Hi,
Very new to the service and VERY,VERY,VERY pi***ed off!!! What a disappointment to learn that at every turn it is "buyer beware". At every turn there is yet another unethical,dishonest, con-artist/s pulling themselves up the ladder of unashamed capitalist greed via other people's boot straps.
No real surprise that my latest encounter with this phenomenon eminates from the "land of the brave and the home of the "free-for-all" (this may be a uniquely Australian expression which requires translation; it means a lawless melee).
After all, they have a government who stole the election through disenfranchising an entire sector of the Florida community - mostly blacks, instigated a globally devasting war in Iraq, in the name of that great US ideal "democracy" (a cover for the real agenda -control of the the world's dwindling oil resreves), on the basis of a fabric of lies rergarding "weapons of mass destruction", ignoring the fact that the majority of Americans opposed the war and, who are now busy interfering in the domestic politics and democratic process of Australia's forthcoming Federal election.
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, George W doesn't like the fact that our Labor opposition party who looks set to win our forthcoming Federal election plans to withdraw our troops from Iraq before Xmas. Consequently, senior Whitehouse officials are busy commentating on Australia's foreign policy in an attempt to influence the result of our election. An unhitherto seen phenomenon in this country.
The US's disregard for and interference in other countries democratic processes is a matter of historical record. Such obvious contempt for our autonomy and democracy is a new phenomenon in Australia. And one which is guaranteed to backfire.
And what the hell does all of this have to do with AS I hear you ask? Well, plenty.
Then there is little old me, just an ordinary, small time, ebay punter who stumbles across a service which looks like a good idea. I avail myself of the "free snipes" lure and have a wonderful time of it watching my snipes be placed exactly on time as I had dictated (ie: 5 seconds lead) and winning. Bloody brilliant! I'll join.
The minute I put my credit card details on the line I find that AS is costing me money. Well, I expected it too. They told me in their literature what it was going to cost me. Quite reasonable I thought. What I didn't expect was quite how much it was going to cost me as their early bidding pushed up the price of my purchases, consistently. They (clearly deliberately) didn't tell that the minute my credit card was in their system they would consistently (5 times so far) place my bid 26 - 29 seconds before the auction ended. Thus ensuring a bidding war which inflated my winning price (oh yes, I won) and consequently, greater profits to them.
In my naivete, after the first instance of this, I duly sent off my questions to customer support as to why this happened and promptly got the (clearly standard) response regarding monitoring of ebay processing times/delays etc, etc.Interestingly, when I replied to their response, asking some more detailed and more comlpex questions about the transaction I got no response. I'm still waiting. I don't think I'll bother asking so called "customer support" to explain their late bids on all my other auctions. It's very clear to me what's going on.
Fascinating, how a supposedly sophisticated system such as AS, specifically designed to place auction snipes at the last second, has to consistently place my bids 26 to 29 seconds in advance when my requested lead time is 5. My competitors are able to place theirs 6 seconds before auction end with no trouble at all. Clearly no great system slow dowm for them. Guess the AS system ain't that sophisticated after all!
Actually, this isn't entirely accurate. It is sophisticated. It's yet another sophisticated con for ripping people off. I can't help but wonder if AS has business links with ebay? How sweet it is! Listen to the cash registers tinkle. AS wins, ebay wins, seller wins. Everyone except the poor old punter is happy.
If I wanted to place a bid 38 minutes, 29 seconds or 26 second prior to an auction end thus ensuring a bidding war, I can do this myself without paying anyone else for the privilege.
The only value of the AS service to me and what I thought I was buying, is exactly what they advertise, that is an automated service that will place a bid when I am not able to be at my computer at a time I have dictated. There was nothing said about manipulating the timing of the bid I requested anywhere in their speil.
I absolutely agree with "pallbearers" posting of July 07 2004 10.31am. I think you are remarkably smart, articulate and very measured in your response to what is going on with this so called service/product we are paying for.
Sadly however, I think all your well meaning energies are wasted here. It is no co-incidence that these issues are not responded to with a sincere customer service approach to resolution (by Sarah or anybody else). Evasion and obfuscation is the key to this business continuing to make lots of money. It is designed to rip off the naive and unwary. And it doesn't even matter if those of us who have figured it out no longer give this mob our business. There are billions of us suckers out here in cyberspace ready to be exploited.
See, we come from a different experience and tradition of business practice and ethics. The one I'm used to operates on the basis that a business should supply the product it advertises and, if there is a fault or problem with that product, every effort will be made to rectify the problem, thus ensuring ongoing customer loayalty.
Out here in cyberspace, customer loyalty doesn't matter. There are billions of us to exploit and a quick few millions to be made in the so doing. With the marketing techniques this mob employ there will always be fresh meat. Mind you, it's a very short sighted business practice if you want to build a real business which has longevity.
Out here in cyberspace, surfing with the new generation of virtual entrepreneurs is clearly as dangerous as surfing was in the shark infested waters of the Gold Coast beaches I grew up on.
Don't waste your time trying to resolve issues which will never be resolved no matter how much you ask, cajole, entreat, beg.
The unsatisfactory matters regarding their service/product which you are asking to be addressed and resolved are the very key to the profit generating core of their business.
You are asking them to come clean on the con which they use (devolped in some think tank exercise or over a few lines of coke) to reel in custom so they can rip them off. Ain't gonna happen. Don't waste your money making a millionare of yet another souless, morally bankrupt Silicon Valley cybergeek. Don't pay him to do what you could do much better yourself for free.
Suggestion - pay a competent, unemployed friend to monitor the auctions you can't. You'll create employment "in your neck of the woods", help out a mate and save a heap of money compared to what this lot cost us in creating bidding wars to improve their profit margin.
And the connection to George W? Well, he's the US's elder statesman who actions stands as the example to all citizens of that great capitalist "democracy" and reflects their priorities to the rest of the world. And following his lead (and that of his forefathers)there is no lie, deception, or manipulation which will not be employed in the service of the one and only true god held dear by the world's leading capitalist "democracy" - money and power.
You live and continue to learn.
Wishing you ordinary punters all the best for your survival in the shark infested waters of the most base human of conduct.
Cheers
(I warned you at the beginning I was pi***ed off)