How best can you snipe and win at domain auctions?

[mole]

I seldom go into auctions, ebay or otherwise, but I did last Saturday with Pool.com.

Nearly lost a name to a sniper.

I shot the name up to $200 from $60 with about less than 2 mins to go.

Was immediately sniped back with $210.

Replied with $250 with less than a minute to go and was surprised to see myself already outbidded with $260.

With seconds left, I shot down $300. The auction closed.

I noticed that sniper had already shot in yet another bid of $281. Had the person made the final attempt at $301, I would have lost. Tricky stuff. Trying to outfox me while keeping the bid as low as possible.

We learn.

How best do you approach and win in sniping encounters?

 

[yesonline]

The last shot you should go for the highest bid you would pay for without considering what bids the other bidders will do, and see if you are lucky to beat the sniper.

 

[mole]

Thanks for the advise, yes. The problem with pool is that you can't see the seconds ticking down, so its hard to tell if this will be your last shot. Worst still, the refresh rate is never reliable, so if your computer chokes...

Would be great if pool had a real time auction option.

 

[JuniperPark]

Best shot? Send a free batch of cookies laced with laxatives to the BuyDomains and UltSearch office 30 mins before end of bidding time, and hope they have a sweet tooth!

 

[puxa2]

Uh ...bid high.

 

[mole]

Originally posted by JuniperPark
Best shot? A free batch of cookies laced with laxatives to the BuyDomains and UltSearch office 30 mins before end of bidding time, and hope they have a sweet tooth!

ROFLMAO!

 

[mole]

Originally posted by Plain
Uh ...bid high.

Yes, I guess that helps too That's a surefire way of winning every auction if money is no issue. But the issue is really how to outfox competition at the lowest possible cost.

 

[Bob]

With about 5 minutes left I always bid my max. If I am out bid, then I had satisfaction knowing I would not pay more. If I am not outbid, then I get the name.

I was in a Pool auction for a name today. With 2 minutes left, I has the high bid of $60. The bid went to $161 or something. Then with 8 seconds left, a sniper entered a bid of $550, but I still had him beat.

I never understood the sniping mentality. If everybody bids their max to begin with, there is no reason to snipe. I have seen time and time again where people get mad because they tried to snipe and were outbid by a larger proxy.

They complain because they say "Man, I would bid higher."

My response is "Well then WHY did you NOT bid higher in the first place?"

They say, " I should have, but I wanted to get the item for the least amount possible."

Then I proceed to explain exactly what a proxy bid means and does. It is like they do not get that.

-Bob

 

[mole]

Thanks for sharing, bob. Your words were very mind-sharpening. I'll try to be smarter and more moneyed next time for the remaining names that mean something to me.

 

[Skaboy]

Bid high dont help all times because theres all ways someone who can bid more then you

 

[mole]

Originally posted by Chris Matthers
Bid high dont help all times because theres all ways someone who can bid more then you

But don't they say that millionaires are there because they've learnt to get things cheap without you knowing, chris?

 

[StrictlyNames]

trying to snipe is the only way that I'll bid... well 99% of the time. This helps keeping the people with "auction fever" from running you up. I do believe bidding your max when you do make your bid, but within the last minute is the best way

Just my perspective.

Happy bidding,

Dave

 

[mole]

Originally posted by StrictlyNames
I do believe bidding your max when you do make your bid, but within the last minute is the best way

Thanks dave. I don't like auctions, and prefer to go direct to name owners unless I spot a loose fish in the swarm. Retail prices are normally quite hefty depending on the extension and who you are dealing with, so I guess a strategy of throwing in a stun grenade of at least $1k at the last minute when the auction price is around 200-500 should shock out most speculative contenders.

Then hope for the best, like yesonline says.

I admire you guys who go for the stellar generic names each and every single day. How do you reconcile the failure rate?

 

[actnow]

The only way to approach the auctions is to establish in your mind
the true, maximum price. And, not let the auction price make you think
"the domain really must be worth more".

Because, you might be bidding against an end user or an emotionally
involved bidder.

Or, someone who has more money than sense.

Proctor & Gamble is a good stock to own. But, if you bought it at $200.
you will never make a profit. But, if you bought it at $ 50. than it is
a true investment. The same thing applies to domains. If you pay
too much for the domain. You will never get your money back.

And, as Bob expressed, you must be willing to walk away.

 

[sasu]

I usually bid my max that I would pay with 30secs/1 minute left

Agree with bob if it goes over the limit I dont get mad as I was not prepared to pay more....

sasu

 

[TurNIC.com]

I generally curse and close the Pool.com page after i had been summoned by an email to see the auction page and $3000 price tag though there is still 2 days to go!

 

[dvdrip]

Domain Name Current Price # of Bids Time Left
peeps.com $1,605.00 28 2d 17h 33m

 

[strongvis]

sniping at pool is nearly impossible at times because it's too slow. it's really annoying getting sniped by $1 as I did to someone today (and have had done to me countless times)

 

[actnow]

Strongvis,

Did you win by a $ 1. or did you lose the name by a $ 1?

 

[strongvis]

Today I won by $1
The last few weeks I've lost a few by $1

either way someone's always gonna be bummin