Suggestion: eBay sticky to avoid cross-bidding.

[twelvebears]

Gents. This is just a suggestion, and obviously relys on a degree of honesty and trust, but I just wondered if it would be worth having a Sticky Thread created for letting each other know about items we are intending to bid for on eBay.

It just strikes me that there are probably occasions when fellow AOSers are unknowingly bidding against one another for the same item.

I know all's fair in love and HiFi and all that, but often the lure is going for that odd bargain that you hope other people haven't spotted, don't want, or don't appreciate in the way you do.

Personally, if I was thinking of bidding on something on a bit of a whim, but there was another AOSer who REALLY wanted the same item, I'd have no desire to potentially push the price up for no good reason.

At the same time, I could well do without the emotional roller-coaster of going for and failing to win an item because someone has much deeper pockets or a more burning desire to own something. Let's face it, if I'm prepared to go to £300 but you're willing to go to £500, I'd sooner know that than be gutted in the last seconds....

Just an idea.

[Marco]

Good idea, Steve! Consider it done, and now stuck in the appropriate area. I would encourage all members who regularly trade on Ebay to use this facility

Marco.

[Themis]

Is it possible to put it in an invisible (for unregistered users) part of the forum ?

[Alex_UK]

I think I share (what I think are) Dimitri's concerns - most people do a bit of google research on a prospective ebay purchase, and it would be all too easy for a non-member to find out a member's maximum bid on a particular auction... even if other AoS members were holding back, it would make no difference.

[Themis]

Exactly, Google refreshes its pages very often.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Is it possible to put it in an invisible (for unregistered users) part of the forum ?

That could be done - it's how the library works. This thread would also have to be destroyed - and also anyone who's read it.

Keel them!

[Themis]

[twelvebears]

I think I share (what I think are) Dimitri's concerns - most people do a bit of google research on a prospective ebay purchase, and it would be all too easy for a non-member to find out a member's maximum bid on a particular auction... even if other AoS members were holding back, it would make no difference.

There is an obvious solution to publically stating the amount.

If we simply state our intention to bid and the item link, anyone else thinking of doing so can just PM the poster to discuss.

As you have to be a registered AOSer to use PMs, stops all and sundry knowing what priices are involved.

[Alex_UK]

Indeed Steve, that would be fine for 2 people but might start getting messy if 4 or 5 people were interested in the same thing? But probably the best solution, because the problem with a "private area" for members only is that it is all too easy for someone to join, do a few posts, then have access to it...

[The Grand Wazoo]

That's all fine, but public posting may draw attention to the item for sale in the first place.