Post a Bid Auctions: Is this corruption

[Freeborn]

Ok, John if this is inappropriate please pull it.

I am fairly new to online auctions but wanted to get you impressions if this is possible or not. I am bidding on a box blade that has the following bid history.
Bid #------------------Amount --- Current-------Winning
1 ----------------------- 1----------------1--------------8096
2 ----------------------- 2----------------2--------------10896
3 ----------------------- 3----------------3--------------9225
4 ----------------------- 4----------------4--------------2695
5 ----------------------- 5----------------5--------------9838
6 ----------------------- 6----------------6--------------7958
7 ----------------------- 7---------------30-------------7958
8 ---------------------- 50---------------50-------------1144
9 ---------------------- 55---------------55-------------1042
10 -------------------- 60---------------80-------------11812
11 -------------------- 85---------------91-------------11812
12 -------------------- 96-------------111.5-------------11812
13 ---------------- 121.5------------311.01-------------11314
14 --------------- 321.01------------321.01-------------11812

Sorry for the table, I can’t post it so you can read it easily. I started bidding at # 10 and put a max of $310.

If you look at bid # 12 you will see I had the high Current bid of $111.5. At that time I had entered a max bid of $310.0. Someone then bid exactly $311.01 to outbid me. This bid is exactly $199.51 above my bid and seems very odd that someone would bid this amount when the winning bid was $111.50. Considering this was one bid does this seem possible?

After being outbid I figured I would add a few bucks and now I am again the high bidder at $321.01. Just seems impossible that someone looking at a high bid of $111.50 would add another $199.51 to get to $311.01 and outbid me. Seems as though they would have bid something other than the exact amount to beat my max amount.

Maybe I made a mistake bidding again but I would not of known they bid exactly enough to beat me unless I entered another bid. I am OK with the cost but don’t want to do business with corrupt businesses.

Like I said I have little experience with these auctions, does this seem fishy? I would have expected to see incremental bids up to where the bidder outbid me.

If nothing else I would say be careful with this company.

 

[MoLandOwner]

The auctioneer controls everything and will run you up just as much online as in a live auction.

Bid accordingly, and bid to your max and walk away!

 

[kabic]

So was their max bid 321.00...the automatically bidding system bids just enough to beat you. Your second bid was than greater than their max mid so you won.

You didn't state what your max bid was the second time...

 

[Freeborn]

So was their max bid 321.00...the automatically bidding system bids just enough to beat you. Your second bid was than greater than their max mid so you won.

You didn't state what your max bid was the second time...

The winning bid was $111.5 with me having a max bid (Unknown to anyone) of $310. All bids up to the $111.5 were in about $10-$20 increments. Then the next bid was exactly one dollar and 1 cent above my max bid. Typically you would see a bunch of bids to get above my max.

Next time I will not put in a max bid as I think the auctioneers run it straight up if there is a bid or not.

 

[MoLandOwner]

There may be a hidden reserve Jerry. That could account for the bid just over the max.

 

[Freeborn]

There may be a hidden reserve Jerry. That could account for the bid just over the max.

I did not see a reserve and I did not see anything where I was told I was under the reserve.

Something tells me I should avoid the max bid and bid as I need. Good lesson I think and I'm glad I wasn't bidding on an expensive item like a tractor.

If I win or not I am OK with the cost at this point but it seems the chance at a great deal went away using a max bid.

 

[kabic]

There are lot of people that do that..they wait until the last minute\second to place their bid...bid sniping I think is the term.

 

[Bucks&Ducks]

All that happened was the other guy max bid (probably $320) more than your max bid so the software put him at an increment just over your bid. If you wouldn't have used max bid the software would have had the other guy outbidding you by $1 or so after every bid you made.

I don't see anything shady. If the company was shady it wouldve maxxed out your bid and had you still winning so you pay your max bid.

 

[Freeborn]

All that happened was the other guy max bid (probably $320) more than your max bid so the software put him at an increment just over your bid. If you wouldn't have used max bid the software would have had the other guy outbidding you by $1 or so after every bid you made.

I don't see anything shady. If the company was shady it wouldve maxxed out your bid and had you still winning so you pay your max bid.

