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You misread me, Pard. That thought has never entered my mind � just that you somehow misplayed your hand, lost, and keep bitching about it although you had the same opportunities that anybody else had.

Exactly. If someone has entered a maximum higher than yours, you'll see it pretty quickly. You can decide then, if you want to bid again or just realize that the other guy wants it worse than you do. If you enter a bid every time you get out bid you need to watch it like a hawk... Steelhead's advice will take ALL of the guesswork out of it.

~DELETED~

Best to all, Pat

Rick,

An apology from you is not required, but I appreciate the sentiment.

When I started the thread, I knew there would be folks who would think "he's a sore loser", and true to form, they showed up.

My point that despite it being acceptable in the rest of the world, the 'win at any cost' theory should not be the standard here, was completely overlooked by many.

Given that mentality, I can understand why you needed to implement an auction site, and that's why you don't need to apologize.

I went a bit too deep for most, and should have known it.

BW,
Since you've seen fit to post the bidding history I'd like to point out that I've never heard of the proxy feature until today, and was bidding last night the old fashioned way at $10 increments. You're high bid proxy setting was $226 so I beat you by four bucks. It appears that the low-tech live attendance approach works......

Dr. Howell is "talking sweet to the winner," because he's a very standup guy, and a gentleman. And for the record, my final bid was an even $300 plus S&H. When the dust settles with shipping, the FFL transfer fee, and the Oregon background check I'll be sitting at an even $350 which is no longer a smokin' deal, BUT I feel better that I didn't take advantage of a man's misfortune-----something that I wasn't aware of at the time of the bidding. $300 was my limit at the auction, and what I'd have entered as the proxy setting if I'd have known such a critter existed. I'd have still beat you by $4 but I guess you'd have taken the news better, and I'd have already been in bed instead of staying up.

Rick - very good move on the sniping extension. Best, John

The psychology of auctions is quite interesting and so are the nuances of different types of auctions. Internet auctions are similar, but different from live auctions. The fifteen minute rule makes them more similar in that the bidding can go on until the second highest bidder quits. Without that rule they are more like sealed bid auctions if the bidders wait until the last seconds before bidding.

As has been mentioned in this thread a couple of times, the most rational way to bid is to put in the highest value you are willing to pay and then ignore the auction until it is over. That is not easy as it is somewhat counter to human nature. Once you place a bid you have an "investment" in the process and unless you win, you have lost that investment. This is one reason that smart sellers often put low starting bids on things. If you can get two or three bidders in a competition, they will often bid much higher than what they would have started at. It is also the reason that the auctioneer at a live auction will not let someone open with a high bid that is near what he expects to sell something for. He needs to get at least two bidders competing.

I like the idea of two possible automatic extensions beyond the nominal, arbitrary closure date and time:

� an hour beyond the most recent bid

� from what would otherwise be a midnight-to-dawn closure forward into the dawn-to-midnight hours � to apply to both the original, nominal, arbitrarily set closure date and time and any bid-induced extension � so that no auction would ever close between midnight and dawn

I can do the hour if the membership wants, but I must say the "15-minute rule" is pretty standard.

As to an auction's closing time, the seller can determine that to the quarter-hour when setting up the auction.

SO if a seller wants the auction to end at 2:15 pm 9 1/2 days from now, he can, and if he wants it to end at 2:45 am 42 days from now, he can.

All the options are there.

The sniping "extension" is an across-the-board admin setting. As I said, 15 minutes is standard and for that reason initially preferable, but I'm all ears.

Going, going, Gone!

� If I read this bid history accurately, you saw (near the deadline) that 222Rem had out-bid your first offer of $200, so you bid up a bit and were the top bidder for a time, until 222Rem outbid you again.

� You were bidding at or near the deadline, while I was asleep in my recliner with the computer off. I had no idea who had the winning bid (or how much it was) until after daylight the next day.

If I read this accurately, you have even less reason to bitch than I thought you had.

