Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Campfire Auctions: Another View...

My ignorance: in my na�vet�, I didn't know that the Campfire auctions include a feature ("proxy bidding?") that somehow hides the amount of a bidder's actual bid.

This is just a random thought, but maybe the best way to deal with the problem of "unscrupulous" people trying to purchase an item for less than they might be willing to pay for it would be to make all auctions "silent" where no bids are revealed until the closing bell at which point the person who was willing to pay the highest price gets it. Like I said, just a thought. John

I have a nice big Sony TV and a Dish TV account. At the moment, neither is on � because there's nothing on now that I want to watch.

Freedom means not being forbidden to watch what I want to watch and not being forced to watch what I don't want to watch. I can turn 'em on, check the menu, then choose what and whether I want to watch.

Wonderful!

Seems to me that the same principle applies equally to Campfire forums, threads, and posts.

And auctions.

Makes sense to me � takes obvious competition and just cause for hard feeling out of it.

But I think that I'd prefer that each bid be posted in full, not masked by the "proxy" feature.

Actually if I had not been so dense when I first signed up in the Auction section, I would have put in a proxy bid on your S&W Revolver. I think as more folks get used to the Auction and Rick tweaks it here and there, many will find it to be as good or better than the FC. The buy it now feature is a simpler option for those who don't like an Auction, and having to enter more personal information (Name, location, etc.) in this section should keep scammers away too, hopefully.

Rick, Is there any way to look at Auctions that have closed, to find out what an item actually sold for?

The proxy feature works sorta like that.

Say I like one of Ken's handguns, and the current bid is $500, and I am ultimately willing to pay up to $1,000 for it.

Well, from a buyer's perspective, I'd prefer not to bid $1,000 if I can bid $525, but I don't want to lose it at $975 either.

So, I use proxy bidding, make my max bid $1000, and, my next bid will automatically came in at the next increment the seller has set up. SO if Ken's bid incrememnts are set at $25, my next bid comes in immediately at $525 PUBLICLY. Nobody knows what my maximum bid is.

Now, if Joe comes in and outbids me at $550, the software will (after the automatic "you have been outbid" email notification) automatically put in my next bid at $575. Joe can counter at $600, or not, but if he does, my next bid will automatically come in at $625. This will continue to happen automatically unless and until my maximum bid of $1000 is exceeded, at which point I'm out of the auction, unless I wish to re-enter it and continue bidding manually (and even maybe set up proxy bidding again with a new maximum of maybe $1500).

It's easier to do than to explain, but the end result is that the buyer can reap the benefits of the least necessary bid now, and also stay in the auction until his max is reached, and the seller gets the benefit of an immediate bid-up to his auction when an outside bid comes in. Plus, if two guys set up proxy bidding, the bidding will immediately run up, and the end result is that the guy who set up the highest secret MAXIMUM will have the highest bid at exactly the next "increment step" above the other bidder max. So, if Joe's max bid was $900, and he bid $600 with a max of $900, the bidding would immediately go to $925, with me having that highest bid.

Easier to "do" than explain, and there are potential benefits to both parties in the arrangement.

But it does allow for you to predetermine your "max" for each item. A good thing. And it does allow for the buyer to place the minumim required bid now, and at every step thereafter, without having to manually monitor the auction (though the emails notification provides THAT option too for those who prefer it).

And it lets the seller get cut through the baloney quickly when two (or more) interested buyers have decided on their maxxes.

Rick,

I recommend you impelment a system where "sniping" is not allowed. I think I saw such a system on Gunbroker. What happens is the auction will not close until 15 - 30 minutes after the last bid is made. That would not have helped our good buddy BW, but it will stop the sniping tacts that no one really likes.

Like Grasshopper I haven't paid any attention to the auctions either, but really have become disillusioned with most forum classified ads also. My biggest reason is that a lot of people post items on several forums at once and some don't really seem to worry about who actually said they would take it first. The last item I said I would take was given to another poster on another forum even though his post was several minutes later than mine which was posted on 24-Hour. The seller said I could have second chance if the deal fell through but I politely declined and suggested he go to the third person if need be. If the 24-Hour auctions would be able to stop multiple forum listings I could become a huge fan of them.

BTW, I have also dealt with Grasshopper a few times and there is not a more stand-up person on 24-Hour. I probably am somewhat to blame for his saleable stash being a bit low at the present also.

Today's flurry of posts, PMs, e-mail, and 'phone calls leaves no doubt in my mind that some feelings got hurt and some folks are sorry that they got involved with some of my auction items. If any apology is necessary, I've missed the need for it � unless I should apologize for offering several of my handguns or for something in the way that I set 'em up for bids (I didn't specify an increment or a reserve). As far as I can see now, that'd be akin to apologizing for the heat in the kitchen if an insurance salesman comes calling on the mid-August afternoon when I'm baking a cake.

For now, I'm really wondering whether I should put-up for auction any of the other goodies* that I'm ready to sell.

*(from Dutch ovens, two-way radios, binoculars, and scopes to about a dozen more guns)

Blaine:


Blaine:

It was and is enabled.

Rick

Never had these problems when Ken's computer was down...........grin

Excellent idea!

I second the motion and suggest that it be automatically enabled for all items offered.

It is and was enabled.

Rick

what is sniping?

Will there be any restrictions on selling human organs, as with Ebay??

*laugh,chuckle,grin*

It's when somebody waits until the very last second to place their bid, ostensibly preventing anyone else from counterbidding.

BUT, this software will email the previous bidder (as well as the seller) that he has been outbid, and will extend the auction deadline by fifteen minutes, and will do so repeatedly until someone stops the bidding.

Rick

I don't have a problem with the way the classifieds function but I do like the format of the classifieds. I scan the list and quite often have misc "stuff" pop out that I would've otherwise missed.

Is there a way to view the auctions chronologically as a whole instead of opening each category?

Under "Browse" add a category for "Newest First" and have the only filter here be the entry date. That way you can see items that were just added whether their guns, ammo or accessories....

That'd be much more appealin' to me.....

The bidding history of this auction...

BIDS HISTORY FOR Ruger MkII Government Model (.22 LR)
Username Bid Amount Date

222Rem (0) USD 230.00 Mar. 31, 2007 02:03:03
BW (0) USD 226.00 Mar. 31, 2007 02:03:03
BW (0) USD 215.00 Mar. 31, 2007 02:02:31
222Rem (0) USD 210.00 Mar. 31, 2007 02:02:31
BW (0) USD 200.00 Mar. 28, 2007 09:06:39

...it closed 15 minutes later, as Rick said.

Seems the folks here have embraced last minute bidding as the proper and gentlemanly way to do business.

It's great to read ol'Ken talking sweet to the winner, who paid him a whole extra $4.00 than I offered. What an honorable thing he hath done Ken. Sorry for my lowly actions of giving your auction an honest chance for several days. I'll not make that mistake on here again.

Too bad the name SnipersHide is taken, I think it would be a good one for the auctions here.

AT AN ACTION...dose the high bid still not get it,I'm missing something