Ebay woes

Yep, sniping is a favorite ebay pastime.  Can only fight fire with fire.  Can only put up what the max is you want to pay for it, and hope the sniper is below you at the end.

This technique has a name?? I really never did stand a chance lol.

Thats right. I don't buy much anymore, but when I was building my stash up I used snipes otherwise you lose.

As was mentioned, you do set a limit on your snipe, so it's quite possible to still beat it.

There are a couple of real advantages to sniping. One is just that- set your limit and walk away, don't get sucked into a bidding war. Second- you don't have to be there. You've got a life after all.

You could have set a snipe on every SBD auction, and made them conditional. Greatly increase the chances of success.

I must admit i am an e-bay sniper. Works about 90% of the time. Why put in an early bid just to lose out or get into a bidding war and end up paying more than you wanted or worse missing out completly.

I normally wait until the 5 second mark with my cursor hovering over the bid now button. My bid will be the max i am ready to pay, if that then gets out bid, so be it.

My snipe'll beat you every time, price allowing. I used to buy snipes from a site, think it was called "Bidslammer". They generally cost $ 1.00, and you only get charged if you win. They sold in packs of ten I think, but ofter they'd have half-price sales.

That snip literally goes in at the last second, automatically, no need to be there. 

Thanks for the advice guys. Wish I learned this lesson before so I could have picked one of those sbd's. now I know better. Sounds like you have robdo it or you'll never win anything

Tojo72

Lately I just use the Buy it Now option,still some good deals to be had if you are patient.

 

Most of my stuff is buy it now, usually stuff i just can't get in the UK or can get cheaper from abroard. Its rare that somthing comes up i want enough to bid on.

One more tip, for those new to the game.

There's nothing sillier than complaining about shipping costs. Just consider it a part of the overall price pure and simple.

GMorrison

One more tip, for those new to the game.

There's nothing sillier than complaining about shipping costs. Just consider it a part of the overall price pure and simple.

 

In other words, don't fall for the con trick of cheap price and extortionate postage to make up for it.

There are good bargains to be had on eBay. I think that the choice between bidding and BIN options has to do with your tolerance for "losing". If you're after something specific, it really pays to do a search and click on Sold Listings in the Show section of the left hand filters column. Then you know what it actually sold for in the past.

Armed with that knowledge, you can put your item of choice in your followed searches and check back frequently to see new listings.

Over time, you'll see the kit you want listed at prices from bargain to ridiculous, but if you're willing to lose a few bids and be patient, you'll get it at a price that you know is reaasonable, either in a Buy it Now or Auction format.

Happy Hunting!

Mike

Last time I heard of anyone sniping, it involved a burlap sack, and sitting in the woods at dark

Bish

 

 

GMorrison

One more tip, for those new to the game.

There's nothing sillier than complaining about shipping costs. Just consider it a part of the overall price pure and simple.

 

 

 

 

In other words, don't fall for the con trick of cheap price and extortionate postage to make up for it.

 

yeah I've seen that quite a bit

I felt the same way you did when I first started bidding on ebay, but I quickly learned the ropes.  I also learn that a lot of times the kit could be found at the same bid price or cheaper from on-line hobby store.   Found it amazing that shipping charges greatly varied from vendor to vendor located in the same state.  I can't help think that they are using shipping to increase their profit. 

If I am looking for a kit ebay is just another tool in a attempt purchase it. 

Marcus McBean

I felt the same way you did when I first started bidding on ebay, but I quickly learned the ropes.  I also learn that a lot of times the kit could be found at the same bid price or cheaper from on-line hobby store.   Found it amazing that shipping charges greatly varied from vendor to vendor located in the same state.  I can't help think that they are using shipping to increase their profit. 

If I am looking for a kit ebay is just another tool in a attempt purchase it. 

 

i hear you Marcus. I see some at almost twice what you can get it from Squadron or one of the other online shops. And yeah shipping is ridiculous on some of the listings

Well at the beginning, the eBay commission was a percentage of the sold price, so having a lower sell cost and high shipping was a way to avoid paying commission. I haven't sold anything in a while so I don't know how that goes now. Either way, as the buyer, it doesn't matter as it's the total that counts.

Far more important are things like return policy, being able to use paypal.

DDonSS3

I understand sniping, but I always felt that using software to do it was cheating, somehow. 

 

It's my understanding Bill Belichik invented this....

eBay sniping has been around so long, it's not funny. All the more reasons I don't bid anymore on eBay. Often times, I find better deals using the Buy It Now method. I agree, watch the S&H charges too.

rooster513

This technique has a name?? I really never did stand a chance lol.

 

I've been a member of eBay since 1996 and bought mainly plastic models, sold some too.

Most bids take place in the final seconds. With smart phone apps, you aren't even tied to a computer to snipe any more.

There are also plenty of auctions that never receive bids, are relisted and then sell for several times what the unsold price was. I've kicked myself when I miss out on these. But sometimes I don't bid, and then when the item goes unsold, the seller relists it at less money so I get an even better deal. That's the chance you take.

A few years ago, I listed a bunch of old motorized kits and they sold for over $1000 total. I don't think the kits cost me over $100 total.

A couple of years ago, my garage door opener died. I replaced it with a newer one and needed a couple extra new style clickers. I searched on eBay for them and found quite a market for my old one. I ended up selling my old clickers, the old keypad and the motor from the old opener (just the circuit board was bad) for more money in various auctions that the new opener cost at Lowe's.

