placing both a snipe and a proxy bid

quote:

Is it a good idea to place a snipe of say 1000$ (or less) and also a proxy bid at the last 10 seconds of 1200$ (maybe with another Ebay account). Do I have more chance to win the auction this way?

Bad idea to use a different account, as you WILL end up bidding against yourself. If you use the same account, and if you are winning with your 1000 bid, the 1200 won’t increase the price. Some people like to use both a proxy bid and a snipe, but it’s your call.

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or is a better to just place only a normal proxy bid of 1200$ in the last 30 seconds or so?

You can. If you are going to be at your computer, and you feel you can get your bid in, then nothing wrong with that approach. If you’re concerned about getting up in the middle of the night or interrupting dinner or you’ve got a hot date on, or that you might lose power due to an ice storm, then you might want to have AS do the work.

One snipe of 1200.01 and go and enjoy your dinner!

R2

quote:

Originally posted by region2:
... and enjoy your dinner!

I would recommend all 3 - dinner in bed with date (avoid crackers).

quote:

Originally posted by Rick:
if you are winning with your 1000 bid, the 1200 won’t increase the price. Some people like to use both a proxy bid and a snipe, but it’s your call.

But than you have the chance to be outbid by someone else. You can of course use a higher maximum (say 1200$)for your snipe but than you have the change to pay too much.

Just to be sure: if you place of proxy bid of 1200$ it will always win from the 1000$ snipe?

quote:

if you place of proxy bid of 1200$ it will always win from the 1000$ snipe?

If the proxy bid of 1200 is placed before the 1000 snipe, ebay won't allow the snipe as it is lower than your "current" proxy bid. You can only bid higher amounts.

Just in case:
http://www.auctionsniper.com/faqbasics.aspx#basics15

yes, but I mean if the item will not reach 1000$ before the last 5 seconds. So the 1000$ snipe comes in at (say) 3 seconds before the end. And the proxy bid is 1200$.
In other words: Is 3 seconds enough for the proxy bid to beat the snipe?

quote:

Is 3 seconds enough for the proxy bid to beat the snipe?

The actual time that AS places the snipe isn’t always the number of seconds before the auction ends that you specified. Since the service “tries” to “adjust” the lead time depending on ebay’s activity at the time of the snipe, how accurate the final lead time will be varies. You might specify a 3-second snipe, and AS ends up placing it 10 seconds before the end of the auction. And, of course, your proxy bid might not go in exactly at the time that you thought/hoped it would.

So, I can't outbid myself?

Say within 5 mins befor auction ends I see the high bid is near my snipe max bid and I want to up it. Since 5 mins before close of auction I'm locked out to change my snipe...can I place a new higher proxy bid through ebay without ending up bidding against myself?

Yes, as long as you are winning by at least an increment before you place your new higher proxy bid. But ebay won’t accept the snipe as it’s lower than your new higher proxy bid, and should you win, I’m fairly sure AS will collect a fee from you, or use up one of your freebies.

quote:

So, I can't outbid myself?

Say within 5 mins befor auction ends I see the high bid is near my snipe max bid and I want to up it. Since 5 mins before close of auction I'm locked out to change my snipe...can I place a new higher proxy bid through ebay without ending up bidding against myself?

Changing your snipe amount because the high bid is approaching your max defeats somewhat the purpose of sniping. Before you set your snipe, decide what your absolute max, I-won't-pay-a-cent-more bid will be, set that amount (be sure it is an unusual dallar and cents amount, such as $107.57), and just leave it. If you start upping the amount in the closing minutes, you are really just a nibbler, and those are the people that we snipers are trying to defeat.

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Changing your snipe amount because the high bid is approaching your max defeats somewhat the purpose of sniping. Before

Agreed. And normally I wouldn't do this. It's just in this case I have no idea of the mkt value, but plan to bid high of what I think it might be. I know it's rare and really want it. If I place snipe today, days off from close, I still don't have an idea of value. This is just in case I get tied up at work and forget to check current bid once we get closer (I've so done that before!) I normally snipe myself and hadn't used a proxy service so just wanted to understand what my options were.

Is a 5 sec snipe really 5 seconds? I've been reading sometimes it can go off early -- it won't go late will it? This is an auction ending late afternoon on Thursday

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Is a 5 sec snipe really 5 seconds?

Usually, but not always. They sometime go in earlier.

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it won't go late will it?

There hasn't been a reported not-in-time post on this forum for a VERY long time. Late - don't worry; a little early - possible.

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There hasn't been a reported not-in-time post on this forum for a VERY long time. Late - don't worry; a little early - possible.

Great. Since the FAQs recommend at least a 7 sec lead on auctions that close 5-11 p.m. PT I'm thinking maybe 6 sec should be a good number since mine closes 4pm-ish.

That'll work!