I have to think about that? Every bid at this point is in $10 increments. If I want to bid now I need to bid $10 minimum above the last highest bid. Maybe to outbid a max bid you don't have to outbid it by $10. So If I had a 310 dollar bid and the next person bids 320 it defaults to 311? Possible.

Maybe I'm just a tuff sell or probably inexperienced at auctions. :)

 

[Bucks&Ducks]

I have to think about that? Every bid at this point is in $10 increments. If I want to bid now I need to bid $10 minimum above the last highest bid. Maybe to outbid a max bid you don't have to outbid it by $10. So If I had a 310 dollar bid and the next person bids 320 it defaults to 311? Possible.

Maybe I'm just a tuff sell or probably inexperienced at auctions. :)

A few other bids were less than $10 early on. I am guessing initial bids have to be $10 more than previous and max bids go $1 over the previous max bid. If the auction was corrupt it would probably be trying to take your money not have you lose the auction.

 

[MoLandOwner]

I did not see a reserve and I did not see anything where I was told I was under the reserve.

Something tells me I should avoid the max bid and bid as I need. Good lesson I think and I'm glad I wasn't bidding on an expensive item like a tractor.

If I win or not I am OK with the cost at this point but it seems the chance at a great deal went away using a max bid.

The auctioneer may have his own hidden reserve, that do not disclose that, and why would they. Other things they will disclose that there is a reserve.

 

[wiscwhip]

I have bid in these types of auctions a few times and everything seems on the up and up to me. Nothing "fishy" that I can see, it is just the way it is done. Likely, your bid will get sniped with about 15 seconds to go if someone wants it bad enough and they will outbid you by the bare minimum amount that it takes to win, they have even created software to help with this. :mad: Dirty pool IMO, which is why I buy less and less stuff at auctions now. The advent of online bidding has ruined auctions for the buyer for the most part. What really sucks is that you can be outbid by an internet or phone in buyer and you won't even know who it is bidding against you. Hell, it could be a minion of the auctioneer or the owner of the item just trying to bid it up for all anyone would know. There have been cases of auctioneers having their lackeys bid on and buy an item that they know they can sell at another consignment auction for more money in a bigger market if they know they can get it at a good price point, meaning any kind of "good deal" that could have been had is gone out the window. Sucks. I very seldom even worry about auctions anymore, and especially if I know the auction allows online bidding.

 

[Bill]

If this is on eBay. The only way to bid is with an auction sniper.

Put in your highest bid and tell it when to bid. I use 5 seconds before the end of the auction. Then walk away. It will email you if you win.

If I really want it I don't bid, I snipe!

 

[Jim Timber]

The bid increment is based on everyone having a higher bid than the minimum increment ($1 up to like 20 bucks, $5 over such an amount, then 10, 20, etc). When someone bids an odd dollar amount, their bid might be higher than yours but not consistent with the standard increments. If they bid $.01 more than your max, they'll win the auction. That's how it works on all the online sites, and in live auctions (but an auctioneer isn't likely to dink around with those increments even if you're there yelling them out).

What's been said about the auto-bid is correct. The computer will run you up in the standard increments regardless of whether your competing bidder got you by $2 or a dime - you're going up to the next interval if it doesn't exceed your max.

 

[Jim Timber]

Anyone end up with that box blade? They're on sale right now at Fleet Farm for $610.

 

[Freeborn]

I did not. Auctions are not for me, in this case not worth the hassle. I'm going to work on buying a new one and see if talking to the manager works.

In Alec they have a 10% sign on their display so I'm thinking a better price than the online price you noted.

 

[tooln]

When I bought mine I signed up for a fleet card. Got 10% off. The wife got a card when I bought the tiller and cutter and we got 10% off also.

 

[Freeborn]

When I bought mine I signed up for a fleet card. Got 10% off. The wife got a card when I bought the tiller and cutter and we got 10% off also.

Great Idea. I always enjoy going to Fleet Farm, lots of stuff their I would like to own.

 

[foggy]

^ Fleet Farm.....a.k.a.: The Man's Mall :)

I've had better luck buying good used stuff on Craig's List.....than at on-line auctions. You could always post a "wanted to buy"....that has worked for me.

 

[Jim Timber]

$610 is the in-store marked price in Brooklyn Park as of yesterday. I haven't been to FF's website in ages.