If so, is it possible to make the lead time so brief that one could not be outbid?
Put another way,is there an EBay policy that extends the time to allow all proxy bids to be executed?
Just wondering...
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It would be, I would say, pretty impossible to do a "by hand snip", even at 5 secs. I usually use 8 secs., except on busy time such a hr., 1/2 hr., and 1/4 hr on Sundays. If there is a proxy bid higher than your snip, yes you could be outbid no matter how short the time of the snip. The proxy would be played out, I believe ahead of the snip as it would take priority if it was a higher #.
rsmiller40
rsmiller40
It is always possible to be outbid until eBay officially closes the auction. EBay does not have a policy of holding an auction open until all bids placed have been processed. When the eBay clock, which is in sync with the Naval Observatory or some other atomic timekeeper, says "time's up," bingo! Auction's closed. Unprocessed or partially processed bids go by the wayside. That's why we increase our lead times during periods of great eBay activity, like Sunday PMs. Gives eBay's servers more of a chance to process our snipes.
Rsmiller40 wrote, "The proxy would be played out, I believe ahead of the snip as it would take priority if it was a higher #." Absolutely. The comparison process is undoubtedly a major part of eBay's bid-screening procedure. But that process stops, too, when the atomic clock says "Time, gentlemen, please!" At that point, eBay looks at the highest bid processed to date, including proxy bids, and declares a winner.
Rsmiller40 wrote, "The proxy would be played out, I believe ahead of the snip as it would take priority if it was a higher #." Absolutely. The comparison process is undoubtedly a major part of eBay's bid-screening procedure. But that process stops, too, when the atomic clock says "Time, gentlemen, please!" At that point, eBay looks at the highest bid processed to date, including proxy bids, and declares a winner.
Yes, you are correct, Steve. Unlike Ubid, when it is over, it is over. 
rsmiller40
rsmiller40
I think we're all agreed that below 20 seconds no manual sniper can place a snipe (what's a snip?) so any lead time juggling below this figure should be to beat any server slowness and/or other electronic snipers...
As for the time taken for proxy bidding to be computed, this happens at the time the bid is placed and will be over is milliseconds rather than seconds...
As for the time taken for proxy bidding to be computed, this happens at the time the bid is placed and will be over is milliseconds rather than seconds...
It's early for me, so I'm still in a semi-coma, but I think this issue is a two parter:
1) Can someone place a manual snipe within the last few seconds? Yes. Fairly easy to do. Several of us USE to place 3 to 5 second manual snipes.
2) Can someone place a "retaliatory" (as a result of one of our snipes) snipe within the last few seconds? This, I think, is the question, and this is the one that everyone has answered. Very unlikely someone could "respond" that quickly to one of our snipes. That would have to be one "wired" sniper to do that.
If one of us places an 8 second snipe, and we are out-sniped, most likely it was by another automated snipe (service/software).
There are those nibbling-snipers (there may be another official name for this hybrid) that start about a minute before the close of the auction, but what kind of a life is that? You know, I don't think we've ever discussed nibbling-snipers.
1) Can someone place a manual snipe within the last few seconds? Yes. Fairly easy to do. Several of us USE to place 3 to 5 second manual snipes.
2) Can someone place a "retaliatory" (as a result of one of our snipes) snipe within the last few seconds? This, I think, is the question, and this is the one that everyone has answered. Very unlikely someone could "respond" that quickly to one of our snipes. That would have to be one "wired" sniper to do that.
If one of us places an 8 second snipe, and we are out-sniped, most likely it was by another automated snipe (service/software).
There are those nibbling-snipers (there may be another official name for this hybrid) that start about a minute before the close of the auction, but what kind of a life is that? You know, I don't think we've ever discussed nibbling-snipers.
Ok, Rick go for it..nibbling snipers?? I assume you mean by hand? As far as hand sniping at 5 seconds, I am not sure I could get that in.
rsmiller40
rsmiller40
I think I'd prefer "reactive" to "retaliatory." Sure, it's possible for someone to manually snipe in 5 seconds or less. I've done it, but that was when I had a cable modem and even then I was bidding "blind," without regard to any last-second bids that had been placed.
I'd like to know more about "snipe nibblers" too. Don't think I've ever run across one of those.
I'd like to know more about "snipe nibblers" too. Don't think I've ever run across one of those.
I was hoping Rick would explain.rsmiller40
"Reactive" is a smoother word, but when I consider the definition of "sniper", I have a hard time visualizing a general ordering one of his soldiers to "react" to an enemy sniper.
Nibbling-sniper? Those bidders that start bidding in the last few minutes. They'll place several bids, but they are usually in small increments. They can place those snipes/nibbles/bids very quickly, because after the bid is place, ebay tells you, "Sorry sucker, but here's another bid field so nibble your brains out". Hasn't anyone ever encountered this?
P.S. Good morning Mrs. M and Steve.
Nibbling-sniper? Those bidders that start bidding in the last few minutes. They'll place several bids, but they are usually in small increments. They can place those snipes/nibbles/bids very quickly, because after the bid is place, ebay tells you, "Sorry sucker, but here's another bid field so nibble your brains out". Hasn't anyone ever encountered this?
P.S. Good morning Mrs. M and Steve.
Yes, I have..and Good morning to you!
rsmiller40
rsmiller40
Good morning, Rick, Mrs. M. No, I can't say I've ever noticed a bidding pattern like that so late in the auction. I've seen nibblers, of course, who hasn't? But in the last minute or two, I can't recall any. But it's likely I just wasn't paying attention.
Yelp, they can pound out a snipe/nibble every 3 to 6 seconds, and if they are doing "it" when your snipe goes in, then they can definitely "react?" (can I say, "Kill that SOB"?).
Um, I think you just did. 
And about when do they start doing this "nibbling," as a general thing?
And about when do they start doing this "nibbling," as a general thing?
OH, they might start in the last 5 to 1 minutes. Steve, since it's probably been a LONG time since you've placed a (the-"p"-word) bid, you might have forgotten that if you didn't bid enough, ebay immediately tells you that and allows you to place another bid, all on the same display. So, this gives the nibble-sniper (unless someone has a better name) a chance to do a bunch of both (nibble & snipe) with a few seconds between each nibble-snipe. Since they can place a bunch of them, they usually only bid the next increment, but it's a hoot to watch.
Unless it's something I want to bid on, in which case I wouldn't exactly be "hooting." I'd be saying "Kill the SOB."
In fact, it hasn't been long at all since I placed a proxy bid/snipe. Did it just the other day, in fact, and won. ('Course, it helped that I was the only bidder.
)
In fact, it hasn't been long at all since I placed a proxy bid/snipe. Did it just the other day, in fact, and won. ('Course, it helped that I was the only bidder.
)