eBay Online Auction Sniping Secrets

Since their introduction several years ago, online auctions, such as eBay, have been one of the hottest destinations on the World Wide Web. Auction sellers are attracted by the prospect of a broad venue for their products and the possibility of high profits resulting from emotion-driven bidding wars. Bidders on online auction sites are drawn to the unique shopping opportunities and potential to purchase hard-to-find items at low prices. One technique many successful auction bidders employ is called sniping.

Auction sniping is waiting to place your bid until seconds before the auction closes. In most cases, the last-minute bid precludes competing bids and assures the sniping bidder the winning bid at the lowest price. Some web sites estimate that sniping occurs on 5 percent of all eBay auctions that close with bids.

While this technique is not without controversy ? mostly from disgruntled sellers or competing bidders ? it is permitted on most online auction sites including eBay. In fact, an eBay Community Development representative related eBay's position on one of eBay's message boards:

From: daphne
Topic: Re: Snipers How To Workshop


Just for the record, contrary to what some people think, there's no rule against "sniping," or bidding in the last moments of the auction. You will hear all kinds of debates about which method (proxy bidding or sniping) is more effective, and eBay would recommend proxy bidding, but bidding at the last moment of the auction is perfectly acceptable and legal. :)

Daphne
eBay Community Development

There are several advantages to sniping on auctions. The first is that the sniper prevents counter-bids and is more likely win the auction. The most significant advantage is that sniping prevents emotional bidding wars. These are events that auction sellers dream about ? two or more bidders start running up the price of a listed item because they get caught up in the excitement of the moment. More often than not, the sniper will win the auction at a lower price if they do it correctly.

There are some problems associated with sniping manually. First, you must be online to bid when the auction closes. This may not be convenient if the bidding for that PEZ dispenser you've been drooling over ends in the middle of the night or while you are at work. Second, depending on your connection speed, your last second bid may be submitted too late. The auction might close before your bid reaches eBay.

Not to worry though, there are several software and web-based solutions to automate the sniping process for you.

Sniping software programs, such as iSnipeIt reside on your computer. You simply enter the item number you wish to bid on and input your maximum bid. At the appropriate time, the sniping software connects to the internet and places the bid for you. This requires your computer to be on, the sniping program to be active, and a connection to the internet. One advantage to having sniping software resident on your computer is increased security. Most desktop applications don't require your eBay ID and password to reside on servers continuously connected to the internet. However, the timeliness of your snipe depends on your connection speed and your internet service provider. This can be a problem for some people.

Online services such as http://AuctionInsights.AuctionStealer.com mitigate these connection issues. They have high-speed connections to the internet and can place your last second bid regardless if your computer is on or not. While web based services are generally more expensive than a desktop software application, their reliability is remarkable. An advantage to online sniping services is that they respond quickly to frequent changes in eBay's web site that can disable a desktop software program. The hapless auction sniper who is attempting to use a desktop solution is often out of luck until the programmer modifies his or her code and the user installs the update.

Sniping online auction sites such as eBay can be of great benefit to the bidder. It saves them money and greatly increases the chances that they will win the auction. Give it a try on the next auction you bid on!

______________________________________________

Doug Feiring publishes "AuctionInsights.com", an all-encompassing FREE resource guide that provides nuts-and-bolts strategies, ideas, and tools to build a successful eBay online auction business from the ground up, visit http://www.auctioninsights.com

Auctions support education
Concord Monitor, NH - 5 hours ago
This is the fourth annual auction with a July 28 deadline to get in your written bid for a permit. As an auction winner, you will get to choose to hunt in ...

Do charity art auctions help or harm local artists?
Duluth News Tribune, MN - 7 hours ago
An artist donates a painting to an auction held by a worthy cause — say, a group that rescues stray dogs, or a little school that struggles to provide a ...
Information about local charity art auctions Duluth News Tribune
all 2 news articles

AP tobacco auctions fetch record Rs 1401 cr
Hindu Business Line, India - 15 hours ago
Virginia Tobacco auctions that concluded this week fetched a record Rs 1401 crore for farmers in Andhra Pradesh and for the first time in the history of the ...

Baywatch babe auctions car to save India’s snakes
The Times, South Africa - 11 hours ago
FORMER Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson has auctioned her 2000 Dodge Viper sports car for 65000 as a donation to a campaign against the slaughter of snakes. ...

TradeMe in court for "black market"
Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand - 11 hours ago
Meier claims TradeMe auctions sold thousands of counterfeit Ab King Pros made from lower-grade steel and imported from China by TradeMe members. ...
TradeMe sued for counterfeits TVNZ
Meier plans TradeMe lawsuit Newstalk ZB
TradeMe responsibility limited NZ City
all 30 news articles

OverTheLimit.info
Britney auctions clothes for charity
The Post, Pakistan - 14 hours ago
Britney Spears is planning to auction seven items of clothing for charity. Outfits including a T-shirt she wore on the New Mickey Mouse Club, ...
Spears auctions clothes for charity Digital Spy
all 40 news articles

Auction-rate securities mess hits Austin investors, companies
Austin American-Statesman, TX - 10 hours ago
LeBoeuf's money is tied up in auction-rate securities, a once-obscure investment that is becoming a symbol of how financial instruments that were thought to ...
Bond buyers claim fraud Anchorage Daily News (subscription)
Firms warned of auction-rate market failure Worcester Telegram
all 3 news articles

AFP
Bumper auctions fetch half-billion dollars at Sotheby's
AFP - Jul 3, 2008
LONDON (AFP) — A bumper set of auctions of impressionist, modern and contemporary art by Sotheby's fetched upwards of 250 million pounds (315 million euros, ...
Dead Artists Breathe Life Into Auctions Wall Street Journal
Oil profits help art market defy gravity CNNMoney.com
Inside Art London Swings as a Dynamo for Selling Art New York Times
Business Report - Bloombergall 273 news articles

40 properties up for auction
The Republican - MassLive.com, MA - 6 hours ago
By MIKE PLAISANCE SPRINGFIELD - Another 40 properties the city seized for nonpayment of taxes will be auctioned off on July 15. "We're turning over more ...

Grab yourself a little piece of the auction
Scotsman, United Kingdom - 11 hours ago
But how easy is it to pick up a bargain at an auction and what are the pitfalls? At a recent auction in Glasgow, it was clear many bidders were private ...

Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

eBay is the Greatest Opportunity YOU Have to Create a Career Online