Is The Ebay Sniper An Auction Stealer

Auction sniping is a term used for watching an on line auction and placing a last minute bid, usually just seconds before the end.

The practice gives others who have made a bid no time to place a counter bid, and is done manually, or by using software designed for the purpose.

Internet sniping services also exist.

Use of an on line sniping service such as Bidnapper or AuctionStealer is supposed to be a little more reliable than software running on the user’s computer, and requires users to log into a website.

I usually have a problem with on line services such as these, and software designed for the purpose as well for that matter.

My issue is that if I were to use such a service, it would mean giving my Ebay account details to someone else.

An anonymous some one else for that matter!

If you’re concerned for your feedback rating, and your on line reputation generally, then you’d have an issue too!

Please note that I am in no way suggesting that the owners of these particular services are doing anything wrong, it’s just that I am not comfortable with giving away too many details.

(Just as people from my phone company and bank will confirm – I refuse to give my birth date over the phone, and demand to know theirs – throws them off, really upsets them actually, but I digress…)

Am I an auction sniper?

I must confess that I have been an auction sniper in the past, and I did my sniping manually.

While I make no apologies for having been a sniper, I do feel that automating the process is a bit unfair.

By its very nature, an auction is a competition for all concerned – the seller is after the highest price, and the bidders are hoping to win with the lowest price, and the highest bid.

Defending Against Sniping

Ebay itself has the best possible defense against sniping because it allows users to place their highest bid early, using their proxy bidding service.

When other potential buyers make a bid, the proxy service automatically bids on your behalf.

The worst possible thing that you can do is to make a low bid early in the auction, and then make small increases as the auction progresses.

Work out what you are prepared to pay for an item, and whether it is worth that amount.

If you decide that yes, that’s a good price, make your highest bid earlier, and let Ebay do the rest!

If a sniper does happen to beat you, just smile and think about the premium they had to pay…

Is a sniper an auction stealer? Or is it all fair when competing for an item on Ebay and other sites?

You be the judge.

In my next article I will write about building trust on auction sites.

Disclaimer: Please Note

Other than being a member of Ebay.com.au, I have no connection with Ebay and do not claim to speak on that company’s behalf. There is a lot of good material that you can find in ‘My Ebay’ on this matter. This article is intended as a quick summary, and as opinion piece only.

For an excellent article on this topic, go to: Ebay.Co.Uk