contest idea

After reading a recent thread I had a contest idea. I believe I will need help, though. I need someone with access to auction sniping services to be the control in this experiment. Object: contestants try to successfully register manually, (without any retained sniping services) a bid AFTER the control sniping service makes its bid. (control bid to be set as near end time as possible) each contestant gets just one bid, of one cent, to place as near the ending time as possible in hopes of beating the sniping program by registering a bid AFTER it, and winning a prize to be determined if this contest ever gets off the ground. Any thoughts? Any takers? Anyone intrigued enough to consider taking part, or am I the only one who finds it interesting? :sniper:

 

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I think there are plenty of people who's confirmed bid choice can be made with about 4 seconds left, and register within 1 second of the ending time. So if the auction sniping service you choose puts the final bid in at 5 or 6 seconds (hits their button), then they are saying they will have it register somewhere with about the same results. It all comes down to whose connection was fastest, and if the human manually doing it had their attention on it for the required timeperiod to do that, as well as the bids that were registered. If the auction sniping service's bid is less than the manual bidder, then the sniping service either loses, or has to place another bid (prearranged if the service is outbid), but it takes the chance that it can't receive fast enough. It may be able to though. For example, if a service is told to bid to 25.00 at 6 seconds, and if that doesn't secure the winning bid and if it sees the auction is still going on (as in someone else's bid came in quickly at the end), to automatically punch in the second bid of 50.00, then it still may win. A computer can be set up with the second bid already programmed in, where it just needs to hit the button again, so to speak. I don't see many instances where someone would want to do that, but say someone wanted something for themselves, and would normally go 25.00 for it. They set that bid up, but then say well, if I bid 25.00 for it and found that I was outbid by 10.00 for it (35.00) then I would be upset because if push came to shove, I would pay that, and maybe some more, so I'd set 50.00 as the absolute max I will go. But I don't want to put 50.00 as my max because someone may come in at 48.00 and I would not be upset at losing to that. So, if a computer program could put into place the option that it would be ready to snipe at 25.00 no matter what, but if the computer detected an amount above that to 38.00 it would then put in the second one immediately to try to get the item, but if a bid came in above 38, then it wouldn't. That's a complexity that I think an advance bidding (sniping) system might be able to do, that a person could not do manually. A person basically doesn't have the time to think out the process. The only thing a person could do is have a second (and maybe 3rd) window up with the auction item, punch their bid in at about 4-6 seconds before, and if their eyes detect an outbid, have it ready to hit the second time, and hope that it goes through. I've actually done that from about 10-12 seconds before, and made a different one that won the item with a second or two to spare. I don't know, of course, if the other bidder had a sniping service do it or if he/she was also manually doing it. Your computer will never let you know if you were outbid by a sniping service.

 

And to answer your question, no I wouldn't be interested in that. I would find it silly, and unable to control for actual bidders who may want the item.

 

I think this is against the rules...

 

hm, ok. well, it would seem an experienced seller might be able to set up a private auction only for those interested in the contest. Can you do an invitation only auction? The actual auction description can describe the intent of the auction to those that DO wander in inadvertantly. Limitation of each contestant/bidder to ONE single bid of one cent (The auction itself can be "mutually cancelled" upon completion and is really not the purpose of the experiment) should help keep things under control. Also, faith would be required that contestants would in fact do it manually and not use a service for the contest. It's called a sniping service. If it is set to bid at the last second, yet is beaten by a person using a mouse, and the only reason you use the service is for that implied edge on the competition, what good is it to you? I guess the gamer in me always wants to best the computer at its own game. With a limit of one, one cent bid the focus is no longer on the money, nor the actual winner, but on who REGISTERED the final bid. Obviously this contest winner will not win the auction itself. The goal of sniping is to register the final bid, preferably a higher one. Eliminating the variables of bid increments and amounts means that it is simply up to timing. Man vs. machine. Any other thoughts anyone?

 

how? the auction itself is inconsequential and would be cancelled, requiring no money to change hands. I don't want to violate rules, and I expect a mod will probably opine if this idea does. Again, I just need a control sniper system to utilize so I know which bidder is, in fact, the automated service. The control bidder would not have to contribute a prize, indeed, I may have to think of a consolation prize for that individual as they would be exempted from the contest if they chose to help out...... just kinda seems fun and different too.... call it.... Auction Golf! yeah, not looking for piles of missed shots (high dollar amounts)... looking for the few that score a hole in one by bidding after an automaton built to be the last to bid.

Sniping systems can make incremental bids faster than people, but I believe that the person who times ONE bid just right can beat any sniping system. Prove or bust the myth that no person stands ANY CHANCE of success vs. a bidsnipe system. Whatever the result, it could benefit anyone who bids online to know that A: for multiples or unattended and unimportant auctions, you use a service but you personally do your sniping. OR B: sniping services are not only effective scheduling tools, but are also superior at registering that last minute bid.

I don't subscibe to a service myself, and regardless, I likely could not start an auction AND employ a sniper to bid on it for me. I don't like the idea of that at all, frankly.

 

"Requiring members to pay any type of 'entry fee' to enter the contest."
And

"Requiring members to register on another website to enter the contest."





Read more: http://www.cointalk.com/t5068/#ixzz1nYKxIIZ4

These were pulled of the rules for contests. ​

 

well, again, there would be no money. please refer to the part in parenthesis directly following the first bolded phrase within your quote. I've never done a contest before and wanted to do something original. Guess this one's shot down, then, unless I hear some consent now that the plan is laid out, and some support for it.