Re: [CR]re: sniping

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing:Falck)

Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2006 18:58:49 -0400
From: "Phil Sieg" <triodelover@comcast.net>
To: chasds@mindspring.com
Subject: Re: [CR]re: sniping
References: <22610296.1144276642904.JavaMail.root@mswamui-valley.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
In-Reply-To: <22610296.1144276642904.JavaMail.root@mswamui-valley.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


>IP Merkin went on to say: "I'd rather see eBay run like real auctions, which
>keep going as long as the bidding
>continues. If you want to have scheduled end time, fine, but extend the auctions
>by another hour when a bid comes in during the last scheduled thirty minutes of
>the auction. The sellers would end up with more money, and all the prospective
>bidders would see who they're up against."
>
>*********
>
>as I mentioned earlier, I agree with you there. My own opinion is that Ebay continues
>to refuse to do this because they're afraid they'll scare off new buyers. They
>want to grow, and I suppose they feel the business will grow more on the buyer side than
>the seller side. This is in line with Ebay's long-standing bias toward buyers.
>They couldn't care less about sellers, even though sellers are the ones who provide their
>profits!
>
>
>
>

One major problem that occurs with eBay as opposed to bricks-and-mortar auction houses that makes this difficult is that bidders are scattered over all the time zones. The current set-up coupled with bidding software makes it possible for a more broadly distributed audience to play and maximizes a seller's opportunities.

Changing it along the lines above creates a huge logistical problem for sellers who list multiple items simultaneously. The last thing eBay wants is to make it harder for sellers because that's their revenue stream. And no matter how much one wants something, sitting up half the night waiting for an auction to end only to find a last-minute bid has extended it yet another hour is sure to get one looking for alternative sources.

--
Phil Sieg
Knoxville, Tennessee