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

[smileswhf.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely on the side of unixronin here. eBay is nothing but an exercise in frustration for someone who is actually trying to acquire something in earnest. It has long since turned into a huge multi-player auction game. I know people who bid up items they don't want just for fun. I know people who revel in the ability to use a high-speed connection to get a bid in at the last second. For people who like that game, eBay is great. Then there are the rest of us who just wanted to try and buy something at a decent price....

Exactly.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Actually, I broke my rule this time: this stuff is exactly why I set myself a rule some time back not to even bother trying unless I can get it by Buy It Now.