The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

hi gang
has anyone ever used this software?let me know.thanks..

lenny

Yes, I've used it a lot, with pretty good results. You get three free bids per week, and the bids are placed between 20 and 10 seconds before the auction end time. For a fee, you can add more bids, and also pay to have bids sniped just a couple seconds early.
The site's a bit confusing to navigate, but, hey, it's free!
Bob

Hi yea I paid for my account...

Lennt

I checked out several snipe programs and found out that the Ebay proxy bid is recorded at the time of 0.0, making it the last bid accepted. A snipe placed bid would work only if it exceeded the proxy bid. A snipe bid would keep the bidding from running the price up!

Rite

The best sniping program/service that I have ever found is at http://www.gixen.com. I have used it for several years with perfect results. They offer a free basic service, but you can upgrade to a premium service for a measley $6 per year! Usage is unlimited, and there are no fees. Using the premium service, there are no ads, and seperate bids are submitted by mirrored servers located in different parts of the country to guarantee there is never "down time". I have never missed a bid. It is a great concept. No software to install, you set up the account and submit bids from a standard web browser. I use my iPhone!

eBay Snipe Bidding 101:

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST & FREE: https://www.myibidder.com/
My iBidder integrates directly with eBay and shows up on your watch screen. You can snipe anything on your watch list or anything that you want to add. If you have an iPhone or iPad, there is an app to use so you can set your snipe from anywhere... There is a one time charge for the iPhone app, but otherwise it's free to use on your computer.

Just choose what item you want to bid on, decide what your maximum bid would be (pick a realistic bid and you will be more successful - most good items don't go dirt cheap, so bid what you would pay if you found it for sale somewhere today) and set your snipe time - I use 3 seconds. Then forget about it - you either get it or you don't.

You have to remember that eBay is not a true auction, since it has an ending time, so only the highest bid placed before the end wins the item. A proxy bid is pure stupidity, since there are a number of new bidders who think that by tapping up the bid a few dollars that they will ultimately win it and that just drives the prices up to sometimes very unrealistic highs because of the perceived competition.

I use a crazy "formula". If I see an item that I think is worth $100, but the current bid is only $20 with a few hours left, I am not going to bid $21 or $25. I am going to bid what I would perceive the price to be as a bargain - for example: if it is truly worth $100, then $75 is a good deal. Then, I am not going to bid $75.00 even, I am going to add $3.99 to that final bid, because I would hate to lose it to someone who bid $76 or even $77.57.

So, I am going to bid $78.99 ($75 + $3.99). Then, if I have to pay that much, I am happy... if I get it for $50, I am happier still (remember you do not pay your high bid price, unless someone else bids the same or nearly the same amount). If I lose it to someone for $80, I am OK, since I think it's not that good of a deal at $80 anyway...

Example: Ultimately, if someone places a $500 proxy bid on a $75 item days in advance, they will most likely win the item, but usually at an excessive price, where if they would have waited until 3 seconds to place the $500 bid, they would win it at the lowest possible price, IF no one placed a bid higher than $500 at the end.

So, all of this comes with a caveat: DO NOT PLACE A PROXY BID OR A SNIPE BID FOR MORE THAN YOU ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO PAY. This is a gamble and there may be another crazy person out there who will bid $500 for a $75 item and if you are the first to place that $500 bid, you will be stuck with it for that price if another $500 bid comes in later, even though the item was not worth that much.

Now that I have given away my eBay bidding secrets, I will probably have to quit buying, which is like breaking a crack addiction, anyway - so thanks for helping me on my way to recovery.

One more thing, My iBidder does not require you to be online after setting up your snipe. You can set it and go on vacation. If you win, you will get an email notification, if not, you just saved some money.

I could never understand why anyone would need "snipe" ware. Just put the most $$$ your prepare to pay for the item and let it go. Nothing too hard about that.... . If you don't get it....there will always be another.
Even if you had a $500 snipe bid in.....It will not beat a $1000 bid anyway..... .

gramophone78: I think you are missing the point of this original post. Certainly, if you want something bad enough and are willing to pay any price for it, you will no doubt win it.

For buyers, the idea is to get the item you want at the most reasonable price and not overpay for it. For sellers, it is the opposite - a seller doesn't care if you place a proxy bid 9 days ahead for $1000 on a $100 item and other people tap it up to $500 over that period.

The REAL question, is why do you want to pay more than the item is worth or if a seller doesn't research what he has, why do you want to overpay for an item that he found at a garage sale for $5? Personally, I don't want to pay any more than I have to, since anything is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it on that day and at that time.