Re: Sigh.. sniping..

["Warren 'Llama' Ernst" <wernst@gmail.com>]

On May 27, 9:50 pm, "atfphotogra...@gmail.com"
<atfphotogra...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 27, 11:27 pm, ]3ob <bob [ @ ] onemanband.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On 2009-05-27 22:31:35 -0400, "atfphotogra...@gmail.com"
> > <atfphotogra...@gmail.com> said:
>
> > > Ooo! I have a UDC short card here but it seems to be dead. The caps
> > > look funny so I'm going to swap those out to see if it works. I wasn't
> > > into the "new in the box" thing as much as just wanting a standard
> > > 3.5" card for my IIe.
>
> > > I'll look out for your auction.
>
> > > Best!
>
> > > ATF
>
> > Np, I'll make a post in c.s.a.marketplace with the link. I'll include
> > two 3.5" drives as well.
>
> > ]3ob
>
> Sweeeeet!
>
> ATF

Ebay sniping is a perfect example of "If you can't beat 'em, join
'em."

Automated sniping tools are annoying when you aren't using them, but
when everyone is using them, I believe you get more pure auctions.

Sniping is rather like a sealed auction. You enter your real, honest-
to-god-highest price in what amounts to a sealed envelope, and Ebay
keeps the envelope. Then in the final seconds as all the snipes go in,
the highest of the previously-sealed bids gets the win.

Compare this to everyone entering lowball bids in the first 3 days,
and then as the prices go higher, the prices approach your real honest-
to-god highest bid. Then in the final days, when you are outbid, you
think to yourself, "Hmm, it's just an extra dollar. I'll just increase
my bid." Then the other guy does the same thing, then you do again,
then he does, then you do again, and then he does just as the auction
closes.

And what did that get you? You either won the auction by paying higher
(and maybe MUCH higher) than you wanted to, or you lost to someone who
paid more than he wanted to either.

Sniping levels the playing field for bidders. Sellers win when
everyone outbids each other by a dollar in the last 48 hours. Buyers
win when they all use sniping tools to "secretly" choose their real
"final bid" beforehand and no one pays more than they really wanted
to.

I've used E-snipe since its first days, and I've come to believe that
auctions are better for it.

-Warr