From M/Cyclopedia of New Media
Sniping is a practice that spawned off the success of eBay. It is a practice in which bidders use computer generated programmes, or hirer assistance to maximise their chances of winning.
History
Sniping is the largest cottage industry which has sprung from the success of online auctions.
Features
Sniping works on a simple practice. The system is designed so that an automatic bid is placed a few second before the auction concludes, thus eliminating the chances of a counter bid and maximising your chances of winning. furthermore the bid placed is only a small percentge larger than the previous highest bid and thus garunteeing the lowest possible cost of the item.
Features and benefits of sniping are largly consumer based. Companies such as Ezsniper are designed so that the bidder does not need to be online or even have their computer on. The expansion of Sniping is also causing concern as there has been a boom in sniping service providers, each with technologically advanced equipment and higher oppurtunities of winning. Companies such as eSnipe are growing so large that they are now recruiting PR assistance, whilst their system has features such as currency converter and the ability to bid on an array of international auctions.
Positive
The positive aspects of sniping are:
- The increased possibility of winning your auction
- Verfies and reveals problem or fraudulent sellers
- Creates an uncomplicated form of online bidding
- Minimises the cost for bidders and offers control over auction
Negative
Negative aspects of sniping are:
- Sniping is seen as unfair by regular online Auction users. Ethically sniping originally was seen as malpracitce. However the large increase in use of sniping and sniping companies has forseen that sniping will not cease. Moral conerns of sniping were that the seller was not recieving the highest possible price for their item, and that other bidders were being excluded unfairly by sniping companies.
- Sniping possibly has evolved from a negative online auction culture. Reports have risen over the continual over payment for items. Bidders are more concerned with winning rather than the price of the item, and consequently are paying higher prices online for goods which are less expensive at department stores.
Effects
The growth and expansion of sniping has led to an influx of companies which are offering sniping services, these companies include;
The growth has also led to counter sniping technology. eBay the largest online auction offers a proxy bidding system which is designed to stop snipers.
Resources
- Cox, Beth. (2002). 'Taking Aim at Auction Sniping' Ecommerce retrieved on the 14 October from http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/article.php/1443451
- EZsniper. (2005). 'The easiest way to master ebay' retrieved on the 14 October from http://www.ezsniper.com/index.php3
- Oaff B. (2005) ‘It’s not the Winning, It’s the bargain that counts; Online Auctions’. Financial Times. Jul 16 2005. pg. 26
- PowerSnipe (2005). 'Win every Auction' retrieved on 14 october 2005 from http://www.powersnipe.com/?source=google&kw=auctionsniping
- Tang S. (2005) ‘Going going… then gone your bid on eBay is under threat from ‘snipers’. Financial Times. Jul 9 2005. pg. 7
--Jaime marin 09:54, 14 Oct 2005 (EST)
