MEARS Auction Still Going!

[ironmanfan]

I woke up this morning (nearly 9am EST) to see how I made out on the few lots I bid on last night and was shocked to see that the auction (with it's 15 minute rule) is still running!

The Ty Cobb bat alone is pushing $100,000!

[bronx_burner]

Seems to me this is because they allow any registered bidder to bid on any lot at any time. I don't know if this is new policy for them or not but I don't recall any of their auctions coming close to being open this long. Most auction houses require that an initial bid is placed on a lot for you to be allowed to continue bidding on it during extended bidding. From what I can tell, anyone can go bid on any lot they choose right now if they wished. To me, its a pretty bad rule for bidders. I'm sure its great for the auction house. But I won't be bidding in any of their auctions in the future if it the policy remains this way.

[ironmanfan]

or at least close individual lots if there is no activity for 15 minutes after an auction ends....

[GameBats]

FYI

Their bid policy seems to be consistant with other auction houses.

We're very sorry, but you are no longer eligible to bid in this auction.
You must have placed a bid by 12/30/2010 9:00:00 PM to be able to continue bidding in this auction.

[bronx_burner]

Then I guess its that you have to have placed any bid in the auction to be able to continue bidding on anything. Because as of now I can bid on any item. I assume that you had no bids placed at all which is why you cannot bid. Thats not consistent with most other auction houses I've dealt with where you have to have placed a bid on a particular item to continue bidding on it.

Just seems to me to be a big turnoff that this auction entered extended bidding 12+ hours ago and is still open. I've pretty much given most of my business recently to the houses that have 15/30 minute rules on each item and I think I'm going to stick with those places in the future. Because for me at least, inconveniencing your customers is not the best course of action.

[sayhey24]

An auction house's fiduciary responsibility is first and foremost to it's consignors, who have to be ecstatic about this MEARS auction. Whereas other auction companies lately have grouped together many common bats in one large lot, MEARS has taken the time to offer each bat individually -- that's exactly what I or any other consignor would want.
Of course you don't want to alienate bidders, but my experience is that if someone wants an item, they are going to bid, regardless of that particular auction house's policies.

I'll also say that this is fun for me as a bidder -- I've never had the opportunity to wake up in the morning and go searching for bargains in an auction that I assumed had closed already!

Greg

[commando]

If this is true, you'd better believe it'll put a bad taste in the mouths of more than one bidder. Sure, most collectors will bid on an item if they REALLY need to have it, regardless of the auction house, but will they waste their time bidding on all the lots they are just mildly interested in (in future auctions?)

I'd like to get some clarification on whether individual lots close if there's no bidding after a period of time. Keeping the whole auction wide open with a bid on ANYTHING would be insane.

[bronx_burner]

I'd like to get some clarification on whether individual lots close if there's no bidding after a period of time. Keeping the whole auction wide open with a bid on ANYTHING would be insane.

While I cannot give you any sort of official response, I can tell you that I have been high bidder on an item since before extended bidding began last night, no bids have been placed on it since and its still open. I can also tell you that if I chose to, I could place a bid on an item right now that I have not bid on previously, that I know has not had a bid in over 12 hours.

[staindsox]

I was able to bid on a few items this morning that I had not bid on before.

[hiramman]

As a bidder, that's the exact problem with this system. Once the system goes into extended bidding, you should only be able to place bids on the items you bid on before the auction ended. If I don't win the lot that I was high bidder on & watched for 14 hours of extended bidding, I'll have second thoughts on investing my time in one of Mears auctions in the future.

[otismalibu]

Is the Maravich After Offer rule in play when the auctions finally end?

[bronx_burner]

As a bidder, that's the exact problem with this system. Once the system goes into extended bidding, you should only be able to place bids on the items you bid on before the auction ended. If I don't win the lot that I was high bidder on & watched for 14 hours of extended bidding, I'll have second thoughts on investing my time in one of Mears auctions in the future.

I agree totally. But its enough for me to decide on not bidding in the future already because having to wait this long is offputting enough whether I win an item or not. There's nothing I have to have that badly. Really don't think I'm going to be bidding with any houses in the future that don't have items end individually, its too much of an inconvenience.

You would think as this has now dragged on 15+ hours that maybe they would have thought by now to just send an email saying a final 15 minute countdown will start at X o'clock, so get your final bids in. But it appears any damage control has been ignored and people are probably going to be bidding while champagne corks have started flying. Pathetic.

[GameBats]

Bronx Burner,

Well said, I couldn't agree more.

- John

[ironmanfan]

Auction Over!!!

[ironmanfan]

not game used; but a pretty cool photo from TSN

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/whhp72/Misc%20Ripken/181R.jpg

[trsent]

MEARS Auctions has listened, starting with yesterday's auction they sent out the following email:

Many customers voiced their opinions about the problems with our previous ending system, so for this auction, we have adopted the following ending procedures to address some very valid concerns.

For the MEARS January 20th - 29th, 2011 auction, we will be keeping 9:00 CST ending time, and the 15-Minute per lot rule will be in place. This means the auction will continue after the 9:00 CST time until there has been no bid placed on any lot for 15 minutes.

The one change will be that bidding will close at 2:00 AM CST, (3:00 AM EST), regardless of the remaining bids. These new policies will be posted on our website, and sent via email to all bidders. Many suggestions were given, and I feel that this change will address the majority of the complaints, while keeping the rest of the bidding as close to our previous (and successful by our standards) model that we have in place.