Sniper Bid too early

http://support.auctionsniper.com/

Additional user (chatter + region2) responses are predictable.

Auction Number?

quote:

Originally posted by region2:
Auction Number?

Trust me on this, Robert - don't provide the auction number. region2 will respond with something about the other sniper would have sniped anyway regardless of when your snipe was placed, or that another sniper can’t possibly respond in 30 seconds (he thinks that a minute isn’t long enough), or some other ruse to make it appear that “that’s life””, “grin ‘n bare it”, or “don’t make waves”.

Rick - do stop being an arse - without the number no-one can make a guess at what happened.

I really think you should get out more!

Hi, here is the Number - 150296405017 - for anyone who is interested. I have continued this complaint with AuctionSniper Support, and am satisfied with their answer. I will be considering the risks next time I want to use a snipe to place my bid. Anyway, good luck to all you snipers, and I hope that all comes together so that you have a satisfactory bid.
Kind regards, Robert

The first two bids were placed simultaneously but for different amounts. And within 7 seconds of your bid. This points to them being automatically placed. The next bid followed on 18 seconds later - thus the bidder would have had to react to his bid being out bid by yours and place a bid in 18 seconds. I think this is unlikely and would probably have been an automatic bid of some kind.

What did AS support say?

R2

quote:

Originally posted by region2:
I think this is unlikely and would probably have been an automatic bid of some kind.

That’s the problem with these things. Even with the history, there isn’t any way to insure how the other sniper sniped. 18 seconds is enough time to respond to a snipe. The two snipes with the same time stamp would “suggest” it was some automated snipe, but then the third snipe would “suggest” it was a reactive snipe. All speculation, and guess work. One can never determine what would have happened had the snipe been placed a few or 20 seconds later or earlier. The only thing that’s certain is the snipe was before Robert’s specified lead time, assuming Robert’s statement that he used a 5-second lead time is accurate.

Almost a reasonable response from Rick - I guess the prozac dosage has been sorted out!

Agreed - until AS changes this padding issue then there will be zillions of postings like this!

R2

quote:

Originally posted by region2:
Almost a reasonable response from Rick - I guess the prozac dosage has been sorted out!

A pity you've gone off meds. I so wish region2 could be a little original. But, then, one must consider the stress region2 is under, what with the parole hearings and all.


R ob2us


Doubtful there's anything AS WANTS to change. They obviously decided it’s better sniping too early than too late, which can result in snipes being placed early enough for another sniper to react, but it must not happen all that much, or there would be a lot more topics on the subject and they wouldn’t be in business for very long.

Hi, it is interesting to read all of your posts. I accepted what AS Support said to me which is firstly, there are risks to using snipe software - I have previously not had a bid registered as it didn't reach ebay in time, even though AS sent it.
Secondly, they have a system of gauging the amount of traffic on the internet, and on ebay servers, and snipe early when they fell that there is a likelyhood of delay, to avoid the first situation that I mentioned, and thirdly, they apologised several times. That is good enough for me. I have previously used a software snipe on my own computer, and that was not good because of the not too good internet connection that I have - missing several crucial bids. I shall carry on using AS where I am not available at the auction end time, and on speculative bids. Important or Must Have bids, I will still use them, as in that case I always bid way too high to ensure that
I get the item. Hopefully, the problem that I have just had will only occure once in every 50 bids - the ratio up to now, and I have to take on that risk myself. Thank you all for your interest, and I wish you well in your bidding.

I just had this happen to me. I sat there helplessly watching my bid get placed over 30 secs before auction end. Two more bidders came in after mine which drove the price up for me. I won the item but at a higher price. This isn't the only time this has happened to me lately.

In this case I could have just waited until 30 secs before placing my bid manually and gotten the same result. AS didn't help but I still have to pay them. This Sucks!

Item #290262692160

Experiencing psychic static, region2? Try rebooting your tea leaves.


