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jayt1234
05-29-2007, 09:38 AM
Just thought I would pass this along to see if any of you have had similar experiences.

I just bought a Dallas Cowboys game used throwback helmet (Sam Hurd) directly from game used exclusives and I also wanted a standard game used helmet so I put a bid in on the one helmet I wanted most (from Heritage Auctions) which was linebacker Akin Ayodele. My budget was around $450 to $475 total. I did read all of the rules of the auction ( I was aware of the buyers premium, it was on-line only, no floor bidding).

Well there was one item I was unawre of for some reason and that was the extended bidding. The bidding was ending Sunday night (12:00 EST), and though I was on vacation I thought I would see if I had won this helmet. I logged on at 10:50 and my high bid of $375 had been matched, though I was still considered the high bidder. I went up to $400 ($425 maximum) and appeared to have won the auction. However even though all other helmets for sale ended at 12:00 mine was went into extended auction which added another 30 minutes of bidding. I figured I would just wait the 30 minutes and see what happens (I was never at any time outbid), well it goes up $420 and extends another 30 minutes. At this point I was sort of pissed because I was sort of maxed out at this point since I could not really go any higher, and just went to bid expecting to have lost the bidding.

When I woke up I was suprised to learn that I won the helmet at $420, but I was not real happy about this extended bidding. I felt as though my high bid was the winning bid at the auctions conclusion since no one ever outbid me at any time. So just the fact that someone placed a bid (could have been as low as $5) it extended the bidding an addition 30 minutes every time, though it never exceeded my maximum bid. The only way I could see this as being fair was if at any time I was actually outbid, then I could see it as being a valid reason to extend the bidding.

I know rules are rules and I guess I learned the hard way but I just wanted to know any of your opinions on this matter.

Thank You,

Jay