Re: EBAY auctions and SNIPING - tesla coil parts

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz> 

Dear all,
           I know this is completely off-topic as far as Tesla Coils
go (there - I said the magic words!) but I beg the moderator's
indulgence given that I've said nothing on this topic so far:

On 7 Sep 2004, at 21:45, Tesla list wrote:

 > Original poster: "Eastern Voltage Research Corporation"
 > <dhmccauley-at-easternvoltageresearch-dot-com>
 >
 >  > I remember something about using sniping programs on ebay.  I don't
 >  see
 > one
 >  > now, but the only other time I would have perused the rules was in
 >  late > 2000 (I was using a PC in Sensors Lab, which was fall semester
 >  of 2000) > when I had to retract my bid on an AMD Athlon 650 chip.
 >  Or, perhaps it's > just my lack of a 100% comprehension and long-term
 >  retention rate. <insert > rolling eyes smilie here> > > "Always" and
 >  "never" are incredibly powerful words: use them with care. ;) > >
 >  Respectfully, > > Mark Broker
 >
 >
 > Mark,
 >
 > As an active member of the Ebay since its early beginnings, I can
 > assure you that there were "never" any rules against sniping in the
 > history of EBAY.
 >
 > Here is attached a discussion on Ebay' Community Board regarding rules
 > against sniping . . .
 >
 > While this technique is not without controversy - mostly from
 > disgruntled sellers or competing bidders - it is permitted on most
 > online auction sites including eBay. In fact, an eBay Community
 > Development representative related eBay's position on one of eBay's
 > message boards:
 >
 >    From: daphne-at-eBay-dot-com
 >    Topic: Re: Snipers How To Workshop
 >
 >
 >
 >    Just for the record, contrary to what some people think, there's no
 >    rule
 > against "sniping," or bidding in the last moments of the auction. You
 > will hear all kinds of debates about which method (proxy bidding or
 > sniping) is more effective, and eBay would recommend proxy bidding,
 > but bidding at the last moment of the auction is perfectly acceptable
 > and legal. :)
 >
 >    Daphne
 >    eBay Community Development
 >
 >
 >
 >    Regards,
 >
 >    Dan

The one and only time I participated in a web-based auction was a few
months ago on a local site. I was bidding against someone for an OEM
s'ware package. As it happened, I ran out of time and left the
auction without obtaining the item I needed (I ended up buying it
through a local computer dealer). The way the auction ran was to end
up being extended for an extra 5 minutes after the last bid placed
(which meant it could have gone on indefinitely). As it turned out, I
later worked out that the seller had actually been bidding against me
and as far as I was concerned, deserved to lose the sale (how I
discovered it is another story). The time extension is of course
perfectly legit and would have happened in any other type of auction.
Does ebay operate this way and is a seller permitted to bid an item
up?

Malcolm