If you're not an auction sniper, you probably really dislike sniping and would like to tar and feather the last guy that took a win away from you. I've been buying on eBay since '96 and with the majority of my 2000 cookie jar collection coming via eBay, it's the only way I bid now.

What is Sniping?
It's the process of bidding at the very last moment before an online auction ends. The sniper has only one shot to get the item and the sniper's bid has to be high enough to be the winning one. Sniping can be done manually(see below), but it's more efficient to use an online service that will bid automatically in the last few seconds of the auction.

For years I sniped manually, waiting until the last minute and then placing my high bid. But a few years changed to using an online service. It saves me a lot of grief when I really want something, I just decide my absolute maximum, enter that bid with a sniping service and forget about it.

If it's what I consider a really hot item, I'll check it the final day and just see how close the bidding is to my maximum, perhaps deciding at that point if my maximum is really firm. But most of the time, I stick with the initial bid.

You Won't Always Win
A last moment bid (sniping) is not an automatic guarantee. You still have to place the highest bid. I've been outbid by fellow snipers numerous times. They were willing to spend more than me, which is fine. Many people believe that sniping slows down shill bids and is a way of not letting your competitors know what you are looking at ahead of time.

Cost
It's very inexpensive compared to the cost of an item. The service I use charges .25 if the winning bid is under $25. and 1% for items costing $26. - $1000. Over $1000. the charge is a flat $10. There is no charge if the auction isn't won.

Be a DIY Auction Sniper
It takes a tiny bit of practice, but it's not hard to do. A fast connection to the Internet is a must. There is absolutely no guarantee with the method below and I am not responsible for any glitches, problems, etc. -- proceed at your own risk!

Here's how I do it:

• Log on to eBay.
• Go to the auction page and reduce the window until it fits about half the screen.
• Open a duplicate eBay auction page and have the two screens side by side, but not overlapping.
• Use window #1 for refreshing, to keep track of the bid and the last minute of the auction.
• Use the window #2 for your bid, going through the whole bid process, but stopping before the final Click to Submit.
• Using window #1, continually check the bid and time and when the time is right -- click Submit on window #2.

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