How to stop sniping

[Reverend]

The sniping program thread got me thinking... If you just set up the auction site to extend the auction time automatically while bidding was still going on, then sniping wouldn't work.

Let's say you have an ending time for your auction. If there is a last minute bid, then it just extends the ending time for a couple of minutes. So that people that got outbid have a chance to respond. And if they would bid, it would extend the end time again.

I wonder if any of the many auction sites out there have thought of this!

 

[Mirage]

I know that Overstock.com does this. I think that is a MUCH better way of doing it.

Personally, I think eBay should let the seller choose how they want their auction to send. Hard or soft.

Hard being the default "get your bids in quick this thing is ending NOW!"

And soft being the extension concept. Say if there is a bid placed in the last 5 minutes, the counter is reste to 5 minutes left.

I'd personally choose the second option.

 

[Penguin]

That *is* a good idea! Although, as a bidder, I think I would find it a bit frustrating, even if I was expecting it. I believe Bidz.com does this with their auctions, if I remember correctly.