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Watch out for those "Bid Snipers"!!!

monolithic - 2008-08-31 23:25

http://cgi.ebay.com/Helix-HX-4630-Stereo-Boombox-Ghetto...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Roll Eyes

reli - 2008-08-31 23:37

lol...pretty minty there

jt - 2008-09-02 07:49

I particularly like the cassette outline in the paint speckle on the top.

moncheeto - 2008-09-02 08:06

go for it guys Nod Yes

baby.boomer - 2008-09-02 08:21

The seller's sniper argument is total hogwash: "Don't let a sniper steal the auction; bid early."

First, the seller is admitting that snipers frequently win. "You will not be able to beat a bid sniper at the last minute," he admits. True! And the reason snipers frequently win is because most people, people who don't know any better, bid early.

Early bidders lose because they give other bidders (including snipers) the opportunity and (more importantly) the time to outbid them. Snipers win because they know that last-second bidding takes away the time for others to bid or rebid!

Secondly, the seller is wrong when he states that bid snipers use software programs to bid only slightly above the highest bid. Granted, some snipers use software to get in at the last second (although an accurate watch and fast Internet connection are all that's really needed), but it's eBay, and not the sniper, that enters a bid only slightly higher than the current high bidder's maximum bid. EBay calls it "incremental bidding." It means that, no matter how high a bidder's maximum bid is (including the maximum bid of a sniper), eBay will only enter a bid that's a pre-determined amount higher than (i.e., "slightly above") the current high bid. Yes, that increment increases as the bids get bigger, but eBay always enters an incremental bid and never automatically enters a bidder's maximum bid (unless it's within that small increment).

If the seller were truthful, this is what he would say: "Bid early, because early bidding gives buyers the time and opportunity to outbid each other and to rebid many, many times, each time raising the final price of the item.

"The fact is, no matter how early you bid, you will probably still not beat a sniper at the last second of the auction... unless, of course, your secret maximum bid is really big, and the sniper doesn't overbid it. Most likely, though, the sniper's last-second bid will be even bigger than your maximum, and he will win.

"So, bid early, bid often, and definitely enter the maximum amount you're willing to pay, because the earlier you bid and the more times you bid and the higher your maximum bid is, the more money I'll make."

redbenjoe - 2008-09-02 08:31

DIBS !!!

seriously --i hope to win it at the end --(not goofing)
this one is so 'my-kinda-box'

---in case i do get lucky on it --
watch for the celebrations in our collections forum -- OK? Smile

fatdog - 2008-09-02 08:37

I wonder when eBay will move to extend auction times; hey, they'd make more money, and it would be more like a true auction. A few other auction sites implement it and it seems to be quite interesting. For example, in the last few minutes of an auction, if someone comes in at the last second, the auction is extended an additional five minutes. Giving enough time for someone else to bid again. If that person makes a bid, the countdown is reset to five minutes. It's basically a virtual auctioneer doing the whole "going once, going twice" kind of thing.

masterblaster84 - 2008-09-02 08:50

quote:
Originally posted by baby boomer:
"Bid early, because early bidding gives buyers the time and opportunity to outbid each other and to rebid many, many times, each time raising the final price of the item.


Exactly right, Gold star for baby boomer!Nod Yes
Giving people time to rethink their bid they will often bump their bid higher and higher which is why sniping works. Sniping doesn't give bidders time to rethink their maximum bid and bump it even higher.

isolator42 - 2008-09-02 09:09

Yes, but how nice of the seller to carefully explain the eBay bidding system to us all...

I quite like the paint-job on the top.

This b-box any good then?

baby.boomer - 2008-09-02 09:14

quote:
Originally posted by Fatdog:
In the last few minutes of an auction, if someone comes in at the last second, the auction is extended an additional five minutes. Giving enough time for someone else to bid again. If that person makes a bid, the countdown is reset to five minutes. It's basically a virtual auctioneer doing the whole "going once, going twice" kind of thing.

Now, there's an answer I've never thought of! It would certainly put an end to sniping. There would always be time for someone who was outbid to bid again. An auction could go on forever! Great for eBay and for sellers; bad for bidders. Prices would soar!

jt - 2008-09-02 09:19

quote:
quote:
Originally posted by Fatdog:
In the last few minutes of an auction, if someone comes in at the last second, the auction is extended an additional five minutes. Giving enough time for someone else to bid again. If that person makes a bid, the countdown is reset to five minutes. It's basically a virtual auctioneer doing the whole "going once, going twice" kind of thing.

Now, there's an answer I've never thought of! It would certainly put an end to sniping. There would always be time for someone who was outbid to bid again. An auction could go on forever! Great for eBay and for sellers; bad for bidders. Prices would soar!


Prices sure would soar... At least for those moments at the end of the auction when more than one person is online and paying attention. And if you're up agains sniping software, you'd at least max out your opponent's bid and maybe have a chance.

Yup, get your grails while you can...!!!

- 2008-09-02 14:29

quote:
Originally posted by JT:

Prices sure would soar...

Yup, get your grails while you can...!!!


Wink Workin on it Big Grin

- 2008-09-02 14:30

quote:
Originally posted by Fatdog:
I wonder when eBay will move to extend auction times; hey, they'd make more money, and it would be more like a true auction. A few other auction sites implement it and it seems to be quite interesting. For example, in the last few minutes of an auction, if someone comes in at the last second, the auction is extended an additional five minutes. Giving enough time for someone else to bid again. If that person makes a bid, the countdown is reset to five minutes. It's basically a virtual auctioneer doing the whole "going once, going twice" kind of thing.

doenst this happen at one of those gun auction place's, this style of bidding ? Nod Yes

fatdog - 2008-09-02 14:37

quote:
Originally posted by DecentMan4you:
doenst this happen at one of those gun auction place's, this style of bidding ? Nod Yes
Yes, it does. Nod Yes

- 2008-09-02 17:58

I thought so as i was looking for a: S & W 586 3 inch N frame and I am still looking ....
quote:
Originally posted by Fatdog:
quote:
Originally posted by DecentMan4you:
doenst this happen at one of those gun auction place's, this style of bidding ? Nod Yes
Yes, it does. Nod Yes

isolator42 - 2008-09-03 06:38

quote:
Originally posted by DecentMan4you:
I thought so as i was looking for a: S & W 586 3 inch N frame and I am still looking ....
quote:
Originally posted by Fatdog:
quote:
Originally posted by DecentMan4you:
doenst this happen at one of those gun auction place's, this style of bidding ? Nod Yes
Yes, it does. Nod Yes
You probably have no idea how strange that sounds to me in the UK (& maybe others); to be able to legally purchase firearms...