Classified Info

[Imemiter]

In a classified ad, doesn't a call to "make me an offer" effectively create an Auction?

Obviously I'd prefer sellers list a price or a price range. If that's not the choice of FOG, that's fine by me. But I was looking at the TOS thread and the ban on auctions made made me curious.

 

[peter halle]

The "auction" aspect wouldn't work due to the fact that the thread is locked from additional posting after the initial post.

Peter

 

[Imemiter]

Exactly. It's a hidden or blind auction.

We never see the price, we never see the bids... Elsewhere I seem to recall sellers being asked to leave the sale price on a post to provide price comps for future buyers and sellers. A blind auction seems like it'd work against that goal too.

 

[rmhinden]

Yea, just like all classified ads. I don't understand the point you are trying make.

Seems to me that if you want to have an real auction where multiple people can make public bids, us Ebay or similar.

Bob

 

[Imemiter]

Yea, just like all classified ads. I don't understand the point you are trying make.

Seems to me that if you want to have an real auction where multiple people can make public bids, us Ebay or similar.

Bob

I'm advocating for a pricing rule in classified ads.

 

[smorgasbord]

A bunch OT, but has anyone besides me wondered why EBay doesn't use a straightforward variation of live auction ending rules? At a live auction, bidding continues until no-one ups the bid after a certain amount of time. EBay could easily do this by extending an auction that gets a bid within two minutes of ending by two minutes. This would avoid the sniping (and especially the automated sniping) that goes on today, forcing sellers into Buy It Now pricing instead.

 

[luvmytoolz]

A bunch OT, but has anyone besides me wondered why EBay doesn't use a straightforward variation of live auction ending rules? At a live auction, bidding continues until no-one ups the bid after a certain amount of time. EBay could easily do this by extending an auction that gets a bid within two minutes of ending by two minutes. This would avoid the sniping (and especially the automated sniping) that goes on today, forcing sellers into Buy It Now pricing instead.

That used to be an option here in OZ many years ago, I suspect it just annoyed the hell out of a lot of people as it felt a bit like extortion. They also had the other really stupid (Dutch Auction?) style which people bid to set the price on a single item, and then anyone could buy any quantity of that item for that amount each. I could never work out why people bid it up for themselves needlessly. Should have just taken the opening bid and sat back. Glad both styles got dropped over time. Horrible ideas.

I don't understand the issue people have with sniping in general, anyone can do it but there can only be one winner. If the seller doesn't like sniping, price the starting bids accordingly and roll the dice to see if it then sells.

 

[smorgasbord]

I think the procedure live auctions uses is designed so that sellers get the best price and buyers have a moment to think about raising their bid even more. It's not extortion, it's what an auction is about. Now it's up to whoever has the best sniping software, and that's not fair to anyone.