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Heritage Live Auction
As many of you here already know, I collect french silver jetons.
I recently came across one being sold at live auction by Heritage http://smallurl.com?i=18230 The estimate given for it is as $250 - $300. That would be the case if it was about EF or thereabouts. However, I had a look at the images (surprisingly poor don't you think?) and after tweaking them so I could actually see the item, I noticed that it wasn't just the scan that was really poor, but the overall state of the piece as well. About fine I would say. Anyway, I decided to pitch in below their lower estimate ($80 actually, which given the % takes of the auction, prices it just about `so' for the condition of the piece).No `bargain' but a fair price. A day later later I get a notice from ebay saying a change had been made to the item. I go look at the item and notice that the opening bid was changed to $105.00 (a minimum that was not there when I bid). OK so, someone has felt that they do not want to see it go for anything less. I can respect that bit and have no problem with it...even though it leaves a bit of a taste I can accept that a mistake may have been made. My problem? OK the auction just shows that bidding is at $105 and that there are three bids. That is a falsehood, because the three bids are below $105 !! In fact there *are* no legitimate bids on that piece!! It does however give the impression that people are actively bidding on it at $105 when they are not. That to me is totally unethical. I would have thought that if a significant change was to be made to an auction, all bids should be cancelled first. Adding a `minimum bid' after bids have been placed and accepted does not seem to be playing by the rules. I have written to Heritage asking them to cancel my bids. I would certainly not like anyone to think I was actively bidding on that piece at that price. While it is a nice piece of North American history, I think its condition (cunningly disguised by surprisingly **** scans) doesn't warrant their opening bid, let alone their estimate (my opinion only). It's just not right that the item is showing three bids when none of the three bids come close to the opening requirements. It gives a totally false impression. Ian |
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For a standard eBay auction adding a minimum bid later seems strange,
but adding one to a live auction that hasn't started doesn't seem too bad. I would worry about your reputation from the bid history. With your bid recorded as "US $0.00*" you look like a real cheapskate. :-) More seriously: Don't worry about it too much. I think the number of bidders will more likely scare away potential bidders than encourage bidders. The people who program the eBay web need to display as much information as they can as consistently as possible, and sometimes the strange conditions an auction can get in result in strange displays. Usually it doesn't make any significant difference to the auction. B.J. Ian wrote: As many of you here already know, I collect french silver jetons. I recently came across one being sold at live auction by Heritage http://smallurl.com?i=18230 The estimate given for it is as $250 - $300. That would be the case if it was about EF or thereabouts. However, I had a look at the images (surprisingly poor don't you think?) and after tweaking them so I could actually see the item, I noticed that it wasn't just the scan that was really poor, but the overall state of the piece as well. About fine I would say. Anyway, I decided to pitch in below their lower estimate ($80 actually, which given the % takes of the auction, prices it just about `so' for the condition of the piece).No `bargain' but a fair price. A day later later I get a notice from ebay saying a change had been made to the item. I go look at the item and notice that the opening bid was changed to $105.00 (a minimum that was not there when I bid). OK so, someone has felt that they do not want to see it go for anything less. I can respect that bit and have no problem with it...even though it leaves a bit of a taste I can accept that a mistake may have been made. My problem? OK the auction just shows that bidding is at $105 and that there are three bids. That is a falsehood, because the three bids are below $105 !! In fact there *are* no legitimate bids on that piece!! It does however give the impression that people are actively bidding on it at $105 when they are not. That to me is totally unethical. I would have thought that if a significant change was to be made to an auction, all bids should be cancelled first. Adding a `minimum bid' after bids have been placed and accepted does not seem to be playing by the rules. I have written to Heritage asking them to cancel my bids. I would certainly not like anyone to think I was actively bidding on that piece at that price. While it is a nice piece of North American history, I think its condition (cunningly disguised by surprisingly **** scans) doesn't warrant their opening bid, let alone their estimate (my opinion only). It's just not right that the item is showing three bids when none of the three bids come close to the opening requirements. It gives a totally false impression. Ian -- B.J. Herbison / / http://www.herbison.com/herbison/bj.html The Next Asylum / 203 Long Hill Road / Bolton, MA 01740-1421 / +1 978 634-1061 |
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B.J. Herbison wrote:
For a standard eBay auction adding a minimum bid later seems strange, but adding one to a live auction that hasn't started doesn't seem too bad. It started (de facto) as soon as they started registering buyers and accepting absentee bids (?) My point is they should have cancelled the registered bids before changing the item terms. Any such imposed latent change invalidates the basis upon which any prior bidding has been placed. I would worry about your reputation from the bid history. With your bid recorded as "US $0.00*" you look like a real cheapskate. :-) Thank'ee kindly sir. It took me years to build that cheapskate reputation i'll have you know, and it's good to have some (long overdue) recognition! Appearances aren't always deceptive. ;-) I suspect that they may simply be retaining the old `bids not disclosed until end of auction' principle for live auctions. I don't know. More seriously: Don't worry about it too much. ....but I do. I get concerned that if it ain't right, it ain't right. I think the number of bidders will more likely scare away potential bidders than encourage bidders. You may well be right, however, truth is that an ebay auction that has bids on it attracts more hits than ones that don't. The people who program the eBay web need to display as much information as they can as consistently as possible, and sometimes the strange conditions an auction can get in result in strange displays. Usually it doesn't make any significant difference to the auction. I'm not feeling arguementative today for some reason. (Mental note: Must see the Dr.) This auction grates with me for the reasons i've stated. It's hardly big time fraud but it's damned annoying...... :-) Ian |
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