Disallow auctions in buy/sell

[Xiao_shin]

Seen a few forums implementing this rule. Will it improve our forum if we implement the same rule?

Although I had buy and sell some stuff here using the "auction system" but obviously, the forum mechanism is not very suited to this method of transactions. There is no transpancy and the bids timing is not properly recorded.

Buyer or seller should have in mind what kind of price they are willing to deal at and stick to it. All sales must state price and not ask people to bid.

Any thoughts?

 

[night86mare]

nothing you can do
even if state price and all that
people will find way to do it auction style

and there is no way to account for absolute transparency
people will still do stupid stuff like bid padding
even on very structured sites like ebay, yahoo auctions, hard to prove either if they are careful

 

[Xiao_shin]

Just outright disallow auction. Interested buyer can definately pm or sms seller to counter-offer.

Maybe will reduce some unneccessary posts/traffic. I am gulity as well.. haa haa but just something to ponder over.

 

[night86mare]

Just outright disallow auction. Interested buyer can definately pm or sms seller to counter-offer.

Maybe will reduce some unneccessary posts/traffic. I am gulity as well.. haa haa but just something to ponder over.

the problem lies not with the unnecessary post/traffic
if you're talking about issues of fairness
you seem confused leh

in fact, might dissuade people from using b/s if you do not allow posts in the thread - that's what i think you are suggesting
sms here and there to tell every interested buyer that they have been outbid is painful

i thought initially you were talking about fairness
i'm pretty sure some sellers here pretend that they have received bids when they have not to push up their price

 

[Xiao_shin]

The proposal is mainly targeted at fairness and unneccessary problem with deals went bad.

The reductions in traffic is a good by-product to say. No confuse lah.

Understand smsing or pm to inform bids is a hassle.. That's way i suggest to disallow auction at all. You need 60 sec between pm.. So, that adds to the hassle.. haa haa

the problem lies not with the unnecessary post/traffic
if you're talking about issues of fairness
you seem confused leh

in fact, might dissuade people from using b/s if you do not allow posts in the thread - that's what i think you are suggesting
sms here and there to tell every interested buyer that they have been outbid is painful

i thought initially you were talking about fairness
i'm pretty sure some sellers here pretend that they have received bids when they have not to push up their price

 

[westwest2]

The proposal is mainly targeted at fairness and unneccessary problem with deals went bad.

The reductions in traffic is a good by-product to say. No confuse lah.

Understand smsing or pm to inform bids is a hassle.. That's way i suggest to disallow auction at all. You need 60 sec between pm.. So, that adds to the hassle.. haa haa

its not going to work...unless people upload cash from bank into a system...then it might work...like betting site...

 

[advrider]

auctions do add an element of thrill to it. i say keep it as it is.

 

[Xiao_shin]

its not going to work...unless people upload cash from bank into a system...then it might work...like betting site...

Are you serious? Must upload cash? Then the "banker" run away, we cry dad, cry mum.

 

[Xiao_shin]

auctions do add an element of thrill to it. i say keep it as it is.

A "real" auction will do that. Forum auction, nah!

 

[tazzi]

I believe bidding actually works in favor of both buyers and sellers. Its works more like a supply and demand thing. If price is fix seller would have to repost and repost again until someone is happy with his price?

 

[paradigm]

Seen a few forums implementing this rule. Will it improve our forum if we implement the same rule?

Although I had buy and sell some stuff here using the "auction system" but obviously, the forum mechanism is not very suited to this method of transactions. There is no transpancy and the bids timing is not properly recorded.

Buyer or seller should have in mind what kind of price they are willing to deal at and stick to it. All sales must state price and not ask people to bid.

Any thoughts?

Seriously, I dun even see B/S as an auction system and I dun even think tt it was meant as one in the first place ... it is jus a forum where sellers and buyers meet to find their needs (eqpm) met.

I hv argued abt it b4 ...

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=294824

 

[Xiao_shin]

I believe bidding actually works in favor of both buyers and sellers. Its works more like a supply and demand thing. If price is fix seller would have to repost and repost again until someone is happy with his price?

You never heard of bid padding? Or is it bid padding?

No need to repost. Just up with a reduced price. Anyway, most people up like nobody business.. Some thread already ups for a few week still ups.. Guess, this shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Xiao_shin]

Seriously, I dun even see B/S as an auction system and I dun even think tt it was meant as one in the first place ... it is jus a forum where sellers and buyers meet to find their needs (eqpm) met.

I hv argued abt it b4 ...

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=294824

Bro, you raised it up in someone b&s thread. Not much people or the admin will see it. This is the honglim park of CS. Must air here leh.

 

[kongping]

With regards to auctions, the mechanism can be banned but it is easily circumvented.

On a separate note on Buy/Sell, I recall someone explaining why negative comments on a seller's price is frowned upon but positive comments such as 'good buy' or 'wah, very cheap' is tolerated.

