quote:
Originally posted by nate23:
If you can't do something at a real auction, you shouldn't be able to do it at an on-line auction. This would include sniping.
You're comparing apples to oranges here nate. The rules are determined by the parties that offer the auctions in the first place and there is a huge difference in bidding habits between live and cyber sales. Live auction bidders share eye contact and body language in the same room along with an audience watching their every move. This, as opposed to online bidders worldwide, unseen and completely anonymous in every way, the majority pussy-footing around in nickle-and-dime increments. I participate in a handful of livestock auctions a year and see this all the time. Funny thing is cyber-bidders expect that they somehow deserve to get an item at the lowest price. What, because they spent extra time creating a bidding war or piddling around by upping their offer by 50-cents a crack?
quote:
... the very nature of an auction is so that the bidders can play against one another. This allows 2 things to happen:
1. The bidder wins at a price he is comfortable with.
2. The seller is awarded a fair price for his sale.
1. Or the bidder loses because he stops at the price he is comfortable with. There's two sides to that coin.
2. Or the seller gets an even fairer price for his widget because another bidder came in at the last moment, outbidding the bargain hunter who would prefer to pay the seller the least possible amount of money.
quote:
eBay is large enough that it is looked upon as the market-value setter for many, many items. Sniping effectively lowers the average selling prices of goods on eBay, thereby lowering the product's overall value. So by sniping, everyone will lose out at some point.
Ummmm, I disagree, particularly in light of the current US economy anyway. Even if something is perceived to have a higher value, in the end an item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.