Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,257 Threads: 219
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Location: North Herts
If several bidders are using sniping tools to put in bids in final seconds, what happens? Do some get blocked out?
There's an interesting auction method in some property sales. The auction has a bidding period of several days or weeks, with an end date and time. If a bid is received in the last two minutes of the bidding period then the end time is extended by a further two minutes. If a bid is made in that extended period another two minutes is added; and so on.
So there can be no advantage in bidding at the last moment to try and snatch the deal, and the seller can be reasonably sure they extracted the best price from the process.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 3,216 Threads: 100
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Location: Darkest Bedfordshire
That sounds a much better scheme Nick and I wish someone would suggest it to eBay.
Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 149 Threads: 10
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Location: Brecon
Car type: 1932 4-seat Tourer, 1925 Pram Hood Chummy
The online bidding system should be able to cope with any number of sniping bidders. I always use sniper and I have never had any problem.
The other auction method that Nick refers to is known as "timed auction". This dreadful method is being used more and more by auctioneers of antiques and bankrupt stock, especially since lockdown. The final bidding period can be fixed by the auctioneer at anything between 2 minutes and 30 minutes (10 mins seems to be the favourite), which means that it can literally take all day to finally bring down the virtual hammer on some lots.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 3,216 Threads: 100
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Location: Darkest Bedfordshire
I suggest the problem there Mick is the length of time they allow, it is otherwise the same as a traditional (dare I say proper) auction.
Joined: Sep 2017 Posts: 10 Threads: 5
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I agree with an earlier message that you should be able to make a useable photo for the archives from the one you have posted on here as it's not for profit/gain as you can always retreat if challenged. With bidding a small opening bid has one use and that is it should remove the "best offer" option from the advert and you can increase bid later. I think I must get "sniped" quite often!
Joined: Nov 2017 Posts: 555 Threads: 54
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Location: West Yorkshire
Car type: Type 65 1934 + RP 1932
I think if I was the purchaser of these items and was approached by the A7CA archivist seeking to borrow the original for the purposes of professional reproduction for inclusion in the archive, I would be hard pressed to call myself an Austineer if I refused. Or perhaps I suffer a naive faith in the generosity of others?
This of course assumes a message could be delivered by the seller to his purchaser and there were no copyright considerations.
Joined: Dec 2019 Posts: 285 Threads: 78
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Oh, and I should have responded to Colin Wilks' post. Often, the items being sold are not being sold by Austineers, but just general traders in 'stuff'. I nearly always approach sellers with the 'I'm the Archivist etc, would you be prepared to accept an offer?' Indeed, had it not been for the fact that the seller of the Streamliner photo couldn't work out how to withdraw the photo from auction, I would have secured it for £30. The bound copy of Advocate and Magazine was secured at a lower price than advertised using that approach..
By nature, I am frugal - though some erroneously describe me as parsimonous!! :o)
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,454 Threads: 21
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Location: The village of Evenley
Car type: 1934 Austin Seven RP Deluxe
I think quite a number of our cherished suppliers would agree that being an old skinflint is a prerequisite to being an Austin Seven owner!
I’ll get me coat...
