eBay sniper got me last night. Bummed.

I was going after an old, solid walnut and maple Drueke chess board. The sniper got me fair and square. It's too bad. This particular chess board doesn't come up too often in the size and condition I'm looking for. I set my high bid as high as I was comfortable in spending. But there's that nagging feeling in the back of my mind that says I should've went just $20 higher... Haha! Oh well. I hope the old chess board went to a good home and will be played on regularly, rather than a hoarder with a 20+ collection of vintage Drueke boards in a box. Sigh. Ok. Moving on.

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Unless you’re a dealer, running a business, it’s always best to bid uncontrollably and pay any amount no matter the cost. Overspending is the collector’s credo! Crippling debt is the American Way. Where’s your conviction, man?

.....shot through the heart....and you're to blame......you give love.....a bad name.....

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

The sniper didn't get you, they just paid more than you were willing to spend.

Paul

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voodoopenguin
The sniper didn't get you, they just paid more than you were willing to spend.

Paul

Usually *I* am the sniper, but in cases where I don't win, that's exactly how I look at it.

And no, I didn't win your chess board, d4.

I just bid the highest amount I want to pay and let ebay handle it from there. If someone wants to pay more, it not really sniping, but just paying more.

JPK

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JPK
I just bid the highest amount I want to pay and let ebay handle it from there. If someone wants to pay more, it not really sniping, but just paying more.

I've both won and lost auctions on ebay - sometimes I think I got a great deal, other times I wonder why folks are paying so much for (insert object here). Either way, life goes on - don't give it a second thought.

For me, sniping is the only way to go.

I always find it funny that the person who is willing to pay the most is the "winner".

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Back in the day of dial-up modems (1990s), eBay sniping was an adrenaline pumping sport with 10-15 second delays on the trigger. Now it's just set it and forget it.

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I still snipe. The issue with bidding early is it raises the price. Other people have time to come back and raise their max bids.

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deckeda
Crippling debt is the American Way. Where’s your conviction, man?

Go broke saving money!

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Ways to improve web conference image and sound quality. [forums.macresource.com]

....Severus Snipe.....???

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

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M A V I C
I still snipe. The issue with bidding early is it raises the price. Other people have time to come back and raise their max bids.

This.

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It is what it is.

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N-OS X-tasy!

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M A V I C
I still snipe. The issue with bidding early is it raises the price. Other people have time to come back and raise their max bids.

This.

I also enjoy the thrill of a last second win!

I always find it funny that the person who is willing to pay the most is the "winner".


Why?

If a person paid what they were willing to pay to get what they want, they've won.

Because it's about the acquisition, at least for most people.

'I didn't pay the most, and I didn't get the item, SO I WIN!'

'Congratulations, you came in second, you didn't win, SO YOU WIN!'

I don't think so, Tim.

If they regretted the purchase, then it's a different story.

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When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

Everybody matters or nobody matters.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

-An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

Mister, that's a ten-gallon hat on a twenty-gallon head.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

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mikebw

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N-OS X-tasy!

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M A V I C
I still snipe. The issue with bidding early is it raises the price. Other people have time to come back and raise their max bids.

This.

I also enjoy the thrill of a last second win!

I set it and forget it. A few moments on eSnipe and then it's just a matter of waiting for the notification e-mail to arrive.

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It is what it is.

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RAMd®d
I always find it funny that the person who is willing to pay the most is the "winner".


Why?

If a person paid what they were willing to pay to get what they want, they've won.

Because it's about the acquisition, at least for most people.

'I didn't pay the most, and I didn't get the item, SO I WIN!'

'Congratulations, you came in second, you didn't win, SO YOU WIN!'

I don't think so, Tim.

If they regretted the purchase, then it's a different story.

The problem is what people are willing to pay isn't a static thing. It changes, especially in the last few seconds. My max might be $500, but when I see that outbid notice, I don't care and I'm bidding another $5. Also had plenty of would be buyers email right after the end offering 10-15% more than the ending price.

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C(-)ris
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Throwback Thursday Signature:




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2020 02:37PM by C(-)ris.

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N-OS X-tasy!

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mikebw

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N-OS X-tasy!

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M A V I C
I still snipe. The issue with bidding early is it raises the price. Other people have time to come back and raise their max bids.

This.

I also enjoy the thrill of a last second win!

I set it and forget it. A few moments on eSnipe and then it's just a matter of waiting for the notification e-mail to arrive.

I’d still have regret. You still have a maximum amount it’ll go, correct? If someone else loads eSnipe for a dollar more, that’ll suck.

