posted on April 14, 2001 10:56:53 PM
Please tell me your opinions of a twist to the new buy it now feature ebay has, here it goes... when someone bids on an auction that is lower that the buy it now price the buy it now feature disappears, why doesn't ebay leave the buy it now feature during the whole auction until somebody finally reaches the buy it now price and owns the product. It would greatly stop sniping and increast EARLY bidding for fear of losing the auction to someone willing to pay the buy it now price, myself for example could bid enough on something just to get it out of buy it now and then follow it until the auction end and bid on it if it is low enough, what do you think?
posted on April 14, 2001 11:07:48 PM
If you bid enough to beat the buy it now (BIN) price, why would you not use the BIN?
I think the BIN works just as it should. If you want try and get the item for less then the BIN, bid and turn it into an auction. It may go for for more then the BIN, or you may get it for less.
My questions is, if you don't like auctions, why use ebay? Just go buy it on a retail site.
posted on April 15, 2001 02:07:50 AM
For what reason would you want to stop people from sniping an auction.
I love snipes many of my items double in price the last 5 minutes of the auction.
I've had many items sell for twice my BIN price I think the current system works great.
Joe B
posted on April 15, 2001 07:01:03 AM
If someone bids a low amount, it may be because they want the item, but want to save money. They may be willing to pay the BIN price or more, but may want to get it for less. With your suggested change, if they open the bidding for less than the BIN price, and someone else bid the BIN price, the first person would loose it without a chance to bid higher. Not fair to them or the seller.
I like BIN the way it is. If I want the item and am willing to pay the BIN price, I can get it (if I get there first). If I want it for less money, I can bid and if no one is willing to pay more, I get it. If I bid low and someone else bids more, I can reconsider my price and bid again. The only bad thing about it is if I don't see the item before someone else "bought it now".
posted on April 15, 2001 11:04:10 AMWith your suggested change, if they open the bidding for less than the BIN price, and someone else bid the BIN price, the first person would loose it without a chance to bid higher. Not fair to them or the seller.
But, there's a problem with it the way that it is. Suppose I had an auction with a $10 starting price and a $50 BIN. Bidder A bids $20 and removes the BIN, then Bidder B bids $50 and wins it for $21. But suppose Bidder B bid first. His $50 bid would match the BIN, the auction would end at $50 and the seller would make an extra $29.
So, is it fair to the seller that there is a $29 difference in the final price based upon whether Bidder A or Bidder B bid first? I don't think so. If the BIN remained in effect the whole auction, then it wouldn't matter whether Bidder A or B bid first.
posted on April 15, 2001 11:15:38 AMbkmunroe, it was the seller's choice to post it on eBay, an AUCTION site, in the first place. The seller knew the rules going in. If they did not want an auction, then take the item to a retail location.
This argument is not much different then the flawed argument some shillers use in reference to proxy bids. (It is alright to shill because the proxy bid is what the bidder is willing to pay.) B*LLSH*T.
The bidder wants it at the lowest price. The seller wants it to go for the highest price. eBay is an auction, and the item usually goes for somewhere between the two.
Last time I checked, what you are talking about is known as a reserver.
posted on April 15, 2001 12:55:21 PMgjsi: it was the seller's choice to post it on eBay, an AUCTION site, in the first place. The seller knew the rules going in. If they did not want an auction, then take the item to a retail location.
Sure, it's the rule. I'm just saying that it's a silly rule. I don't even use BINs. I just don't think it should matter in which order bids are placed. The seller should get the same price regardless of the order.
Last time I checked, what you are talking about is known as a reserver.
No, I'm not talking about reserves. I'm talking about BINs.
A BIN is not a reserve. If I have a $50 reserve the item won't sell for less than $50. If I have a $50 BIN it is very possible that the item will sell for less than $50. Actually, BINs and Reserves are opposites. A reserve is the minimum price that I'll sell the item for. The BIN is the maximum price.
