If the sniper wins it's ONLY because they are willing to pay more. If you put the max you are willing to spend at any time than there is only one way to beat you and that's by paying more not by placing a bid at the last second. The trouble is people try to nickel and dime these ebay auctions to get them at a lower price and it ends bad for them. Whether I put in a max bid of $400 at the beginning or into an eSnipe program my max bid is still $400.