Re:eBay Explicitly Bans AI "Buy for Me" Agents in User Agree...
by pishpash on Wednesday January 21, 2026 @05:15PM
(#46712381)
Auto bid isn't the same as sniping. Sniping hides information about demand. Auto bid can't hide information as soon as there is another bidder.
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Re:eBay Explicitly Bans AI "Buy for Me" Agents in User Agree...
by pwg on Wednesday January 21, 2026 @05:59PM
(#46712880)
Auto bid does not hide any information even with one bidder, as ebay indicates that "1 bid" has occurred.
The only way auto-bid could hide information is if eBay treated auto bid as "silent auction" style. Show "zero bids" all the way to the end, then once closed, see which 'auto-bid' came in highest and declare that bidder the winner.
Sniping is attempting to recreate 'silent auction' style bidding, with a bid system that is not 'silent'.