This does not make sense (max bid)

Dear Sir,

The problem with “bid just enough at the last second to win an item” is a timing issue. When would AS know when to place the snipe? At 5 seconds before the end of the auction, the price might be X. At 3 seconds, it might be X+3. And, the time for AS to take to see who/what has been bided, is time lost to get your snipe in.

It sounds nice in theory, but difficult, if not impossible, to pull off.

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Please tell me how to make it win the auction for me no matter what without setting a crazy max bid.

Need not set a crazy max. Better to bid a reasonable amount, and if you lose, wait for the item to appear in another auction. Often it’s at a lower price.

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Otherwise what's the point of this tool/site?

Prevent bidding wars and nibbling, and to have the best chance of getting the item at the lowest price.

Sir

I appreciate your response.

My question however is how is this different than bidding the normal way on eBay?

I think I would prefer manually refreshing page on eBay, etc.

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My question however is how is this different than bidding the normal way on eBay?

None. Just gets placed in the last few seconds. Will react the same as placing the snipe manually, you just don't have to be at your computer, and AS has multiple servers to place redundant snipes.

Sir

I again appreciate your helpful nature

I am very upset now because I feel I still have to be around at the end of the auction so I know what to bid.

Why would I want to set a max $50-100 higher than an item is currently at and then walk away and hope I win it in 4 hrs automatically via Sniping? That would be stupid if everyone else was bidding around $219-225 range in the last seconds and then my snipe comes in at $300 (my max)?

I think you in advance sirs for your help

It seems you're a little confused about how eBay actually works. Just because you place your "maximum bid" as $300 that doesn't mean that is the amount you will have to pay at the end of auction. It just means that the item will be yours UP TO that price. If the item currently stands at $225 and you enter a "maximum bid" of $300, if that bid exceeds the current high bidders "maximum bid" then you will only pay what is necessary.

For example: The current high bidder's "maximum bid" is £250 (although their "winning bid" at that moment in time might be $225, you can't actually see another user's "maximum bid"). Your "maximum bid" of $300 will register at $251, however eBay will continue to bid for you whenever someone else tries to outbid you, up to your maximum of $300.

Does that make sense? I'm sorry if it's a little long-winded, but I'm pretty tired. I hope it helps.

Broke

Yes that does make sense

Is AS the same way?

If an item is $175 and I put a max of $205 and the highest max/bid from others is $192.50 then I will get it at like $194 or something?

Does the max strategy work the same for both manual eBay and AS?

I just lost an item because AS wouldn't let me change my max bid (I never set it in the first place, it was set to the next incremental bid at the time I added it to my Snipe List).

Yes AS fires one proxy bid for you...same as proxy bidding in ebay EXCEPT that it is hidden with AS until the last seconds (whatever you have set, or AS has adjusted it to depending on traffic etc). Whereas if you load your proxy bid with ebay it can get nibbled at until it is very close/or reached your max.

The proxy bid fired by AS will be your max bid as per the amount you have loaded in and is treated like any other proxy bid on ebay to where the highest bidder wins! Say the highest bid was $500.00, you had loaded in your max bid of $550, given the ebay increments of $10 over $500 you would win the item for $510.

With AS you cannot change your bid price with 5 minutes or less to go as the server will be signed in and waiting to place the bid for you ( think I have that right). Other than that to modify your max bid go to my snipes, click in the box left of item and then click modify, this allows price change, lead time etc.

Sirs

Thank you all friends

A bid adeau and good night for now

I suggest that you read up on Proxy Bidding under eBay's help screen. You need to realise that AS bids the same way as you but at the last few seconds. Thus it serves two purposes: one, it stops a bidding war by limiting the ability to respond by others and, two, it means you can bid when you're not at your computer.

What it cannot do is tell you how much to bid. That's down to your research and need for the product. Set a snipe at your max and walk away. AS will place that bid on your behalf and you might win, you might not!

Oliver

In fact, ebay's proxy bidding system comes up so often, AS added it to their FAQ's:
http://www.auctionsniper.com/faqebay.aspx#faq_13a_lbl

The great things about AS is the ability to set the snipe days in advance and not have to be at the computer! That is a HUGE convenience!