How to buy on EBay.

[Earl Camembert]

The sniper stooge takes carful aim waiting for the perfect shot. If he shoots too soon he could be the victim of a counter strike; if he shoots to late the target could win the prize and have left the area.

BANG, the perfect shot giving the victim only three seconds to react. Not possible, m***d (157) hits the ground with no phone. Another page in the XXX_stooge's snipper win book and no phone for m***d(157).

What hurts 1000 times more then not getting the crappy phone is getting beat at the buzzer. He will have to call his mom back and tell her sorry no phone, bang bang he shot me down; bang bang I hit the ground.

Bidder               Bid Amount      Bid Time  
xxxx_stooge( 27)     US $10.49       Mar-19-08 18:30:37 PDT  
m***d( 157)          US $9.99        Mar-19-08 18:12:16 PDT  
Starting Price       US $9.99        Mar-12-08 18:30:40 PDT

[Lisa]

Snipers are inevitable on Ebay. If you can't beat them, join them. Or do neither - if I really want something, I put in the highest bid I'm willing to pay and then I don't check back until the auction's over. If I got outbid, then I have the satisfaction of knowing the other clod paid too much, or at least more than I would have.

Let me add that I've won auctions that have had sniper bids at the last second. However, the snipe bid wasn't high enough so I still won. I love when that happens. Take THAT, snipers!

[scottschoe]

Putting in any bid with more than 30mins left in the auction is shooting yourself in the foot.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by scottschoe

Putting in any bid with more than 30mins left in the auction is shooting yourself in the foot.

Not always, but it's true that you can drive the price higher than you'd like when you bid early. I'm forced to do it that way because I can't usually spend the time hovering over the computer during those last minutes.

My favorite way to buy (back when I spent more time on ebay) was to look for items that had been listed in the wrong category, misspelled or described poorly so they'd be hard to find for most bidders. Got some GREAT bargains that way.

[scottschoe]

Originally Posted by Lisa

Not always, but it's true that you can drive the price higher than you'd like when you bid early. I'm forced to do it that way because I can't usually spend the time hovering over the computer during those last minutes.

My favorite way to buy (back when I spent more time on ebay) was to look for items that had been listed in the wrong category, misspelled or described poorly so they'd be hard to find for most bidders. Got some GREAT bargains that way.

There are some great programs out there that will 'snipe' for you at a time you set. I haven't used one in a while, but there should be some available on download.com

[Incurable]

When an eBay newbie, I had to learn the hard way. After being out-sniped multiple times, I finally smartened up. Now I'm a veteran sharp-shooter. Broadband helps. After 4 tries on different auctions, I finally scored this for my Mom for Christmas 2000...



She never did learn to play it... looks nice on top of the piano though...

[cmr]

auctionsniper.com i have won many auctions with this tool. the best one was a new orange seiko monster on the ss bracelet for 84.00. you got to love it!

[etp095]

Originally Posted by Incurable

When an eBay newbie, I had to learn the hard way. After being out-sniped multiple times, I finally smartened up. Now I'm a veteran sharp-shooter. Broadband helps. After 4 tries on different auctions, I finally scored this for my Mom for Christmas 2000...



She never did learn to play it... looks nice on top of the piano though...

if you listen closely you could hear the polka music in the background.

[CoopJr]

I use esnipe.com, an excellent service.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by scottschoe

There are some great programs out there that will 'snipe' for you at a time you set. I haven't used one in a while, but there should be some available on download.com

That's what I meant by "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Snipe services may be seen as unsporting, but more and more of us feel forced to play that way. Bottom line, even with multiple snipers going after one item, if you set your snipe bid high enough you can win.

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by Incurable

When an eBay newbie, I had to learn the hard way. After being out-sniped multiple times, I finally smartened up. Now I'm a veteran sharp-shooter. Broadband helps. After 4 tries on different auctions, I finally scored this for my Mom for Christmas 2000...



She never did learn to play it... looks nice on top of the piano though...

Great photo, Pat! I still see that same pin-up beauty from that vintage photo you posted a while back.

My mother-in-law plays the accordian. Used to get it out every Christmas before her shoulders started to give out. She still has the 1940s vintage one she first learned to play.