Automated eBay Bidding Script: A PHP Solution for Auction Automation
Looking for an automated eBay bidding script to secure those last-minute auction wins? This PHP solution for auction automation will help you place bids automatically without having to monitor listings constantly. The script connects to eBay, logs into your account, and places bids based on parameters you set. Perfect for busy collectors or resellers who can’t always be online when auctions end.
How the Automated eBay Bidding Script Works
This PHP code establishes a connection with eBay, performs authentication with your credentials, and executes bidding commands automatically. The script handles the entire bidding process including initial bid placement and final confirmation.
Configuration Variables
Before using the automated eBay bidding script, you’ll need to modify these essential variables:
- $username = “username”; //your eBay username
- $password = “password”; //your eBay password
- $item = 300712344201; //the auction item number
- $bid = 0.01; //your maximum bid in the item’s currency
Please note: Use this script responsibly and in accordance with eBay’s Terms of Service. Automated bidding may violate certain platform rules, so review eBay’s policies before implementation.
The Complete Automated eBay Bidding Script
<?php
//modify the following
$username = "username"; //the eBay username
$password = "password"; //the eBay password
$item = 300712344201; //the item number
$bid = 0.01; //the bid value in the item's currency
//do not modify below
//query the sign-in page
$curl = curl_init();
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, FALSE);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_USERAGENT, "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:15.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/15.0.1");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookies.txt");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookies.txt");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_URL,"http://signin.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?SignIn");
$ret = curl_exec ($curl);
curl_close ($curl);
//sign-in
$post = "MfcISAPICommand=SignInWelcome&siteid=0&co_partnerId=2&UsingSSL=0&ru=&pp=&pa1=&pa2=&pa3=&i1=-1&pageType=-1&userid={$username}&pass={$password}";
$curl = curl_init();
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, FALSE);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_USERAGENT, "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:15.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/15.0.1");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS,$post);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookies.txt");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookies.txt");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_REFERER, "http://signin.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?SignIn");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_URL, "http://signin.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll");
$ret = curl_exec ($curl);
curl_close ($curl);
if (strpos($ret, "Member id {$username}") === FALSE) {
echo "Failed signing in.\r\n";
} else {
echo "Success signing in.\r\n";
}
//place the inital bid
$url = "http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MakeBid&item={$item}&maxbid={$bid}";
$curl = curl_init();
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, FALSE);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_USERAGENT, "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:15.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/15.0.1");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookies.txt");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookies.txt");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_URL, $url);
$ret = curl_exec ($curl);
curl_close ($curl);
preg_match_all('/(?:value="([-0-9a-zA-Z]*)" *)?name="stok"(?: *value="([-0-9a-zA-Z]*)")?/', $ret, $regs);
$stok = $regs[1][0];
preg_match_all('/(?:value="([-0-9a-zA-Z]*)" *)?name="uiid"(?: *value="([-0-9a-zA-Z]*)")?/', $ret, $regs);
$uiid = $regs[1][0];
if (($stok) && ($uiid)) {
echo "Success placing initial bid.\r\n";
} else {
echo "Failed placing initial bid.\r\n";
}
//confirm the bid
$url = "http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=MakeBid&maxbid={$bid}&quant=1&mode=1&stok={$stok}&uiid={$uiid}&co_partnerid=2&user={$username}&fb=0&item={$item}";
$curl = curl_init();
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, FALSE);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_USERAGENT, "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:15.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/15.0.1");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookies.txt");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookies.txt");
curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_URL, $url);
$ret = curl_exec ($curl);
curl_close ($curl);
if (strpos($ret, "you're the first bidder") === FALSE) {
echo "Failed placing final bid.\r\n";
} else {
echo "Success placing final bid.\r\n";
}
//for testing
//$fh = fopen("testhtml.html", 'w');
//fwrite($fh, $ret);
//fclose($fh);
?>Security Considerations for Automated eBay Bidding
When using this automated eBay bidding script, keep these security tips in mind:
- Never share your script with your credentials included
- Store the script on a secure server with proper access controls
- Consider using environment variables instead of hardcoding credentials
- Regularly update your eBay password for enhanced security
Alternative Approaches to Auction Automation
While this PHP script offers a custom solution for automated eBay bidding, you might also consider these alternatives:
- Official eBay API integration through their developer program
- Third-party auction sniping services with built-in security features
- Mobile apps designed specifically for auction monitoring and bidding
For more information about eBay’s developer tools and API options, visit eBay’s Developer Program. If you’re interested in learning more about PHP cURL implementations, check out PHP’s official cURL documentation.
Have you tried automating your eBay bidding process? Share your experiences in the comments below!