I've always sniped and for all the reasons AS talks about. When I lose it's always because either I screwed up timing-wise or someone else was willing to pay more. Sniping works. It helps minimize bidding frenzies and excitment that can lead to emotional over bidding by certain types of people. AS isnot going to work miracles; it's just going to put in your well thought out, pre determined max you're willing to pay at a late enough moment to not contribute to emotional reactions on the part of other bidders. If soemone else is willing to pay and has entered a higher max than you then he'll win anyway; there's no getting around that. I belive in sniping and I like AS because it snipes for me when I'm at work or otherwise away from the computer and can't do it myself.