[Kenny Wisdom]

Have to agree with Michelle about how Gixen not only saves me money but is great for allowing the user to step away from getting caught up in auction fever!

I have to say my heart sinks when I see bidders opening early on an auction (a bit like poker - you wouldn't want to show your hand too early) and the perceived value of a product sky rockets beyond what I would consider paying. Fair play to sellers and buyers though - I appreciate everyone wants to get the best value they can on both sides, but at least when using Gixen I feel I am in control of my finances in these recession hit times!

[ptarmigansq]

I've been using Gixen for a few years now. When I discovered it, I thought I had died and gone to eBay heaven -- I had been doing a LOT of manual sniping at all hours! (And sometimes missing auctions, too.) I couldn't believe such a straightforward, no-nonsense, rock-solid-reliable service was free or just a few bucks a year enhanced. I've been a subscriber ever since, and Gixen has never once stumbled.

It's impossible to really quantify, of course, but I suspect Gixen saves me about 15-20% on the stuff I win.

It also makes me think dispassionately about how much an item is really worth TO ME, rather than letting myself be influenced by how much it's apparently worth to other bidders.

And if an hour later I think, "What was I THINKING?!" -- unless the auction has ended meanwhile, I can pop over to Gixen and just delete my bid before it's ever placed... a nice fringe benefit I've availed myself of from time to time. (Beats heck out of having placed a non-snipe bid in eBay, changing your mind, and then hoping someone else will outbid you!)

Gixen would be a killer deal at several times the cost, at least for anyone who bids on eBay for any reasonable amount of stuff.

I also think it's really amazing that, as much as Gixen has deservedly grown, Mario is not only still keeping Gixen razor sharp, but he's also making time to very kindly and patiently explain aspects of how eBay works, user by user, when people (so often) have trouble untangling what's eBay and what's Gixen.

So, once again and as always -- THANK you, Mario!

-- Michelle