Thread: Is sniping killing Ebay?

At least for a few of us? I was trying to get a cheap razor to practice honing a few days ago and I bid on a few razors. Every one bid on was sniped at the last 2 seconds. I finally got one, but I had to bid more than I normally would to get it. I didn't pay an outrageous price for the last razor, but is this now the only way to win something on Ebay now? I'm sure the sellers love it because it drives the price up on pretty much every every bid, but it kind of screws those of us that play the game honestly to get what we want. I'm not sure it quite qualifies as ungentlemanly conduct, but it certainly borders because you're sort of pulling something out from under others that play the game honestly. It seems like this is the only way to get something from Ebay now.

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I dont think it is. I bid what I think a razor is worth and forget about it untill i get an email saying i won or lost. I dont watch the items im bidding(doing this cost me alot of money in the past). The person sniping is only going to bid so much. If your higher than what he wants to pay youve won. Ive one 10 or 15 razors off ebay for little money.

It's been that way on eBay for a long time.
I think it actually holds prices down. Sniping prevents bid wars.

If you eBay, you have three options:
1. Set a proxy bid (the normal bid) for the most you're willing to pay and hope for the best.
2. Be one of those clowns that sets a low proxy bid and keeps increasing it as they get outbid. (bidding war)
3. Snipe: either with a sniping program or by manually sniping at the end. Again, set your snipe bid as the most you're willing to pay and hope you don't get outsniped by someone else.

The big advantage to sniping is that it prevents people that do #2 from driving up the prices.

After my first few ebay auctions I became a sniper. I don't see any other way to intelligently approach it. The only time I felt bad about it was when I sniped a razor my mother was bidding on and won. All is fair in love, war and ebay acquisition.

I think sniping is the only way to go.

If I see something on the bay that I want I decide what it is worth to me and set my snipe and leave it. If I win, great. If not I wait a few days until another one comes along and repeat the process. I don't raise my bid so I don't feel like I bid more than I normally would have. If I had time to sit and monitor Ebay ....I'd still use a sniping program.

I don't see how availing yourself of a resource available to everyone borders on ungentlemanly conduct.

well this is my opinion its the people that bid early that drive up the price i'm a i got my highest bid that i'm willing to place (in my mind )and i bid at the last few seconds thats how i bid

I agree that sniping holds down the costs on Ebay, which can get a little out of control with overzealous bidders who become emotionally attached to something.

Sniping is the same as a proxy bid, only it's entered at the last second. The sniper doesn't know what your max bid is, he/she just rolls the dice and submits the max amount they are willing to pay.

I've been sniped many times, and it's frustrating, but it's also just part of the game.

The reason you can't get a razor on ebay as cheap as you want has nothing to do with snipping. It is because other people are willing to pay more for the same razor. That's the fundamental way an auction works - the person willing to pay most gets the item.

Your only choices are to bid more, or bid on less desirable razors.


I also don't understand why you think snipping is dishonest, or bordering it. Bids can be placed at any time until the auction closes and that time is clearly stated on each auction. Whether you choose to bid 1 second after the bidding starts, or 1 second before the bidding closes, or anytime in between is your personal choice based on what you find convenient. But there is absolutely nothing wrong legally, ethically or any other way here. The rules are pretty simple and clear and expecting that your bid will be the last bid ever is what is causing your frustration. But that's just unrealistic expectation.

Some guys bid on an item as if they are "staking their claim". I put in a bid therefore it is mine. Do as ebay suggests and place your maximum bid early and someone comes along and outbids you.

An ebay seller's dream is the guy who is insulted at being outbid and increases his bid until he is high bidder again with the other guy following suit. A bidding war ensues and the price of said item goes up and up.

I snipe in the last few seconds. I put in the maximum I am willing to pay. If it is less than the next guy he will win and I won't have time to yield to the temptation to go over what I had originally considered my maximum. Good way to do it IME. YMMV.

If you are the highest bidder you win the item whether someone snipes on it or not. The only people I find that are upset with sniping are those that are hoping to make a killing on a purchase.

That said, I have always believed that EBay prices were a higher than I would pay for an item. I am now patient and can wait and even bypass a razor on EBay. I have made many purchases on EBay in the past and a lot of them were for reasonable prices, some even a steal. This is not the norm. My preference is to go to the local shops and markets and purchase reasonably priced razors in good condition or cheap razors that can be restored. I can't begin to tell you what I have found locally. Ya just can't go out expecting to find a specific razor but willing to spring for them as you find them.