I look at it this way. I wait until about 15 seconds are left and then go for it. If I still get sniped, it “wasn’t meant to be” and I move on with my life.

The problem is what people are willing to pay isn't a static thing.


Regardless, my point is still what any individual is willing to pay is what they are willing to pay and if it gets them what they want, then they've won.

That one doesn't know what one is willing to pay until it's too late, is a problem and that makes them a loser.

I'm only talking about the 'winner', whom unless they regret paying what they did, is a winner.

---

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

Everybody matters or nobody matters.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

-An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

Mister, that's a ten-gallon hat on a twenty-gallon head.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

Quote
JPK
I just bid the highest amount I want to pay and let ebay handle it from there. If someone wants to pay more, it not really sniping, but just paying more.

JPK

I do the same thing... EXCEPT the "highest amount I want to pay" is always done through a snipe.

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A winner is when a seller sets a Buy It Now price that is way below market and you are first to click BIN. I’ve won some very nice items that way, usually bigger ticket items like two cars as well as a PowerBook G4 for less than half price. I’m a patient buyer, waiting months or even years for the right price on the right item.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

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deckeda

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N-OS X-tasy!

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mikebw

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N-OS X-tasy!

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M A V I C
I still snipe. The issue with bidding early is it raises the price. Other people have time to come back and raise their max bids.

This.

I also enjoy the thrill of a last second win!

I set it and forget it. A few moments on eSnipe and then it's just a matter of waiting for the notification e-mail to arrive.

I’d still have regret. You still have a maximum amount it’ll go, correct? If someone else loads eSnipe for a dollar more, that’ll suck.

I look at it this way. I wait until about 15 seconds are left and then go for it. If I still get sniped, it “wasn’t meant to be” and I move on with my life.

There's nothing to keep you from checking in on the auction to see if bidding has exceeded your preset Not-To-Exceed price and increasing it if you want the item badly enough.

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It is what it is.

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Speedy
I’m a patient buyer, waiting months or even years for the right price on the right item.

Just make sure you're adjusting that "right price" as the years go by!

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N-OS X-tasy!
There's nothing to keep you from checking in on the auction to see if bidding has exceeded your preset Not-To-Exceed price and increasing it if you want the item badly enough.

These sniper programs automatically bid for you at the literal last second. So there's no time for second chances and reconsiderations. I was sitting there at 10pm sitting pretty as the high bidder, watching the Live countdown timer on eBay; 00:00:05, 00:00:04, 00:00:03, 00:00:02, <the price suddenly goes up by $43, one dollar past your limit in one shot> price jumps from $101 to $143 in one shot, 00:00:01, 00:00:00. Auction ends. Have a good night.

The preset limit I entered was a rational decision. I weighed my desire, with my bank account, with my common sense. And rationally entered a price. In the heat of the moment this "rational price" many times goes out the window. And people go on bidding frenzies. What's another $20? I have $20 in my wallet right now. Oooohh... OK. $20 more! Not enough? Maaan, this bidder is stubborn. Ok, ok. ONE LAST bid for another $20. Doh! Still not enough....

I'm over it. The ending price was too much money for a fancy chess board. There are new chess boards for 75% of what I bid. I'll be fine with playing on one of those like the lowly pawn that I am. Hah.

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And remember, even if your adjusted your limit up to something outrageous (in your mind), the other person may have set a limit that much more outrageous, and you'll never know. In the words of Ron Popeil:

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d4

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N-OS X-tasy!
There's nothing to keep you from checking in on the auction to see if bidding has exceeded your preset Not-To-Exceed price and increasing it if you want the item badly enough.

These sniper programs automatically bid for you at the literal last second. So there's no time for second chances and reconsiderations. I was sitting there at 10pm sitting pretty as the high bidder, watching the Live countdown timer on eBay; 00:00:05, 00:00:04, 00:00:03, 00:00:02, <the price suddenly goes up by $43, one dollar past your limit in one shot> price jumps from $101 to $143 in one shot, 00:00:01, 00:00:00. Auction ends. Have a good night.

You missed my point. Say your NTE price is outbid with six hours remaining before the auction ends. You would still have up to six hours to check the auction and decide whether you wished to increase your NTE bid.

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It is what it is.

“Sales of chess sets have skyrocketed, says Mary Higbe, director of marketing at Goliath Games. The company sells six different kinds of chess sets, including those familiar red-boxed Pressman sets you've probably seen in the toy aisle at Walmart.

"Our October sales for chess were up 178% over the same period last year," Higbe says. That's a big increase. But something else unexpected happened at the end of the month. Now, she says, "our chess sales are up 1,048%."

[www.npr.org]

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.