R conjec2rer



It really isn’t productive to ask for the auction number on these bid-too-early threads. All that EVER happens is that region2 posts something about what “might” have happened, and then I post something witty, clever, and really insightful into the meaning of sniping and of life in general (I do house calls). Better to file a support request because the support staff has more info, experience, and tools than a couple of us dowdy users. If for no other reason, they (the support staff) are a lot more nicer, definitely more professional, and replaced their tea leaves decades ago.

It appears that region2 is experiencing larger technical difficulties than first speculated. Might well be that someone planted (interesting word usage) a virus in his tea leaves. Hopefully he stores his leaves on some backup media, other than the tea cup. Perhaps he should look into a backup psychic-site or a clairvoyance collocation center. One can never have too much precognition power protection.



R car2on

My first post, sorry its a rant but I`m not a happy bunny.
This has just happened to me for the second time. Whats the point in paying to snipe more them 10 seconds before the auction end? To be fair to AS this is a new problem but still.... I dont care if the bidders that bid after me were sniping or not, i use snipe to place the bid 4 seconds before the end and thats it. I can easily place the bid myself within 5 seconds if I`m home. From what I`ve read its down to padding. Others (the bidders after me) dont seem to have padding. I wonder who they use?

OK rant over, high folks

There are DOZENS of sniping tools available (Google auction snipe software). Some are free, some are one-time purchase software programs that you run from your computer, some have a yearly fee, some have a per-snipe fee, and some have both.

AuctionSniper is the only one I've used (so I cannot comment on the others) but, based on the forums for some of the other providers, I suspect there will be "issues" with all of them. You need to decide which issues you're willing to live with:

If you use software that runs on your computer, you are at the mercy of the Internet and, if it's slow, or your computer locks up, your snipe might not get through.

If you choose a cheap/free service, and they have hardware or staffing problems, you might get what you paid for.

If reliability is most important, then you might end up paying more on occasion.

Me, I'd rather pay more than loose because most of what I bid on is one-of-a-kind.

If your goal is PURELY to win for less (we all snipe to improve our chances of winning for less) then running the software from your computer, where you have TOTAL control over when your snipe is placed (without an algorithm determining and compensating for Internet response time), might be the best solution for you.

OR, perhaps AS could offer an option on each snipe/account:

1 - bid EXACTLY as requested and take my chance on it not getting through, or

2 - I don't want to loose, pad if necessary.

I use Auctionsniper successfully for several months.
Yesterday I registered a snipe for today but it appeared immediately on Ebay. it's wierd.

quote:

Originally posted by Barb Healy:
OR, perhaps AS could offer an option on each snipe/account:

Been suggested multiple times - been rejected multiple times.

I, too, have had two auctions sent in EARLY in the last 24 hours. I don't spend as much time on eBay as I used to & I've DEPENDED on AS to do its job, rather than me having to sit in front of a computer monitor. I used my 'Snipe It Now' on my toolbar for both of them, not realizing that it was immediately placing the bid, as it had FIVE seconds lead time put in! The first one, item 310087278517, ended today, 10/3, at 10:36:16. AS sent my bid in last night at 23:02:02!! I won this auction, but that's not the point. It, too, had a FIVE second lead time! The second, which I lost, was Item 2902636604978, ending today, 10/3, at 10:49:05 PM. AS sent my bid in at 10:48:25...again with a five second lead time, again using the toolbar link. The winning bid was sent in (which was $1 higher than mine) at 10:48:46. That time was after mine, she had time to 'see' what my bid was an outbid me by a $1!!! Don't tell me 17 seconds is not enough time to get a bid in, I've done it before. I'm just about to loose all faith in AS. Any ideas?
and puhleeze note, I'm not trying to be rude, but....I don't care what kind of drugs you are on or tea leaves you read...that's not what I'm here for! I want ANSWERS! WHY has AS gone to in a hand basket all of a sudden? Should I file a complaint with them? Thanks so much!
MaryEllen