A question about those difficult sniping times

I think AS's info is based on some sort of technical readings they get off of eBay's servers -- response times, or something. Techie talk -- beyond me. So I probably shouldn't even be offering an opinion on this one (but why should I let THAT stop me? -grin). And the eBay load probably comes as much (or more) from the auctions ending and all the updates THAT requires as from the last-second bids.

Hmm, now that I think about it, THAT doesn't make much sense to me either -- why would the load on eBay increase in the minutes/seconds BEFORE all the auctions ended? Unless eBay is doing some sort of prep work before they end?

I'm gonna shut up now and let this question be answered by someone who actually KNOWS something about it!

(grin -- yes, I'm bored at work again!)

Rosetsu,

Good question.

At the beginning of using AS, I experienced one of these lag times with ebay. I had 2 snipes ending a couple of minutes apart. I was watching ebay, and response went down the tubes right before their close. I was afraid that AS wouldn't have enough time to place the snipes. I tried to sign on, but it took "forever". I tried to place a manual snipe, but I couldn't get it in on either auction. For a few minutes (it seemed like a lifetime) ebay was DEAD, or at least comatose. I was really bummed out. Well, AS didn't get both snipes in, but they did get one in which I won. I was blown away. Since then I've never doubted AS. I am still amazed that they could have gotten that one snipe in.

Those few minutes was one of the little blips that happen on ebay. No big deal. Doesn't get reported. Unless you're trying to place a snipe, you'll just come back and retry your inquiry or whatever later. After all, there is only one thing I can think about that is time sensitive to the second on ebay - auction closing.

Experience is everything in life. Sure, one can "read" about war, but it's altogether different to actually "be" in war. It's like having children - you can read about parenting, but until you've had the experience it's hard to fully grasp (did I mix metaphors?).

Hope this doesn't sound like I'm jumping on you.

I think sniping manually CAN be better on those very busy times. I've done it fairly consistently at 10 seconds, even during the very busiest of times. (Notice the word fairly). Time off, forgot to enter password, forgot to bid, slow response, ect...

Compare 'processing power' of eBay and AS, and eBay would win. Not even a close finnish. I understand your logic about who is slow, AS or eBay, but to AS it IS eBay that's slow, and here is why.

AS knows in advance who is going to bid, how much, and on which auctions. They have all this information lined up and ready to go. They know exactly what eBay needs and in what order. AS could pump all this information out for everyone in a second or less!

The problem is, eBay does NOT know what is going to come in. They have to wait for a request. Only then can they go look up the auction. They accept ID and password, but then need to go check to see if it's valid, get the bid amount, check if its valid... well you get the picture. Multiply that by hundreds, and there is NO WAY eBay can accept data as fast as AS can supply it.

Does that make sense ?

Good answers, and I agree that usually AuctionSniper is more likely to make a bid than I am, especially when there is temporary or partial disruption. I have had the experience of failing to login to see the end of auctions, even though AS makes my bid. However, I guess AS has to wait for contact from Ebay while making a bid. I suppose the exchange is something like:

AS login; Ebay confirmed
AS bid; Ebay checked, confirm?
AS confirm; Ebay check, complete.

If Ebay is slower than usual at these critical times, AS has to wait for longer than usual, at a time when it is actually trying to enter more bids than usual. Hence my suspicion is that a queue may actually develop in AS rather than in Ebay. Admittedly this is at least partly Ebay's fault, but it seems possible that sometimes the manual sniper will be able to get bids in faster.

I screwed up my post. I'll be back with a better version.

Rosetsu,

Ahhhh! I too have wondered about the sequence and timing of steps required. When does AS actually sign onto ebay? Does it add a predetermined amount of time to the lead time for that, or does it sign on 10 minutes before the close of the auction.

Sounds like you're like me - you like to know how things work/tick. You also appear to be the type of person that does a lot of research so you may have already read these:

(you may have to scroll around, but the posts that are of interests are those made by Sara.)

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

>>> Click here <<<

Thanks for all the references! I have some reading to do. I guess you are right that it's the scientist in me trying to work things out.