'Sniping' is just about the only way I will bid on ebay if I am really
trying to win an item. It imposes a certain discipline on me - I decide what
the most I would be happy to pay is, and load the snipe engine with that
number. If I don't get it, I don't have time to lose my head in a bidding
frenzy.
I also like it because I'm not too keen on some other bozo suddenly deciding
an item is now worth $X + $5 just because I happen to think it's worth at
least $X. Making my real bid a snipe eliminates that danger.
The only person sniping really may be 'unfair' to is potentially the seller,
because it reduces the liklehood of that irrational bidding war. If you get
beaten out by a snipe, and think you would have paid more 'if only you had
known', well next time maybe you'll think harder about your best price.
I can see where others might like the 'Onsale.com' model better, but I
suspect that scheme would inhibit me from bidding at all on some items. It
might be better for sellers, though.
Chip Stratton
cstrat@xxxxxxxxx
> I'm philosophically opposed to sniping, but do it because that's how it's
> done on eBay. I do wish that eBay would change to the same kind of thing
> onsale.com does, though: bidding doesn't close till 5 minutes
> after the last
> bid, with a minimum duration. That, to me, would make the game a
> lot fairer
> for buyers and sellers alike.
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|