Hi,

I like your Android app very much. Some things I'm missing:

1. Link to the ebay auction. On each snipe item I'd like to have a link to the ebay auction website.

2. current highest bid: I'd like to see the current highest bid on each snipe item. Would be useful to adjust the maximum bid

3. Group bids: I would like to group some snipe items. If one snipe was successful, all other snipes in the same group should be cancelled. That would help to get an article one time that could be found in several auctions.

4. Delete items in watching list.

5. Import one item from watching list (not all)

Best regards,

Carsten

Thank you for your feedback.

1. When you open the snipe screen, open the menu. You will see "Refresh", "Browser", and "Delete". The "Browser" option will open your browser with the auction.

2. Unfortunately, this technically not possible due to many auctions on the server and high activity on eBay.
Most of the activities are done on the last hour or so. So you may not have a chance to "adjust" your snipe.
Also, "adjusting" your snipe defeats the purpose not to be involved into bidding wars. Please always put your absolute maximum when deciding on your snipe. If somebody bid higher, you don't want to overpay because you got emotionally involved into bidding wars

3. The Groups are available in the Web-based version. The Android app will have Groups too once the overall GUI layout is confirmed.
No ETA on it yet, but it's coming for sure.

4. You should do it through eBay only. The sniper just reads your Watching list and will not modify it.

5. Yes, this one is on the top of list. Should be in one of the newly coming versions.

Again, thanks for your feedbacks, they really help to make the sniper better.

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Last edited on Fri May 27, 2011 06:33 PM.

Hi Sashka

I'm not sure you understood point 3 that cmweb put in; certainly the way I read it is NOT to alter your eBay watch list, the problem for me is this:

When you look at the Watch list in the app, you then get ALL your items entered into the "Active Items" list, regardless of whether you want to snipe them or not.

I would suggest two things: Firstly, when you select "Import Watching List" you could import only the ones you WANT to rather than the entire list; this could be done two ways - either having a tickbox for each item and then an "import ticked" box, OR if you press and hold on the item in the list a pop-up menu to import that.

Secondly when you have the Active Items list in the app, they may not all have snipes active on them (indeed I usually don't want to do it on all items, just one or two). At the moment to delete items from the Active items list requires selecting the item in question, then pressing menu, then selecting delete. I would think it would be easier if you had a pop-up when you press-and-hold on any item in the list, and it would allow you to delete it from there.

I also think the Active Items list could do with some colour or similar to show clearly which items have current snipes on.

It has the potential to be a great app/service, but I think it needs work in terms of user-friendliness, mostly in the respects above.

Oh, that was me above, I registered and then changed my password and didn't notice I'd been logged out!

I'm not sure you understood point 3 that cmweb put in

Do you mean 4? The #3 is about Groups.

I would suggest two things: Firstly, when you select "Import Watching List" you could import only the ones you WANT to rather than the entire list;

That's actually #5. As I mentioned, it will be implemented in the future versions, no worries here.

At the moment to delete items from the Active items list requires selecting the item in question, then pressing menu, then selecting delete.

That's in ToDo list as well.
The menu is there, but "Delete" function was temporary disabled due to some weird issues which should be addressed.

I also think the Active Items list could do with some colour or similar to show clearly which items have current snipes on.

The ones which have My Snipe amount set are active, the one which have "not set" are not active.

but I think it needs work in terms of user-friendliness

Obviously, yes. As with almost any application.

Even limited support for current bid price... I don't see how its "technically not possible"... I get that you want too avoid unnecessary increased server load... But the phone itself is internet connected... Why not just have the app itself query Ebay directly for the current bid price... Perhaps not in time, but just a snapshot at the moment I go into edit a snipe? This should be well within the technical capability of the app, and has zero load on your servers.

Our at least the current bid price when I first add an item.... If I import 10 watched items, then set snipes on them, I need too know the current to determine id price and shipping cost if possible as part of my strategy to determine my max bid.... For example, bidding on two same items, one has a current high bid of 38 and 10 shipping.... The other has a high bid of 45 with free shipping.... the max I'm willing to pay for the item is 50 inclusive of shipping..... If I just put a bid of 50 I'll potentially end up paying 60 for the first one..... This I'd more of a problem when importing multiple watched items..... The reason for showing current bid price.... Let's say my initial snipe was 50 but I check in and see the current bid price is 50.75... Knowing this I may change my mind and say okay, maybe was unrealistic in my max, I want to change my snipe to 55..... With current bid price I can easily check and alter my snipe if I change my mind.... Yes inn a prefect world you simply set the max you're willing to pay and leave out, but people change their minds and rethink things and the app should provide for that possibility

Your phone is a very slow device limited on its own resources.
Imagine, querying each listing will take about 2-3 seconds. If you have 15-20 listings, that's like almost one minute of the application doing its own thing.
Most users will go nuts saying that app is very slow.

If you have one item at 38 and 10 shipping, another item at 45 with free shipping... Why do you need to know the current bid in real time if your maximum is 50?
You just set your snipe at 40 for the first one, and 50 for the other one. Does not matter what's the current price -- 20 or 38.

If you feel like changing your snipe to 55, that means you are getting involved into emotional bidding wars by increasing your maximum based on someone else budget, not yours. You will end up overpaying after all.

I usually set my maximum budget for the item. If my budget is low than average, I just need to wait more to catch the chance.