Sniper/Bid Napping, last seconds bidding- Has its place

Since first writing a guide for eBay, I have seen an exponential rise in use of new last seconds bidding software tools (variously called sniper or bid napper etc) to place bids in the last seconds of an auction. As a seller this can be frustrating as no bids are placed early, innocent buyers think the item has a problem, visitor numbers are sometimes not shown in the listing and its can be discouraging for browsing potential buyers, (and sellers) even though there may be anywhere between 16 and 70 people watching an item (but only the seller can know this). Do your homework is the key in this situation. Know what the item is worth and how much you are willing to pay.There are various types of these programs available and all have varying costs some are a percentage of the final purchase price others are on annual subscription. Which ever you choose read all the small print, check the security certification and their privacy policy. Take as much care in choosing a sniper software tool as you would selecting a bank or a potential purchase on eBay. Use your favourite search engine with a few key words with a sign and the name of online auctionyou want to bid at and take some time reading about the options available. Don't just jump on the first one you see.Sniper bids take some of the fun out of the auction process but whilst eBay allows them and offers a group bidding service themselves then they can be very useful particularly if you are a buyer on a budget or do not want to sit up all night to bid on an item. These programs allow you to put in the maximum price you want to pay and then forget it. If it was meant for you you will get it and if it was not then you still have your money to selectively invest in another item. The really useful thing about these sniper services is that you avoid the emotional pressure in the last seconds of bidding and the frustration of refresh rate times that are really variable depending on a lot of factors, including your computer, the number of people using the internet at the time, etc even if you have the fastest connection currently available.The worst thing that can happen is being caught up in a bidding war and going over your budget and possibly over what the item is currently worth. Sniper or last seconds bidder software does at least give you a sense of security that should an unscrupulous seller employ a snipper software then at least you don't go over budget. Only bid what you are prepared to pay and check where the decimal point is in the number you enter as your maximum bid.CheersArtsite_Gallery