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Specialist Auctions

TonyE

TonyE

HONOURED MEMBER RIP
I had my first attempt at serious bidding on SA last night, The item eventually went for 251.

What annoyed me was that I put my last bid on in the final minute and after the clock showed zero time left I was the highest bidder. Then the clock went back to one minute left and remained there for a couple more minutes allowing a couple of higher bids in and it eventually went for more than I was prepared to pay.

How can the clock go 3, 2, 1, 0 and then back up to 1? Has this happened to anyone else?

Before I come to any unkind conclusions about the integrity of SA I would be interested in hearing the opinion of others.

Regards
TonyE
 
Hi Tony,

i think Specialist have a policy of allowing the auction to run a bit longer if a bid is made close to the auction end. I think its to stop last minute snipers from taking something from under your nose so to speak. There are pros and cons for this.

Andy
 
Don't know about SA but alot of other auction sites add extra time on if a bid is placed within 5 or so mins of the auction ending to stop sniping with bidnapper and the like.
 
sounds like the auctions "auto extend" if you bid in the last minutes, its either that or you go to e bay and get pipped at the post by "sniper Bids"in the very last seconds of an auction with no hope of getting in another bid , at least with auto extending everyone gets a fair crack at it.
If it was a live auction at an auction house the auctioneer would be trying to drag the last bid out for more money before the fall of the hammer!!
I think as frustrating as it can be the auto extend is a fair way of doing it and keeps the system honest.
MG34NZ
 
I've never had that problem. I tend to put on a bid with plenty of time to spare and then sit back and relax, seems to work for me....... I win some and lose some.

Dave.
 
Personally, I think the auto extension is good thing.

I have used sniping tactics in the past primarily to win an item, but also to prevent shill bidding (where the seller or friend of has placed bids under different name to push the final sale price up)

If you look at the auction sites from their perspective, they just want the highest sale price, as they typically make money on the final value. So they clearly would be in favour of extending auctions, as per real world auctions..

Similarly (and controversially :eek:) ) they're not going to fight too hard against shill bidding, as it would be almost impossible to trace, and also it loses them money.

So I'd say the auto extension is here to stay, and if you really want to win something, you have to put the highest price in or hope people aren't paying attention.

just my thoughts !!.

Rich
 
Auction Sniping

All these auto extends re fine if you can be at the computer at 3 am in the morning and watch everything unfold. Personally I find using a sniping programme is the best way to go because no matter where or what you are doing you don't miss out. The guy who bids the highest wins no matter what. I don't like auctions that extend or secret idenities of bidders. Or bad speling~
I lost yesterday because I was away and forgot to raise my bid, but it went for too much anyways. I can use 2 German late 1880s or 1890s 37x94r cases. But not at $75 each- that is just silly.
 
auto extend

Thanks for the thoughts. Whilst I understand the logic of the auto-extend, I am not sure I agree with it. It is true that a live auction will go on until the last bid, but it a bit of a misreresentation on an on-line auction to say it is closing in one minute and then to have it run for another four or five or however long.

Anyway, the eventual buyer was obviously prepared to pay a very high price for the item so he got it. Good luck to him.

Regards
TonyE
 
I agree with TonyE, live auction is different as all bidders are there and have equal changes but an Internet auction which may be open several weeks should close in the second mentioned.
As a seller I see auto-extend a positive thing as it often increases more money for me, but as a buyer I hate it as well.
Also I hate the automatic sniper bid system and don't use it myself.
 
I totally agree with sniping over the years on ebay i was often outbid by one person who i think stalked me to see what i was interested in , so nowadays i only snipe , it only possible of course on ebay i wish SA would allow it to.
Steve
 
In these days nobody any longer at eBay can see who is bidding, just a***5 or similar.
 
Wish I had a stalker. I use sniping software when I can so i win the item. That's what an auction is about isn't it?! It's not illegal!!
 
Sorry guys,im with T-mine on his view of sniping.
I dont think its fair especially when ive stayed up til daftoclock to bid.
I like a good old last few seconds fight.

cheers

waff
 
I dont think there ever will be a way to make any "auction" fair.We are all human and prone to human behaviors,greed,cheating and on the good side,honor and self control.For me,it was getting to the point where the snipers were killin me,I was acually having chest pains on some occasions:laugh: I was letting snipers and shillers get to me and at one point Id considered not participating in any online auctions.The fun had gone out of it!!!!I finally had to say screw it,and adopt the philosophy that someone has already mentioned.I pick my top price,let it ride,and what ever happens happens.Theres pleanty of stuff out here and Ive yet see an item Ive wanted where"theres only one in the world!!" Take back the joy and main reason why most of us collect,and have fun!!!!!
 
That pretty well sums it up

I use Auction Sniper on ebay, but if somebody else bids more in any way then I still loose - no matter what the highest bidder wins so it is all fair. The only unfair thing is when an auction is world wide there has to be a firm cutoff time and the means for every one to bid from any where. If you bid your highest then you win or not.(if you want to stay up til 3am and have a heart attack this is not your game - stick to drinking, then you won't care anymore! and you have an exscuse for loosing, and have way more fun-go to the best beer thread) The only trouble with bidding early is that somebody can climb up your bid and beat you if they so wish. Some times an item has been listed 4 times and nobody bids, but if I do then some other idiot suddenly thinks it's worth while now (after seeing it for 6 months) and proceeds to win something they likely don't even know what it is - Personally every one should bid by sniping then it would be totally fair with no pre end tail pulling !
 
Only bid what your willing to pay and end of story. You either win it or not I have missed out on heaps, yet still win enough to keep me poor and in the doghouse with the missus complaining about all the "junk" I collect. One thing about being in the doghouse I don't have to listen to her whinge
:xd:
Happy Bidding
25thapril
 
Personally I'm far too long in the tooth to get involved in all this sniping business, like Dave said, stick a bid on and see what happens. But SA.com has almost become a shop more than an auction site - with the high start bids, in a great many instances, the first bid gets it. Its strange that you don't get the bidding wars that you see with ebay (who insist on removing my shell case listings whilst leaving everyone elses!!). But it has been quite noticeable over the last 9 months that ebay prices are not that much over the odds as they used to be. Local auction prices are going through the roof and often exceed ebay or SA.com prices for military items. Dave
 
Sniping no advantage

For what it's worth, I believe sniping software gives you no real advantage. If you don't snipe, you can respond to snipers simply by treating the system as a traditional postal auction, where you have just one bid and you don't know who or what you are bidding against. And you get the thing (at one increment above the second-highest bid) if and only if your bid is the highest. This holds true even if half a dozen snipers enter the auction during the final 10 seconds. Also sniping by others might stop you getting involved in a bidding frenzy. So it seems that the real winners are the people who sell sniping tools!

Tony.
 
specialist

The auction dilema is actually simple. Figure in your head what is the most you will pay for an item and still be able to sleep at night. Enter that amount, shut off the computer, knock back a couple of frostys and let the auction run its course. Years ago when I first started bidding on ebay I found myself at the end of the auction more wanting to beat the schluck who was bidding me up more than wanting the piece at a fair price. Pride can be a dangerous tool. Dano
 
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