Sniper service?

[deaconsbench]

Does anyone know of a sniper service that works with Stampwants? I use EZsniper for my eBay bidding, but they have no plans to expand beyond eBay. Thanks in advance!

[larsdog]

Does anyone know of a sniper service that works with Stampwants? I use EZsniper for my eBay bidding, but they have no plans to expand beyond eBay. Thanks in advance!

I am strictly a buyer on this venue, you can check my feedback. I also buy on eBay (and occasionally sell, but only duplicates and only rarely). You really don't need a sniper service here. Although I almost ALWAYS sniper on eBay, I don't find a need to sniper here. The reason is that on eBay you will encounter newbies that have NO IDEA what something is worth and they will nibble you to death! That's when you become a devout sniper. But here, there are almost exclusively knowledgable sellers and buyers, so you don't have to sniper, but you're not likely to find something GROSSLY underpriced. There ARE still good deals to be had, but they are just that - good deals. You won't find the hidden treasure here, but if you are a collector, you will be happy to know that the sellers here are MUCH more ethical than eBay and the prices are quite comparable.

Happy hunting!

Lars

[parian]

Does anyone know of a sniper service that works with Stampwants? I use EZsniper for my eBay bidding, but they have no plans to expand beyond eBay. Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the Forum! I think it's just a matter of time before a sniping service that works here becomes available. Let me know if you hear of one. I snipe (only way to go) and have been sniped here on SW - rarely on eBay. Seems the "newbies" are finding their way to SW and "nibbling" here too. Plus, once you get one sniper...

As SW grows and becomes more attractive than eBay (for stamps), the site will experience the 'good, bad, and ugly' of an online marketplace.

-Jim

[parian]

[quote="larsdog]..... you will be happy to know that the sellers here are MUCH more ethical than eBay and the prices are quite comparable.

Happy hunting!

Lars[/quote]

Lars - what about the sellers that sell both here and on eBay? I also sell on eBay about as frequently as you do. Are you calling me unethical? I mean, there was that time a few weeks ago when I - oops. Forget I said that!

[Bigcreekdad]

Pardon my ignorance, but just what is a sniper service? My first thought when looking at the subject was that someone had a seriuos issue with a buyer or seller.

[richd4549]

A sniper is some one who bids at the last second. I remember one site had a policy that one minute with no bids had to transpire before the auction would end.It seemedto work well.

[AWorldOfStamps]

I admit that I'm one of those "snipers" that many detest; however I would never think of using a program to do this and hopefully others won't either on this site. In my opinion, they take all of the fun out of bidding. I like to wait until the end of an auction to bid. This allows me to either "buy" at or below my price, or more importantly to me, doesn't waste my time bidding an auction up from 1 cent over a 10 day period. I see stamps I want and determine my maximum bid, but keep this information to myself. If those stampss are still below my maximum at the end of an auction, then I bid. Of course I'm not always available to bid, so many others "steal" my stamps because I'm not available to place a bid. Some sell for much less than I would have bid, but I can't be bidding 24 hours per day.

Good luck to all those other "snipers" that are afraid to admit it. .... Hopefully you are "busy" when I'm bidding .... John

[parian]

A sniper is some one who bids at the last second. I remember one site had a policy that one minute with no bids had to transpire before the auction would end.It seemedto work well.

Sorry, Rich, but I hope that doesn't get implemented here. I think there would be some heavy 'nibbling' going on in auctions - good for sellers - bad for buyers.

Yes, a tool can take the fun out of it. I like to see how close I can cut it to get the bid in. However, with multiple items of interest in different categories, and 5 or 6 sessions open, and switching back and forth, counting seconds in my head, a sniper service could come in handy.

[richd4549]

I also hope it doesn't get implement. Like Pete I am a "closet" snipper and will bid my Max. at the last second for an item I really want. And if my Max is already bid and it gets snipped, OIL WELLl thats the auction game.

[bennettoons]

The online bidder's mantra --

Bid Once

Bid Your Maximum

Bid Late

[lusi222]

So be aware I am just stating my opinion.

My life is too busy to be watching for an auction to end. So I will not go that route to try and get an auction item. Nor will I use a sniper software, I detest that just for the orneriness of it.

If I bid on an item, I set the absolute top I will pay before shipping. If it goes above that, shrug, the item wasn't to be mine. If it goes under that max, I have the item and the free time away from sitting and watching the auction's late few minutes.

Cindy

[larsdog]

[quote="larsdog]..... you will be happy to know that the sellers here are MUCH more ethical than eBay and the prices are quite comparable.

Happy hunting!

Lars

Lars - what about the sellers that sell both here and on eBay? I also sell on eBay about as frequently as you do. Are you calling me unethical? I mean, there was that time a few weeks ago when I - oops. Forget I said that![/quote]

Perhaps ethical was the wrong word. Let me change that to knowledgable. I don't see 304's cut down to look like used 315's here like I do on eBay. I don't see specimen officials with a fake cancel across the bottom conveniently obliterating the word specimen here like I do on eBay. I don't see newspaper stamps with the wrong perforation here like I do on eBay. I'm not saying that the eBay sellers are doctoring the stamps and I'm not talking about ALL of the sellers. There are just a lot of resellers on eBay that don't seem to know a heck of a lot about stamps, but here the sellers - for the most part - would KNOW to be suspicious of a used 315 or a "conveniently" placed cancel on an official. Sure, some eBay sellers are doctoring stamps (e.g. the Saratoga Ring), but many are just reselling stuff they bought in a lot or at a local auction and don't know enough to check for common fakes. I'm talking about the sellers as a whole, so of course there are several knowledgable sellers on eBay and some here that know a little less than the rest, but it's definitely a more informed crowd here, IMHO.

I always sniper on eBay because there are so many bidders that don't know what a stamp is worth and you will get nibbled to death otherwise. I don't see a lot of emotional and uninformed bidding here. A lot of the time the opening bid is about my max so I'll place a bid and see what happens. I've also had some good results with Make an Offer here. Got a nice C13 for a fair price from Posner.

If I start seeing nibbling, then I will sniper more here. It's part of the game. I know sellers hate it, but as a seller I'd rather have two snipers than one nibbler.

[parian]

If you and John want to remain in the sniper closet, I certainly will not tell anyone. Just try to be in the closet when I'm sniping. oops...looks like your secret is out.

[parian]

The online bidder's mantra --

Bid Once

Bid Your Maximum

Bid Late

A perfect definition of a sniper. Well said!

[dianealthea]

The online bidder's mantra --

Bid Once

Bid Your Maximum

Bid Late

A perfect definition of a sniper. Well said!

Exactly!!!!