Michael, There *is* one significant advantage. Or at least there used to be -- I don't know if it still works this way on eBay, but I think it does:
In the event of the final bid being a tie, the person who placed the first bid on the item wins it. So, if two snipers put in the exact same amount as their hidden maximums (say $100.50 each), then the person whose sniper program placed its last-second bid first would win. But when you're sniping you want your bid to go in as late as possible. So, even if you're sniping, if you place a small bid several days earlier, you would guarantee your bid would be considered "first" in the event of tying amounts at the end. But maybe it wouldn't work that way with a sniper program... I think it would, because all the sniper program does is simulate you being on-line and placing a bid at the last micro-second... but I'm not sure. The other partial advantage -- on an item that is likely to have a lot of bidders sniping -- is to try to "stake a claim" and gauge the interest of other buyers (maybe they put in some early bids to top yours), which can help you... sometimes... to estimate how high you might want to go on your maximum sniper amount. That doesn't work as well as it used to now that some many people are sniping. -- JR ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael B" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2006 11:54 Subject: [MOPO] SNIPING !!!!!!!!!!!! > i have asked, rhetorically, before: I DEFY ANYONE TO TELL ME A SINGLE > ADVANTAGE IN BIDDING EARLY. > > the only time that i have seen it work is when a well known bidder meets a > high reserve early (where it implies, rightly or wrongly, there's a lot more > available because this person REALLY wants it), where it acts as a deterrent > from those seeking a "steal". > > (i was surprised to get an item 2 years ago when my snipe had already been > placed for 760, the reserve was met at 400 4 days before the auction > ended....and i got it for about 746. the auction showed the 400 for 4 days,,,,til the > very end with 2 other snipers besdes me. it was THE BISHOP'S WIFE insert.) > > all new ebayers are shocked by sniping, when they think that they "got" the > item for a few days, until reality sets in during the > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
