Bid sniping is a last-minute bid in timed auctions, often done online. It reduces the risk of bidding wars and keeps the bidder’s identity hidden. It can be done manually or with software, and some people hire bidding services. Some auctions ban bid sniping, but it is widely allowed.
A bid snipe is a last minute bid in a timed auction designed to allow the sniper to win the auction with a decisive bid that no one else can beat because the auction closes almost immediately after the bid has been placed. Bid sniping is more common in online auctions and the practice is not without controversy. Some people swear by sniping, claiming it’s the best way to bid on items they like, while others find sniping very frustrating because they usually lose auctions to snipers.
In a classic timed auction, people participating in the auction can see each time a new offer is made and decide whether to match it or not. There are a number of bidding strategies in use, ranging from strategies that create bidding wars early to drive away competitors to bid sniping, where someone holds off until the last minute. Bid sniping can be beneficial because it reduces the risk of a bidding war and because it keeps the identity of a bidder hidden so other bidders can’t see who is interested in an item.
Offer sniping can be done manually or with an automated system. When people manually bid, they simply wait until the auction is almost over, manually entering a bid in the last few seconds. This can be unreliable, as sometimes the bid doesn’t arrive before the auction window closes, or the bidder experiences issues with the bidding process such as a momentarily laggy server causing the bid to hang, instead of being successful.
With the software, bidders enter the auction they are interested in and determine the maximum amount they are willing to pay. The software is directed to bid at the last second, with the bid snipe being slightly higher than the most recent bid so that it will win. However, if multiple people try to bid on an item, the software may not be able to keep up fast enough to guarantee a win.
In addition to using the software, people can also use a bidding service, hiring someone else to do bid sniping for them. Services typically charge a fee based on the final auction price. People can only use these services in auctions that allow proxy bidding.
Some auctions have specifically banned bid sniping, although the practice is widely allowed, even if some users don’t like it. Users who are unsure whether sniping is allowed can read the terms of service for an auction website or contact the customer service department of the company administering the auction to determine whether or not a bid snipe is allowed.
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