contact the seller to make an offer or just "Buy it now."
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    I still use eBay pretty regularly, and have used a snipping service in the past, but yes at this point it’s not so helpful. The key on eBay is not to become fixated on any single item because chances are either someone else will get it or you’ll pay waaayyy more than you intended. Instead I just keep my eyes peeled for good deals on things I’m interested in...
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  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    Thanks for the honest input guys - I appreciate it.

    I completely agree about the fixation - I set an absolute ceiling for an item before I even place a bid. Otherwise, it’s too easy to get carried away;-)
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,640
    daddyjt wrote: »
    Thanks for the honest input guys - I appreciate it.

    I completely agree about the fixation - I set an absolute ceiling for an item before I even place a bid. Otherwise, it’s too easy to get carried away;-)

    Which is why I set my max bid at my absolute ceiling and then ignore the auction until I either get the "Congratulations!" email or the "Sorry" email.

    Then I never go over what I am willing to pay and while it sometimes takes a few tries, I always end up not paying more than I wanted.
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
  • ZLTFUL
    ZLTFUL Posts: 5,640
    billbillw wrote: »
    I used esnipe for many years, but then I discovered that the ebay app works very well if I'm not at my computer. I just have a price in mind, and enter the bid with about 8 seconds left. If it wins great, if not, oh well. I caution entering your 'high' bid too early because some people (obsessive bidders who don't want to lose) will just chip away at it until they are winning. No chance to do that with less than 10 seconds left. Of course, there are usually several other people doing the same thing. Some you will win, most you will loose because it is crazy what some people will pay for stuff.

    Then they get stuck paying more than you are willing to pay. Seems simple to me. Enter the maximum amount you are willing to spend and call it a day. You get sniped? Great...someone else was willing to pay more than you were. Life goes on.

    Having been around auto auctions my entire life (my dad has been a wholesale car dealer since the early 70s), you can't let yourself get emotional. If someone wants to run you up, you have to know when to walk away. Don't get mad because they are "beating" you. The only winner in this game is the person who pays what they are willing to pay and not a penny more. The losers are the emotional bidders who can't stand the thought of someone outbidding them.

    Maybe I am too analytical or "black and white" oriented but if you have a set maximum you are willing to pay then it doesn't matter if you put that max in 5 days from the end or 10 seconds from the end. Ultimately, you win or lose based on what someone else is willing to do to get the same item.
    "Some people find it easier to be conceited rather than correct."

    "Unwad those panties and have a good time man. We're all here to help each other, no matter how it might appear." DSkip
  • BlueBirdMusic
    BlueBirdMusic Posts: 2,066
    AuctionSniper and set your last bid with 10 seconds left.
    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"


    Harry / Marietta GA
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,053
    esnipe has worked for me for over 10 years. Highly recommended.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    So I use the old fashioned method. I have a max bid in mind, enter it with less than 10 seconds, and poof! Sometimes I win, sometimes not.

    Hard to do at all hours of the day, so some of those items I may not bid on.

    Patience is the key, as with all things, there will be another identical item up for grabs soon enough! :smile:
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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,860
    Missing so many bids due to poor internet connections, I went to Myibidder on my phone. The data connection is way more trustworthy than waiting until the last minute or forgetting about something that I really wanted until it was too late.
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  • willman
    willman Posts: 10
    I think esnipe won everytime for me like maybe 5-10 times.