I suppose there's a good reason, but we seem to openly discuss shops that are expensive, so why go soft on individuals?

 

[shinken]

With regards to auctions, the mechanism can be banned but it is easily circumvented.

On a separate note on Buy/Sell, I recall someone explaining why negative comments on a seller's price is frowned upon but positive comments such as 'good buy' or 'wah, very cheap' is tolerated.

I suppose there's a good reason, but we seem to openly discuss shops that are expensive, so why go soft on individuals?

Said it before, will say it again. Obviously after so long, and people are still bringing this up, something or somewhere can be improved.

Simple. Along with disallowing auctions, disallow replies to all buy and sell posts altogether. Interested parties to just pm/email/sms/call. This means there'll be no more non-related "ups" or "good deal" or "no offense but u can get cheaper at so and so place". Moderators can save a load of time. Sellers can screen off ridiculous and childish cheap shots and don't have to keep 'upping' their threads because others are doing it. Buyers don't have to screen all those 'upped' threads which they've seen already.

 

[paradigm]

Bro, you raised it up in someone b&s thread. Not much people or the admin will see it. This is the honglim park of CS. Must air here leh.

no choice lar ... I air it up there cos I am one of the parties involved too mah ... for ease of continuing the thread, I jus copy the link ...

but u get my point lar ...

 

[grantyale]

Actually what's missing from BnS is a proper search engine. The search syntax is nowhere to be found (say, +Canon +430EX to search for posts containing both terms) and even with that a lot of unrelated stuffs come out.

 

[squall]

1.UPzing is no different from a "cut and paste" repost so banning it is illogical as one can just repost quickly if an individual is intrested in keeping his item in view. I actually find it ok as it is like window shopping, sometimes you need to see the item a while before you buy it...

2.You cant stop a b/s auction and this marketplace is not about "fairness". The seller here has the right to sell to anyone, at any price that is agreed upon. That is the power of this community, not some auction site that we have to stay up till midnight so that we can put in the last second clinching bid....

my 2 cents.

 

[Xiao_shin]

1.UPzing is no different from a "cut and paste" repost so banning it is illogical as one can just repost quickly if an individual is intrested in keeping his item in view. I actually find it ok as it is like window shopping, sometimes you need to see the item a while before you buy it...

2.You cant stop a b/s auction and this marketplace is not about "fairness". The seller here has the right to sell to anyone, at any price that is agreed upon. That is the power of this community, not some auction site that we have to stay up till midnight so that we can put in the last second clinching bid....

my 2 cents.

You can't stop anyone if you put it that way..

The idea to disallow is that if there is any sales that is asking for bids, moderator has the choice to close it. They should treat it like someone post a non-photography item for sale.

After some time, forum members will also play "police" like the way we see someone selling used underwear here.. hee hee

For auction based sales, the key element is not for the seller to sell to anyone that they like but to the highest bidder. That is auction.

For having to stay up late to bid, unless you are those sniper type of bidder, you can enable proxy bidding. You should know how it works, right? This really has nothing to do with what I am suggesting cos this forum doesn't work well with auctions.

 

[paradigm]

You can't stop anyone if you put it that way..

The idea to disallow is that if there is any sales that is asking for bids, moderator has the choice to close it. They should treat it like someone post a non-photography item for sale.

After some time, forum members will also play "police" like the way we see someone selling used underwear here.. hee hee

For auction based sales, the key element is not for the seller to sell to anyone that they like but to the highest bidder. That is auction.

For having to stay up late to bid, unless you are those sniper type of bidder, you can enable proxy bidding. You should know how it works, right? This really has nothing to do with what I am suggesting cos this forum doesn't work well with auctions.

Why is there a problem when the seller sells the item to someone who is not the highest bidder? It is a case of willing buyer, willing seller. Are we so jealous of the good fortune of the buyer that they should not be allowed to get at a good price?

Like I said, Marketplace was not meant to be an auction and should not function like one. Otherwise, might as well post ur thread in Yahoo Auctions and free this forum's bandwidth.

By and large, this manner of B&S allows flexibility for buyers and sellers to negoiate prices, trades and promote a friendlier community ...

Having said that, Auction does not gives inherent fairness to the system but an impression of fairness. What do I mean?

Assuming that I have a brand new EOS 40D (brand new selling price $2099) for sale n posted a thread for $1400 as start bid. 100's of ppl start bidding. Then my childhood kaki realised that I am selling and ask to buy it at $1400 to go for his overseas trip the next day. Cos he is my childhood kaki, I dun mind making a loss. I will tell him, "OK, I sell it to you now at $1400. You put a bid for $2,500 in my auction".

Here you are, back to Sq 1 ... An auction does not ensure that no other private arrangements can be made. Even if you wake up in the middle of the night to put in ur "best price", you still get beaten by a private arrangement ...

there are no fool-proof systems, only leaky systems that people have not exploited yet ...
Desmond, 2007