Bugger.

[unixronin]

...that these days, it's an exercise in complete futility trying to buy anything on eBay that anyone else wants, except via Buy It Now, unless you have a multi-megabit connection or an account with one of the automated robot-bid-sniping services.

And to think that when automated bid-sniping first started, eBay banned it because it was unfair.  I guess they musta decided that fairness could go fuck itself, 'cos they made more money off the last-90-seconds bid-sniping wars.

Comments

[anda.livejournal.com]

What ilcylic said. Bid what you're willing to pay and remember - there'll be another one just like it next week.

It doesn't matter to me if someone outbids me a day before EOA or 5 seconds before EOA. I bid exactly what I thought it was worth and I had the money for. That fool who sniped me paid more than it's worth if they outbid me! I'll get the next one that comes around.* That's why there's this great feature that lets you save searches and have ebay email you when matching auctions are within 24 hours of EOA. That's why, if I'm not sure how much something's likely to go for, I look at auctions that just ended or are about to end for similar items - so that I do have some kind of ballpark idea.

Frankly, in your position and with your budgeting restrictions, I am surprised that you've got a spare $20 to wonder "well, can I pay another $20 for this?".


* Limited time items, like tickets are different, of course.