It's one thing when the snipe doesn't take because the ebay system is unresponsive, but it's another thing when AuctionSniper doesn't even bother to do the snipe and continues to hold the snipe request in the Active list.
This is the case this morning. Auction Sniper is not providing the sniper service and is not saying it can't. In fact, it is saying it can by showing it in the Active list, and having nothing at all about its failures on the web site.
I've been an active user of Auction Sniper for years and have never seen this before. I did not participate in several key auctions this morning because I trusted Auction Sniper, and Auction Sniper did not bother to place the bid, and in fact the items are still in my active list.
Then when I saw what happened and do not see any information on this site explaining the situation or telling us what is going on, it makes me as angry as the original poster in this thread.
I'm bidding by hand this morning but what about the rest of my Active list - should I look around for an alternative service? And what about the lot I couldn't cancel from Auction Sniper before the 5 minute deadline, that I bid on by hand and won. Auction Sniper bid on that one (unexpectedly?) and now Auction Sniper will claim it as a won auction they delivered and try to bill me for it.
The analogy isn't about a tool like a hammer giving pain because it is used ineptly. The analogy is a service that has matured into a utilility and sells itself as a utility, such as the phone company not allowing call outs just when you need it, or an electric company turning off power for a few hours overnight putting everyone's morning alarm off by a bit.
Auction Snipe is a utility, the same way that ebay has become a utility. It is expected to be there, and has a duty to be there. People depend on it. If it doesn't step up to that reality, then it won't survive.