Honestly, your caution about account security is totally valid because security should be your top priority when dealing with financial accounts. Most modern services use OAuth tokens now so they dont actually see your password, but you still have to be careful about which permissions you grant. For tracking prices without constant refreshing, I've been quite satisfied with using the eBay price Tracker Chrome extension because it keeps things localized and doesnt require a subscription for basic monitoring. Here are a few technical things to keep in mind to stay safe:

• Only use tools that redirect you to the official eBay login page for authorization.
• Check for two-factor authentication (2FA) compatibility; if a site breaks your 2FA, its a massive red flag.
• Avoid any free service that doesnt explain their revenue model clearly. Its definitely possible to get that Nikon FM2 for under 200 bucks if you stay disciplined with your technical setup. Just keep an eye on those permissions and dont give away too much access.

Just catching up on this thread. I've spent a fair amount of time messing with the eBay API to automate my own gear scouting, and honestly, the technical overhead of maintaining your own scraper just isnt worth it for most people. The rate limiting is aggressive. I found PriceDropCatch recently and it's pretty solid for tracking auction bids without staying glued to the screen. It handles the asynchronous data updates better than most tools I have tested. When I was hunting for a mechanical body like the FM2, I realized that the last five seconds loss usually happens because of high-latency connections. If your network pings are slow, you'll lose every time to a server-side bot. My tip is to stop chasing the FM2 specifically if the $200 limit is hard. Look at the Nikon FE or the original FM. The FM2 has that higher 1/4000 shutter speed, but for a class, you'll rarely need that. Most students never go past 1/500 or 1/1000 anyway. Also, make sure you're checking the Sold listings to get an actual data-driven baseline for what these are going for. A lot of sellers overprice the Buy It Now options. If you stick to auctions, set your absolute max and let the automation handle it. If you lose, it just means the market value exceeded your budget. Dont get into a bidding war; it’s a losing game for your wallet.

In my experience, the anxiety about account safety is normal, but the way these services function has changed for the better over the years. I've tried many tools to snag vintage gear for my own collection, and for a student on a budget, I really recommend sticking to a dedicated sniper service rather than trying to track things manually.

• Gixen is the most reliable free option. I have used it for nearly a decade without any security issues or hidden costs.
• Most of these platforms use tokens now. You log in via eBay's own portal to grant permission, so the third-party site never actually sees your password.
• Sniping actually keeps you disciplined. It prevents you from getting into a bidding war that pushes you past that 200 dollar limit. Honestly, manual bidding is the easiest way to lose an auction. Set your absolute max on a sniper and just walk away... its the only way to win those last-second battles.