First Time...Clarify on Lead Time

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Is 8 seconds a good time to stick to still or should I lower it?

It doesn’t make any difference. If AS thinks it doesn’t have enough time due to ebay's current response time, it will place the snipe earlier. 3 seconds is as good as 8, and 8 is as good as 12. It’s nothing scientific. Just a personal preference. In the old days, AS didn’t do as good of a job placing snipes in time, which caused a (high) number of complaints about the snipes being too late, which is the same as not-at-all. One of the original forum members locked onto 8 seconds (it could have been 7 or 9 seconds just as well), and the one or two other old timers then imprinted on 8 seconds, and have never stopped to rethink their tradition. Trust me – IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!

Interesting. Thanks for the quick response. AS might as well remove the user from being able to choose their lead time and just have it do it's job and select for you based off eBays performance.

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AS might as well remove the user from being able to choose their lead time and just have it do it's job and select for you based off eBays performance.

Amen!

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Originally posted by Rick:
It doesn’t make any difference. If AS thinks it doesn’t have enough time due to ebay's current response time, it will place the snipe earlier. 3 seconds is as good as 8, and 8 is as good as 12. It’s nothing scientific. Just a personal preference. In the old days, AS didn’t do as good of a job placing snipes in time, which caused a (high) number of complaints about the snipes being too late, which is the same as not-at-all. One of the original forum members locked onto 8 seconds (it could have been 7 or 9 seconds just as well), and the one or two other old timers then imprinted on 8 seconds, and have never stopped to rethink their tradition. Trust me – IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!

So wait a second. I can see where AS might place snipes earlier if it thinks EB's response time is lagging, but what about situations when there is no delay in response time? If, as you're saying, AS automatically compensates for network traffic issues, wouldn't you still want to specify the shortest lead time you're comfortable with so that AS would place the bid as close to auction ending time as possible...response time permitting?

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wouldn't you still want to specify the shortest lead time you're comfortable with so that AS would place the bid as close to auction ending time as possible...response time permitting?

We have a winner! The important phrase being “you’re comfortable with”. Exactly right. It’s a personal preference. Consider: most snipers probably lend more towards the paranoid, or if you prefer cautious, side of things. After all, they snipe to avoid bidding wars and nibblers and shillers and whatever other ebay bidding things that cause the ending bid to be “enhanced”. So, if you accept the paranoid/cautious label, doesn’t it make sense that there are a substantial, if not majority, of snipers that use a 3-second (minimum that AS allows) lead time. And, if you accept the 3-second theory, then if that wasn’t enough of a lead time, wouldn’t it be reasonable to expect a crap (I can use that word, but I can’t use the s-word) pot full of complaints on the forum about snipes not being in time, assuming you accept the theory that snipers besides being paranoid/cautious would also be spontaneous with their complaints, which would appear in mass quantities on this forum.

If someone (you know who you are) posts that they use a specific lead time, say 8 seconds, ask them why that has some mystical advantage over some other lead time, and ask them when was the last time they tried some other lead times, such as 7 seconds.

It’s a personal preference – IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!

I totally dis agree . I want my lead time reduced to 2 , but I think ebay WONT allow AS to have a 2 sec lead time because it doesnt give their( Ebays) server enuff time to counter with auto bidding . back in teh day you could change your lead time below the "3 second lose alot of auctions" rule . It should still be an option imo . I use AS when I am away but most of the time I place my own bids at 2 or sometimes 1 second , and win! oh well less money for AS I guess

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but I think ebay WONT allow AS to have a 2 sec lead time

You're wrong:
http://community.auctionsniper...911093801#7911093801

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it doesnt give their( Ebays) server enuff time to counter with auto bidding

You're still wrong.