Please, does anybody here have a nice Ruger Mark II Government Model .22 that you'll let pore ol' BW have for $226? I would, if I had another one.

Your wrong. I was also asleep at the time, the 'proxy' bid software up my bid until it reached it's limit. From what I understand, the only person awake was 222Rem.

When I last logged off, I was feeling sort of bad that in the 3 or 4 days of auction time, nobody had come along and tried to raise the price so you'd make more money. I'll not make that mistake again.

I'm amazed at your attitude, considering I was the only one working in your favor.

I don't understand why 222Rem is paying so much more than his winning bid. If it's just to be fair to you, then my hat goes off to him.

I never asked anything from you on this thread, I merely expressed my disappointment in the process. To think otherwise, is simple arrogance on your part.

Not the first time when I've been wrong. I apologize for that.

Not yet the first time for me to be arrogant. Sorry that I gave you the impression that I was.

You obviously don't (can't?) understand my attitude for the simple reason that you obviously don't (can't?) know what it is.

Peace be with you, friend. I'm truly sorry that you and I got cross-threaded � especially over something of such minor importance. I've honestly tried to be honorable in all respects. Sorry that I've given such a false impression � but I honestly don't know what I should've done differently.

[quote=BW
I don't understand why 222Rem is paying so much more than his winning bid. If it's just to be fair to you, then my hat goes off to him.
[/quote]

Contrary to my new "sniper" image, my intent was never to cheat Dr. Howell. The starting price seemed low, and I was going to call Ken to and ask him if he had a Buy It price the same day you posted the minimum bid. I knew enough about auctions that once a bid had been placed, the item couldn't be removed (at least I think). So I waited to the end to see what happened. I thought you were awake and bidding too, as the proxy feature was news to me. I was prepared to go to $300 but you quit bidding (at least I thought you did), so I won at $230. To my way of thinking I didn't "snipe" anymore than if I'd entered $300 into the proxy machine and let it out bid you at $10 increments like I was doing manually. Since $300 is what I was willing to spend if I'd had competition, and the pistol is worth at least that, and Ken is only selling his treasures out of necessity, then I no longer felt like a winner just my bid said I was. If Ken had started the bidding at $300 then that would have been my only bid, and I may or may not have had any competition, we'll never know.

Rick, you're doing a very fine job of not only providing exceptional services, but also dealing with a lot of BS. I signed up for the Auctions both to bid on that pistol and to show support for your new site since members seem reluctant to join even though it's free and painless. You'll never make all the people happy all the time, so please don't get discouraged. This is a fine forum, with few if any "nails" IMO.
222rem

Such a dilemma! I am bidding on an item on ebay and the auction ends this morning while I will be fishing 100 miles away from home.

Should I be pizzed if I come home to find I lost the auction?
Should I skip the fishing trip to insure I win the auction?

I think I'll go wet a line and forget all about the internet for a few hours!!!!

Ken, I would do what I wanted to and let the whiners whine, life is too short to worry about such things when you are doing what you need/want to do. You are hurting no one, some may think they should have exclusive right to buy if they want, but they need to learn how to bid on auctions. Rick explained it very well already.

It all boils down to "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the dang porch!"

Ken,

I agree 100%. When I bid on an auction I bit my best shot. If I lose it was because someone was willing to bid higher. No need to complain about it.

Jim

Brother "T" you hit the nail on the head. Let's be adults about this. If you lose in an auction it is only your fault because you didn't bid enough. Your estimate of the items worth was a little off.

Jim

Ken,

Go ahead and put them up. You have done nothing other than to offer items at a reasonable price. It is rediculous that anyone would have hard feelings toward you over this. How childish can it get??????

As for sniping, I always laugh when someone tries to snipe me at the last moment and they don't go high enough. Brings a smile to my heart. By the same token, when I am outbid I go back and analyize my top price. Regardless of the outcome either way I and only I was responsible for my winning or losing.

List away Doc and don't let the childish behaviour concern you.

Jim