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Thwarted
#21
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.
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#22
That sounds a much better scheme Nick and I wish someone would suggest it to eBay.
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#23
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.
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#24
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.
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#25
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!
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#26
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.
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#27
A couple of things to pick up on comments on this thread.

Yes, Lance, you are quite correct and I am embarrased by my blunder. This is a photo of Ral Appleby who also worked as a mechanic in the racing department..

   

A number of people have suggested different strategies for bidding on ebay, but my preferred has always to be there at the death and bid the maximum I am prepared to go to  (whether I am bidding on my own account or on behalf of the Archive) I rarely, if ever go past my maximum. As my bids always happen within the last few (6 or 7) seconds, I have no time to rebid anyway.

In the case of these two items, I bid what I thought was the maximum the Archive funds could justify and simply was outbid by those with deeper pockets. there is nothing I can do about that. Use of a sniping tool would not alter that. On the upside, I do know the Mulliner postcard has gone to a good home, though I have no idea who bought the Streamliner picture.


Just to show that I am not always thwarted, I have bought, this morning, a bound copy of The Austin Magazine & Advocate October 1927 to May 1928. Although they are bound without covers and adverts (always the case with bound periodicals it seems) it contains some 900 pages of articles. For £75 plus postage, I though it a good purchase, even if only to make an assessment as to the contents and if it is worth pursuing further copies in the future...

Hugh
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#28
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)
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#29
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...
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#30
(20-07-2021, 11:40 AM)Mick Hobday Wrote: 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.

How ? If three snipers send last minute bids at the exactly the same time (possible I would think with an automated system) then how does eBay get the winner  ? I would think luck. 

I dislike sniping and when I used to regularly bid on eBay I always put in my maximum bid early on and if I got the item well and good. 

I wasn't worried if I lost to a sniper because I didn't want to bid a dollar more.

I treat the timed auction the same way- put my absolute maximum bid in early and just wait. If I win see abovel.

No regets on missed items - there will be another one along in a while  Big Grin
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