P3D Re: CONTURA

[Bob Wier <wier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A
>I've noted that on both this list and another list, people get really
>upset with reserve auctions on ebay.  This I really don't understand
>(especially because most aren't reserve ones, and most of those that
>do, have a low reserve).
>
>I know it "wastes" time to bid on something who's reserve price is
>one that would have been passed by had the reserve price been the
>minimum bid instead, but at least when *I* make ebay bids, it takes
>me only 15 seconds.  I can't see getting bent
>out of shape for my having 'wasted' that amount of time (but then
>I'm not spending ten hours a night of my free time generating a
>CDROM either :-).
>

I'm kind of take it or leave it on the issue - I don't like to spend
a lot of time researching what a 'reasonable' bid would be on a particular
item, deciding if I really want to buy it, and how high I might go, all to 
find out that there wasn't any point since the reserve (might be) outrageous.
Still, it's not like sitting 10 hours thru a "real" auction only to find out
that the reserve on the item you want is so high it's totally unreasonable
(as far as what you are willing to pay, at least).

There *is* a counter weapon, though, which is the "auto bidder" - you enter
the maximum price you are willing to pay. As bids progress, your bid is
bumped up one increment at a time to stay ahead of the other bids until
your maximum is reached. Now, the important thing is that the *seller* doesn't
know what your maximum is - so that if there is too high a price then he
doesn't
get to sell (does anybody know if ebay charges a commission if something
doesnt sell due to too high a reserve?). Using this method, the buyer is
guaranteed that the bid will only be just enough to win, and isn't grossly
over stated. I use it quite a bit.

I once saw a Kruse car auction (spelled right?) form Las Vegas on Satellite
TV - they had really high dollar items (like the Batmobile from the 1966
movie). Virtually none of the vehicles sold as the reserves were never met.
I can't imagine Kruse does that for free - I'm assuming that the seller
gets nicked for a fee even in that case (anyone know?).

THANKS

--Bob Wier



--- Bob Wier

  --- wier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---
     Rocky Mountain College
         Billings, MT
( currently in Ouray, Colorado)


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