Snipe S/W?

From: Ernest <ernestls_at_home.com>
Date: Wed Dec 20 01:07:55 2000

After having been burned by snipers many, many times, I decided to just put
my max bid in at the beginning. I may not win but my conscience is clean
(where that's concerned) and it's saved me from spending more than I could
or should. I spent a lot of time watching auctions, and getting caught up in
the last minute bidding, only to be out bid at the last second. Sometimes, I
was actually happy that the bid sniper was there because I had bid more than
I could afford or feel good about -but usually, I felt like scattering their
teeth like chicklets.

I have a very low opinion of bid snipers. They're like the proverbial "bad
apples" that spoil it for everyone. I believe that most new bidders on ebay
go into it with honest intentions but they (like me) learn quickly that a
last second bid sniper will likely ruin the joy for them. Bid sniping is a
rotten, and self-perpetuating way of buying things on ebay. You learn the
hard way that if you really want something, you snipe. Don't even bother
placing a bid before the last 30 seconds of the auction because your early
(honest) bid will likely be sniped, and if you can't snipe, why even bother
to bid. This isn't always the case, especially on common items but it
happens often enough that I consider it the norm on items that I bid on, and
I think that this is really a disservice that ebay provides, and seems to
encourage. Perhaps ebay should only allow item bids during the last 30
seconds of the auction. At least then everyone would have an equal chance to
win the auction, and they would have to place their honest maximum bid
because they would only get one shot at biding.

However, I do like the "Buy it Now" option that a lot of sellers seem to be
including. It has it's faults too but at least it's clear about what it's
for, compared to the normal ebay auction which is designed to be abused by
sniping.

Another possible way to avoid sniping is to allow auctions to end at random
times, once it gets to the last hour of the auction. Will it end with 45
minutes to go, or with 35 seconds? You don't know, so you place your max bid
and hope for the best. Even ebay would come out ahead with this option, and
nice people wouldn't get burned by the more base elements of the auction
world.

Ernest
Received on Wed Dec 20 2000 - 01:07:55 GMT