Snipe S/W?

From: Sellam Ismail <foo_at_siconic.com>
Date: Tue Dec 19 15:26:36 2000

On Tue, 19 Dec 2000, Dave McGuire wrote:

> - Bid odd amounts...not $150.00, but $156.56. Shift to the high side
> of ones or cents. Often people will bid even amounts like
> $150.00 or slightly higher like $150.01.

Just bid $1 million. You'll be guaranteed to get it everytime.

> - Know the "deep pockets" bidders. People like "at90210",
> "dimethyl", and "shirotori"...these folks have more money than
> all of us put together, and have no qualms with spending it
> to keep you from getting what you want if you piss them off.
> Don't snipe the big spenders, or you'll never win an auction
> again. It's as simple as that.

Wow, eBay mafioso.

> - Know who your friends are. If you find yourself constantly
> coming up against the same person on stuff, send him or her
> some email. Get to know the other person. Try to form some
> sort of working relationship that facilitates communication
> on a per-auction basis. Decide amongst yourselves who wants
> or needs the item more. Concede once in a while. It's better
> to have friends than enemies...and sometimes those friends
> spot things that you may have missed.

Not that I plan to turn you in (as long as you send me $100 within the
next 2 weeks, e-mail me for my address :) but this practice is actually
illegal.

> Is sniping morally wrong? I dunno, ask a priest. Is it rude?
> Definitely. But there are SO many people who do it, screw it. If you
> snipe someone and can't live with yourself afterwards, then don't
> snipe anymore. But if you're sick of BEING sniped, or of simply not
> winning the auctions that you want to win, then go for it. It's a
> cold, cruel world out there.

Unfortunately, eBay's retarded auction mechanism promotes the use of
sniping. As I've argued before, it encourages over-bidding.

Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
Received on Tue Dec 19 2000 - 15:26:36 GMT

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