I haven't heard any complaints from eBay bidders whom I've sniped. Perhaps a few years ago this sort of reaction would be more commonplace, but now sniping is an accepted and widely-practiced technique of cost control. It seems to me, Clea, that the person who wrote to you isn't willing to come straight out and bid his/her maximum amount the first time. This, and not the snipe, is the cause of him/her losing so many auctions to last-minute bidders. The "unfair" thing is that he/she expects other bidders to accomodate him/her by getting into a bidding war and jacking up the price for everybody.