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

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

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