# How do you "snipe" on ebay?



## rustjunkie (Jun 6, 2021)

So do you snipe (place bids within the last few seconds of the auction) directly from ebay or do you use a service/program and which one?
long ago i sniped thru ebay but often forgot to bid, now i use gixen with the mirror service: see the auction, go directly to gixen and set maximum bid, procrastination leads to forgetting and missing out.


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## GTs58 (Jun 6, 2021)

I wait for the last few seconds and then enter my bid. It's not as easy now as it was years ago but I had it down to the last second. I have no idea if the automated method can get it that tight.


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## catfish (Jun 6, 2021)

Esnipe.


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## rustjunkie (Jun 6, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> I wait for the last few seconds and then enter my bid. It's not as easy now as it was years ago but I had it down to the last second. I have no idea if the automated method can get it that tight.




used to be that the page did not refresh in real time, had to sit and f5 as the seconds counted down....nerves of steel  😅


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## Archie Sturmer (Jun 6, 2021)

For *free*, I have used *HammerSnipe* in the past; they limit the number of snipes per month for the *free* part; and promise only within 10-seconds of auction end, (but usually about 7-sec.).

Regarding a seller influencing sniping,
I have purchased common hardware items (bolts, nuts, washers), somehow marked as military specifications & export controlled, which required me to *click on an extra button*, even in the US.
Not sure how that might fool a machine?

Also, some sniper service providers might have a periodic downtime for server maintenance; perhaps a seller might schedule auctions to end during the downtime; (but for all providers)? 

Some sellers state auction conditions, that they might end an auction early, but not sure what might be in it for them to do so.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jun 6, 2021)

I use E- Snipe for anything that is not Buy It Now.  they send a note when you get out bid, unless it is at the last second of course. 

I remember one time my buddy and I along with his young son went for Sunday breakfast, half way through I remembered I had to get home to bid on some items by 10:30 or whatever the time was. so we hurried it up a bit and I barely made it.  these were items I knew I was going to resell and make money on, and ebay was my job at the time. after that I signed up for e-snipe.


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## rustjunkie (Jun 7, 2021)

doesn't esnipe charge now?
gixen is free for up to 4, then $6/year and that includes the mirror service


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jun 7, 2021)

E-Snipe charges but it is such a small amount I don't even remember what it is. they only charge if you win I think.. ??

I was going to go have a look but E-Snipe and Ebay are both blocked on my work computer. guess they think that will stop me from screwing around at work.


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## cyclingday (Jun 7, 2021)

Bidnapper.


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## frampton (Jun 11, 2021)

Since the auction item goes to the high bidder regardless of when the bid is placed, what is the advantage of sniping?


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jun 11, 2021)

frampton said:


> Since the auction item goes to the high bidder regardless of when the bid is placed, what is the advantage of sniping?



the advantage is they only have 5 seconds to out bid you. lets say people have bid an item to $25 with 2 days left, you snipe with $45.00 and no one knows, if you bid $45 with 2 days left people can outbid you. it is always best to bid as close to the end as you can, sniping allows your  bid to be placed at the last second no matter when you bid.


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## BFGforme (Jun 11, 2021)

What if multiple people use the snipe feature?


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jun 11, 2021)

BFGforme said:


> What if multiple people use the snipe feature?



 high bidder wins.  you can get sniped even when YOU snipe.


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## BFGforme (Jun 12, 2021)

I usually just bid about$500 over worth just to make sure I win!!!


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## Archie Sturmer (Jun 13, 2021)

frampton said:


> Since the auction item goes to the high bidder regardless of when the bid is placed, what is the advantage of sniping?



An advantage of sniping, instead of bidding early, and often, is that the price of the item does not escalate, perhaps to prices out of one’s budget range.

For example, one might let a less experienced bidder think that they are winning a $100-$120 valued item, with their measly $20 high bid; sniping might result in a $20.50 actual winning bid.

