[Boatanchors] auction time linked to what timing source?

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Thu, Feb 11, 2010 at 9:11 AM, David Hollander <n7rk at cox.net> wrote:
> Sniping in real time. That was a great analogy Rob.

Actually a better analogy would be to say that the seller offered an
item to someone for a price and someone else came along and offered
more. And even that is still not accurate because a sale is not the
same as an auction. And the seller doesn't have to allow it, unlike an
auction.

There's nothing noble about an auction. The seller chooses that avenue
in hopes of getting max bux, not to cut someone a deal or he'd do that
instead. The person who wins is the one willing to pay more than
anyone else. The auction goes on until it ends, with potential buyers
placing bids along the way.

What you guys seem to be doing is putting yourselves in the same
category as what you claim to detest. If you bid any later than the
opening time and bid more than someone else (which undercuts their
bid), you've just done the same thing, to a lesser extent.

The funny thing is, people who bid on the cheap would do better to bid
later since throwing your bid out early just gives others the
opportunity to chip away at it. Exactly what the seller is hoping for,
as Dave Stinson pointed out. Even if you snipe there is no guarantee
someone else won't outbid you - even a bidder from 2 days earlier. But
you can be sure that there won't be a lot of time to cost you more
money.

Coffee time!

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4