> On May 2, 2018, at 8:58 AM, Cory Heisterkamp via cctalk > <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > On Wed, May 2, 2018 at 10:22 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk < > cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > >>> On 05/02/2018 08:06 AM, Eric Christopherson via cctalk wrote: >>> >>> When you say you snipe with a bot, do you mean you use eBay's highest-bid >>> functionality to do it? Or do you use third-party software? >>> >>> I've never been clear on how the built-in highest-bid functionality >> works. >>> I often see things where the same person has several consecutive bids, >>> which doesn't make any sense to me in the absence of other people's bids >> in >>> between them. >> >> When you submit a bit do eBay using the traditional method, your bid is >> really a proxy bid--it's increased by specified increments until it's >> outbid by another bidder. If you prevail, you win by the minimum >> winning proxy bid. >> >> For example, I was looking for a cheap HDMI cable. There were a few >> available for a starting bid of $0.50. I submitted a bit for $1.00 and >> won with a final price of $0.69. >> >> Sniping simply reduced the amount of time that a competing bidder has to >> submit a bid when he discovers that he's being outbid. There's nothing >> unethical about it--auctions end at a specified time and you get your >> bid in at the last possible moment. >> >> There's software for this, but since I'm an original member of the >> eSnipe service, I use them and haven't paid them a fee for years, since >> bids under a certain amount aren't assessed for a commission. Later >> subscribers don't have the same deal, I believe. >> >> When I'm interested in something small, I'll submit a snipe bid for what >> I'm willing to pay and then forget about it. If I win, great, if not, >> no bother. >> >> One thing that many eBay subscribers overlook is the "Make offer" >> feature of some auctions. In my opinion, that's where the real gold can >> be. If the BIN price looks too high and you really want an item, make >> an offer. You never know--the seller just may be want to be rid of the >> thing and will take any offer. >> >> >> FWIW, >> Chuck >> >> > Chuck makes a good point about the Make-Offer feature, and it should be > noted that sellers have this option available to them within the eBay > messenger system even if the button isn't present in the auction, so if you > have your eye on something and feel the price is too high (or your search > of completed auctions shows the item has been relisted several times with > no takers), there's no harm in sending the seller a message with a dollar > amount in mind. -C
YMMV. There is a type of system that I am interested in adding to my collection. An eBay seller has a bunch in a number of BIN/Make Offer auctions over months. I asked an expert on the systems his opinion on the auctions, including what he would offer. I offer 50% more, but it was still 2/3rd the BIN price. They countered by taking a bit over 10% off. I countered by splitting the difference but they didn’t go for it. The auction closed and I looked at the auction history. I saw that the systems had previously been offered at a price less than my split-the-difference offer. When they came back up for auction again, I offered the split-the-difference price and noted that the lower price in a previous ‘no-takers’ auction run. They countered with a higher price than their counter to my initial offer. They went unsold again and I waited for the next auction run. I offered the split-the-difference price again and they countered even higher. I got the message and have stopped bidding. That was a couple months ago and they still have sold any of those systems. alan
