[mario]

I will explain one more time why I think 8 seconds is an optimal snipe time.

You want your bid not to leave enough time to manual bidders to change their mind, but to arrive before other pre-scheduled bids (snipes) in order to take advantage of bid increment rules.

In my view, 8 seconds is the best choice to achieve this. But opinions are different about this.

[Rickajho]

If you are asking if two snipes can be placed at exactly the same time the answer is no. Although sniping services have to offer you a practical time frame of "a second" to choose your offset, eBay's computer has to determine which of two snipes got there first - possibly in fractions of fractions of seconds apart. (It's what computers do...)

So someone has to be first. To answer the other part of your question: Yes, the theory is that using a larger offset will get you an advantage of making sure your bid is first in the proxy bid jumping game. First bidder gets priority, but ultimately highest bid amount is going to win. Snipes follow the same eBay proxy bid rules and the snipes will outbid each other until one of them wins with the highest bid amount and the other does not.

[juangrande]

Gixen submits your maximum bid once at the time specified by the offset you specify in your settings (as a mirror subscriber).

That's all. EBay's proxy bidding system takes over from there.

Moreover, I think that's made pretty clear in the first two items of the FAQ.

If you are interested in a little bit of the auction theory behind eBay auctions, I would suggest having a look at how Vickrey auctions work. EBay's fixed time auctions are a modification of Vickrey auctions.

[Kelvets]

Obs: I recommend that all this be clarified in the FAQ section.

[Kelvets]

Hi,

First I'd like to say this is perhaps the service I've fastest become a paying member of. The cost:benefit ratio is unparalleled. Well done, admins!

I'd like to know though: suppose I'm trying to snipe an item that's currently at $70. I set my max bid to $100. Another Gixen user is also trying to snipe this item, setting a max bid of $110. Suppose both of us have the 6 second default bid offset.

First: which of us will place their $71 bid first, considering we have the same offset?

Second: As soon as my opponent's $71 bid is placed, will Gixen place a $72 bid for me, and then $73 for him, then $74 for me etc. until he wins due to my maximum bid being lower? That is, does it place multiple bids in case of an "autobid war"?

Third: If the second assumption is true, can all of that be accomplished in the 6 seconds? Should I raise my bid offset to 15 seconds?

Thanks.