Compare that to bidder #2 bidding $25 early, and bidder #1 counter-bids $30, and more bids/counter-bids at $45, $65, $80, and eventually that is a lot higher than $20.50.

The same might be true even if there is no competing bidder, but a “*watcher*” who might be waiting for the seller to re-list at an even lower minimum bid/price.  If one bids early, the watchers will know that they cannot just wait-out the seller, and may counter that earlier bid, escalating prices.

So part of the answer has to do with *automatic* bidding; the eBay bids are just one increment (e.g., $1.00) greater than the previous highest bidder’s bid.


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## Jive Turkey (Jun 15, 2021)

BFGforme said:


> I usually just bid about $500 over worth just to make sure I win!!!




You better hope no one else is doing the same at $495.


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## BFGforme (Jun 15, 2021)

Jive Turkey said:


> You better hope no one else is doing the same at $495.



Was jivin you... hahaha, LoL... get it...😀


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## Maskadeo (Jun 16, 2021)

Who sniped this one at the last second?! 😝


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## Jeff54 (Jun 17, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> the advantage is they only have 5 seconds to out bid you. lets say people have bid an item to $25 with 2 days left, you snipe with $45.00 and no one knows, if you bid $45 with 2 days left people can outbid you. it is always best to bid as close to the end as you can, sniping allows your  bid to be placed at the last second no matter when you bid.



4 seconds. Back in the late 90's it was a moral debate on bulletin boards. Snipers were the bad guys yet, it didn't take long for peps to catch up and realize; you ain't gonna get it if U didn't get in the game too. IDK, about 2000 free snipe programs were everywhere, I never used one. Figured if; I forgot to snipe live then, it must have been not so important for me. 

Differently It was antique glass marbles I began collecting before ebay. Once ebay opened, because of the knowledge of them, I could spot the rare ones on a group and had only a few competitors who could too. Soon after the snipe programs came out where, most were free. It was a little tough at first but in no time, I'd have about four pages opened, refreshing price on one or two, and one or two pages set with my bid ready to go. 

It was pretty exciting, anxiety peaking as the last minute rolled in, the count down and constantly refreshing, synchronizing time. Ebay did not have a clock rolling it down back then. 

Had to estimate refresh period and my watch too. 

Yeah, that 5 seconds, as I recall, was,  prob still is a limit for the sniper programs. That's why I'd hit it at 4. I've never told anybody my number before yet, I haven't needed anything that I could not find in lowest buy it now price in over a decade. 

Or moreover, Haven't bought any collectibles, that I couldn't live without in long time. 

That 4 seconds never got beat by a sniper program or a live bidder. Yet of course, I had a good solid connection with my, less than a 1/4 mile from me, server too. 

As I recall for a short period, ebay tried to program an extra time period, like 10 seconds more, get a bid, add 10 seconds more until it don't to keep it live and time to get higher bid in but it got shot down. They ought to, for seller's sake, make it roll just the same as a live auctioneer does to dump the chump sniper programs and people like me, who never, ever show up until the very last second. .  Ka-Ching!


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## Archie Sturmer (Jun 19, 2021)

Another aspect of sniping is determining the appropriate sniping bid; high enough to outbid other snipers; yet low enough to make the price worthwhile; that is, not always paying full-price for an item that becomes available from time to time, or within reason.

For me, there always is a let-it-go price, (not to be exceeded); a you-can-have-it price.


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## videoranger (Jun 24, 2021)

I use GIXEN. free or low price for two server snipes. very reliable and very good service and communications for users.


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## rustjunkie (Jun 24, 2021)

videoranger said:


> I use GIXEN. free or low price for two server snipes. very reliable and very good service and communications for users.




yeah me too for years, it's been nearly 100% and is only $6/year!


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## OldSkipTooth (Jun 30, 2021)

Do you remember the early EBay days when high bidder could win the auction if there were technical difficulties? In 1997 or so  I won a great item because there was a  momentary power outage, and then the auction ended. A couple people were waiting to bid at the last moment, but the seller sold me the item as i was high bidder before the power went out!


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