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February 23, 2009 10:58 AM PST

Snipe Swipe helps you win eBay auctions

by Josh Lowensohn
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Grizzled eBay veterans know all too well that the action on any auction doesn't heat up until the last few minutes. Bidding wars can be won and lost by who had the fastest click--or the highest auto-bid. To aid in this nail-biting process is Snipe Swipe, a "sniping" tool with a new Firefox add-on that does the bidding for you at the very last possible second.

Once installed you'll get a new button on any auction page that lets you set it to be sniped. After you've done this, it gets flagged in Snipe Swipe's system and will be bid on, up to the maximum amount you set, even if your computer is off.

Because it's part of a sign-up service, you only get three free "snipes" with Snipe Swipe. After that, you can either go in on a monthly service with unlimited bids, or a $5 bundle of points that can be used on future bids.

It's worth noting that sniping is not discouraged by eBay, as the online auctioneer has its own proxy bidding tool. However, third party tools such as Snipe Swipe are constantly trying to outwit this system, which is why these tools have garnered a less-than-respectable reputation in the eBay community.

Related: eBay opening up add-on marketplace, APIs

Once installed, Snipe Swipe adds a new option to eBay listings to let you attempt to win them at the last second.

(Credit: Mozilla / Snipe Swipe)
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