As far as shipping goes, blame the bad sellers who used to sell $20 kits for $5 + $20 shipping instead of $20 + $5 shipping to cheat eBay from their fees.

Ah yes, many Luftwaffe subjects slipped from my grasp by the last minute bidder!  

Informative thread.

I dislike games, so any thoughts I may have had of trying eBay someday (hey, I'm a poet), just swirled down the drain. Probably a blessing.

Greg

Informative thread.

I dislike games, so any thoughts I may have had of trying eBay someday (hey, I'm a poet), just swirled down the drain. Probably a blessing.

 

An auction is a competition with the prize a coveted item at a hopefully the best possible price. Do not expect to join eBay today and start beating buyers who have been playing the game for nearly two decades.

If you went into a real life auction house and tried your hand at bidding against seasoned pros, you'd get your butt handed to you.

Rob Gronovius

If you went into a real life auction house and tried your hand at bidding against seasoned pros, you'd get your butt handed to you.

No doubt about that, Rob.

Another nice thing about eBay is as soon as something is sold at a ridiculous price that was won by a sniper in the final seconds, a half dozen of those items will be available for auction the next day, listed by guys who think, "I'd sell mine for that price."

Then they wonder why one went for $75 yesterday, but this week they aren't even getting bids in $40 range. Well, yesterday there was only one and more than one person wanted it. A "fierce bidding war" ensued. Today there are six available and one less person wants it today than yesterday.

Basic supply and demand coupled with the fact that often bidding wars get the best of some buyers and they must "win" the auction at all costs. The bidder gets an emotional vested interest in that particular auction and becomes blind to cheaper options and can't just drop out. After they lose the auction and search for similar auctions the next day, they see those better prices and bid accordingly.

Sniping has been around on eBay ever since the site went up.  I do it all the time.  If you want the piece that badly, you'll either leave a high bid, or you'll be there at the end.  There's nothing wrong with it.  You win some, you lose some.  Go to an auction hall sometime and bid.  You can still get outbid, and if the auctioneer allows absentee or phone bids, you're bidding against them, too.

I seldom if ever bid on an eBay auction early in the auction's date range.  Most of the time, no one else bids, and I can place a bid and get the object for the seller's original bid amount.  If I do bid on an item early, it's often something that doesn't matter enough to me, to hang around and bid at the end.  That is, it's a nice-to-have, but not something I'll go to war for.  If I win it, great, if not, meh.

And I've seen auctions--bid in a couple and even won a couple--in which the bidders put their eBay muscles on, and we wind up bidding something like a Monogram P-40B up to $50.  Then eBay testosterone kicks in, and everyone says, "No one beats ME!!"  And you wind up with an expensive piece, that you can find on the retail market for a tenth of the price.

It's as fun to observe, as it is fun to watch people at real auctions, which I've also done.  I loved the reaction I got once in a live auction, for a beer stein.  I collect 'em, and I was bidding against a dealer.  I was bound to win, because the dealer wanted to spend as little as possible, so he could flip it for a profit.  As a collector, I could outbid him, and still pay less than I'd ordinarily pay if I saw the item in his shop.  That sweetened the win.

the Baron

Sniping has been around on eBay ever since the site went up.  I do it all the time.  If you want the piece that badly, you'll either leave a high bid, or you'll be there at the end.  There's nothing wrong with it.  You win some, you lose some.  Go to an auction hall sometime and bid.  You can still get outbid, and if the auctioneer allows absentee or phone bids, you're bidding against them, too.

I seldom if ever bid on an eBay auction early in the auction's date range.  Most of the time, no one else bids, and I can place a bid and get the object for the seller's original bid amount.  If I do bid on an item early, it's often something that doesn't matter enough to me, to hang around and bid at the end.  That is, it's a nice-to-have, but not something I'll go to war for.  If I win it, great, if not, meh.

And I've seen auctions--bid in a couple and even won a couple--in which the bidders put their eBay muscles on, and we wind up bidding something like a Monogram P-40B up to $50.  Then eBay testosterone kicks in, and everyone says, "No one beats ME!!"  And you wind up with an expensive piece, that you can find on the retail market for a tenth of the price.

It's as fun to observe, as it is fun to watch people at real auctions, which I've also done.  I loved the reaction I got once in a live auction, for a beer stein.  I collect 'em, and I was bidding against a dealer.  I was bound to win, because the dealer wanted to spend as little as possible, so he could flip it for a profit.  As a collector, I could outbid him, and still pay less than I'd ordinarily pay if I saw the item in his shop.  That sweetened the win.

 

Thats pretty much the how i think. I'll only bid early if the item only has a day or so to run and no one has bid. That way you can get an idea if anyone else is interested. Somtimes it the onyl bid and i get it, and otehr times somone else will bid and then i will decide how much i want.

If its somthing i really wnat, then its time to snipe. Why get into a bdding war, its only your own pocket your hurting.

Hi,

Most the time I will start with a bid that I hope is reasonable, but if I really want the item I'll frequently wait till close to the end of the sale (within an hour or so most times) and then put in my 'most I'm really willing to pay bid'.  If you are already the top bidder, eBay will keep the existing bid and only raise it if someone else puts in a bid higher than your existing bid, bid less than your max bid.  That way, if someone tries to 'snipe' with a bid over my existing bid but less than my max I'm willing to pay, I will still get the item, but if they 'snipe' with something over my 'max willing to pay price' then its theirs, and I really don't have any reason to be upset (because it went for something more than I was willing to pay).

Pat