posted on February 5, 2009 12:53:29 PM new
I only bid with eSnipe. Why give the nibblers a goal with a proxy. Early on I decided that I would feel more secure giving my eBay login to a company that had an interest in keeping my password safe to keep me as a paying customer. There is no reason why a free snipe would not be safe but I have had almost no problems with eSnipe. Out of hundreds of snipes there have only been two missed bids.
This thread shows a real change in eBay over the years. When I first started posting on the eBay Outlook every few threads was a hysterical harangue against the "evils" of sniping. It was not fair, it was immoral, it should be against the law... There may still be sellers who are not fond of snipers but the practice does not seem to generate the passion that it once did.
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“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on February 6, 2009 11:29:19 AM new
I used to think sniping didn't hurt buyers or sellers. I still don't mind snipers (they can bid on my items as much as they want), but it's my understanding that items with bids are more visible in the new search experience. Good for the sniper but hurts the seller.
posted on February 6, 2009 02:17:54 PM new
Well, I certainly don't want to start a "hysterical harangue" on the subject of sniping.
The origins of the word hysteria are interesting and horrifying, by the way. Some women are offended by the use of the word hysterical.
But returning to sniping. I can tell you it is one practice that has turned potential buyers away from eBay. I know this because I talk to people who used to shop on the big e.
Another change that has damaged buyer confidence is the masking of usernames. My friend Mark says he'll never bid on eBay again because he doesn't know who he's bidding against.
