RE: RE: Subject: [Harp-L] Sniping on Ebay

["Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm tired of this thread too, but I had one question (harp related!).

If I want something, say a particular mic, do any of these programs have
sentry features that will watch for items that come up as new listings that
might contain certain keywords, such as 'fireball' for example? I couldn't
find a way to do that in ebay itself and it would be nice to know when a
particular amp or mic or whatever you are looking for has been listed.

One clarification - to make this clear - I think Tim is saying that proxy
bids (normal ebay function) are processed immediately *after* the auction
ends, for example, the millisecond the auction ends ebay looks at the proxy
bids (where you have designated the max you are willing to pay), processes
them in those seconds after the auction ends, and the high bidder wins. This
is how the proxy bid always beats snipe programs, right (which can only work
*until* the auction ends). If this is the case, nobody can gripe about the
snipe programs, unless they aren't using proxy bidding, which would be
foolish if you really want something. This is what I've been doing for a
*long* time, before any of this became popular. I'd put in my *proxy* bid
with a few seconds left, so that ebay would keep bidding for me up to my
desired max price. And I always won, nobody else I talked to then knew about
this (haven't tried lately though, as the cat seems to be out of the bag!). 

Bill Hines
Hershey, PA

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Tim Moyer
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 8:44 AM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: RE: Subject: [Harp-L] Sniping on Ebay

M. Erickson wrote:
> Please note, there is a difference between "sniping" (placing a
> bid in the last few seconds of an auction), and a "sniping 
> program" (an automated software program that places bids in the 
> last few milliseconds of an auction). 

There may be a difference in principle, but there's no difference in 
fact.  A person can set up their final bid and watch the clock and 
bid as close to the end of the auction as any software program.  The 
point of sniping and sniping software is not to get the bid in last 
or closest to the end of the auction.  It's only to get the bid in 
without allowing enough time for someone who's watching and trying 
to raise their own bids manually from making another bid.  

No sniping program can beat ebay's proxy bidding.  If a snipe 
program bids $100 at the last second and you've previously bid $120 
that hasn't reached it's maximum, your proxy bid will still outbid 
the snipe.  Auction rules are very simple: if you're the highest 
bidder at the end of the auction, you win.

A little harp content: I've gotten lots of great values on ebay.  I 
have about 20 microphones, many of which were tremendous bargains.  
I have a matched pair of Lafayette Slim-X clones I bought for $20 
for the pair.  I have a beautiful Geloso M61 I bought for $43.  I 
have a nice Electro Voice 924 "lavalier" crystal mic I got for $11, 
still in the box with the original paperwork and warranty card.  I 
have lots of interesting harmonicas, and have over time bought an 
entire set (A, Bb, C, D, Eb, E, F, G) of pre-WWII Marine Bands.  I 
doubt I paid over $15 for any of them.  

Many times when someone sells an item on ebay they have more of 
them, and will offer you their other items off-auction rather than 
list them all.  Sometimes even when you're not the high bidder the 
sale will fall through and the seller will contact the runner-up 
about the item.  I've sometimes missed the end of an auction when an 
item didn't sell at all, and contacted the seller directly and made 
the purchase (that's how I got my "Better Days" Trumpet Call!).  

Like any auction, you have to pick through the items for what you 
really want.  

-working man tim



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