and you have a snipe waiting for that auction? I searched here but couldn't find a topic about this but my search skills might not be perfect!
TIA!
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
This doesn't address the same issue that you brought up, in that it pertains to an auction ending early due to a BIN. But I thought you would rather have something early, and perhaps a definite answer later.
Becky left this post on April 01, 2002 06:14 PM: "... I got a message from sniper saying auction ended early with buy it now option. ..."
Becky left this post on April 01, 2002 06:14 PM: "... I got a message from sniper saying auction ended early with buy it now option. ..."
We still snipe. It's just that you have zero chance of winning.
I think we send an email as well telling you. I know for that happens with Buy It Now. I got such a warning email from AuctionSniper.com myself this morning. I had bid $75 on an item with a $200 buy it now.
Someone paid the $200.
I think we send an email as well telling you. I know for that happens with Buy It Now. I got such a warning email from AuctionSniper.com myself this morning. I had bid $75 on an item with a $200 buy it now.
Someone paid the $200.
If there is no reserve on the auction, it is
trivial to knock out the possiblity of BIN
by throwing in a minimum bid. BIN on ebay
is only valid until the first bid is placed
(or the on reserve auctions until the reserve
is met).
trivial to knock out the possiblity of BIN
by throwing in a minimum bid. BIN on ebay
is only valid until the first bid is placed
(or the on reserve auctions until the reserve
is met).
Correct, Ron. It's one of the very few times I'll "come out of the closet" as a sniper and bid in the open. Basically, I'm betting that I can still get the item for less than the BIN amount while removing the BIN possibility for other bidders.
I've been known to bid in the open for another reason: to distract a competing bidder from the item I'm really after. I don't do that very often, though. My old heart can't take it.
I've been known to bid in the open for another reason: to distract a competing bidder from the item I'm really after. I don't do that very often, though. My old heart can't take it.
I think in cases where I want to stomp on a BIN early on, I would use a second eBay account to do it. In some of the categories in which I bid, it would be unwise to show my primary ID at all, because other regular bidders in the same categories know my techniques or could look through my feedback history and discover it!
There are no restrictions on how many eBay accounts one can have (well they might get upset if it were ten or so!), in fact I had a discussion with them earlier about switching my registered credit card from one of my accounts to another and eBay were quite happy. Only requirement is that each one has a different email address (not a problem if you get yourself a whole domain or two).
There are no restrictions on how many eBay accounts one can have (well they might get upset if it were ten or so!), in fact I had a discussion with them earlier about switching my registered credit card from one of my accounts to another and eBay were quite happy. Only requirement is that each one has a different email address (not a problem if you get yourself a whole domain or two).
IanN, I don't come out in the open on items I ordinarily collect. Certain books and magazines are always sniped, BIN potential or not. But if I need a new drawn reciprocating dinglearm for my truck, I'll stomp on a BIN (to use your charming term) out in the open. Fortunately for me, there are few BINs on books and magazines, at least the ones I'm hunting for. 
"I think in cases where I want to stomp on a BIN early on, I would use a second eBay account to do it." I agree. Use another identity. Snipers should avoid being "stompers". Stompers should be proxy bidders. If a sniper wants to stomp, they should have another ID (imho).
Most of the time, BIN stompers do me a favor. Like Steve, I won't come out in the open and stomp on a BIN. Usually someone else will do that for me. Once stomped, my sniped closing price tends to be lower than the BIN. I figure this is the seller's problem because they should have put a higher start bid or a reserve.
Sometimes a curious phenomena will happen. For 2 or 3 days the reserve will block the removal of the BIN. The auction has been visible for enough time for everyone to have seen it. Someone then reaches the reserve. 4 or 5 days later, the auction closes for more than the BIN, and usually the high bid is from a proxy bidder. The winning proxy bidder must have seen the BIN, but decided they could get it cheaper. So they let the BIN expires. Then, having a proxy bidder's mentality, they placed a bid higher than the original BIN.
Most of the time, BIN stompers do me a favor. Like Steve, I won't come out in the open and stomp on a BIN. Usually someone else will do that for me. Once stomped, my sniped closing price tends to be lower than the BIN. I figure this is the seller's problem because they should have put a higher start bid or a reserve.
Sometimes a curious phenomena will happen. For 2 or 3 days the reserve will block the removal of the BIN. The auction has been visible for enough time for everyone to have seen it. Someone then reaches the reserve. 4 or 5 days later, the auction closes for more than the BIN, and usually the high bid is from a proxy bidder. The winning proxy bidder must have seen the BIN, but decided they could get it cheaper. So they let the BIN expires. Then, having a proxy bidder's mentality, they placed a bid higher than the original BIN.
"The winning proxy bidder must have seen the BIN, but decided they could get it cheaper. So they let the BIN expire. Then, having a proxy bidder's mentality, they place a bid higher than the original BIN."
I've always viewed that phenomenon as the equivalent of the proxy bidder's shrug. "Oh, well...my strategy didn't work but I really want this item so here goes." Proxy bidders are notorious for being unable to wait for the next identical item that comes up on eBay. It's part of the "gotta have it now" trait that characterizes the breed.
I've always viewed that phenomenon as the equivalent of the proxy bidder's shrug. "Oh, well...my strategy didn't work but I really want this item so here goes." Proxy bidders are notorious for being unable to wait for the next identical item that comes up on eBay. It's part of the "gotta have it now" trait that characterizes the breed.