Kirby, Claude and others,
Actually, there may be a way to make on-line
auctions behave in a much more "traditional" fashion -- and that is to have
the official end time automatically *extended* by a set amount of time if
there is a last-second bid. We're actually trying to integrate this approach
into MoviePosterBid.com right now, but it is a real programming challenge to
make it work. The idea is that if a last-second bid comes in, say, 2 seconds
before the item is scheduled to close, then the end time is automatically
extended by, say, another 60 seconds. If no other bid comes in, the "fair
warning" has expired and the last bid wins it. If another bid comes in, it is
now the high bid. If another bid comes in that is within a few seconds of the
new ending time, then the ending time is once again extended for another 60
seconds, etc.
This way, you not only simulate the live auction effect of
saying "going once... going twice.. fair warning... sold!", but you also end
up pulling the teeth of the automatic sniping programs. People could
still use sniping programs to manage their bids and place their bids for them
while they are off doing other things, but you would no longer have the
situation where several automatic sniper bids battle it out in the last
micro-second of an auction -- because if that happened, then the auction would
be extended by at least another 60 seconds, giving anyone who is seriously
interesting in continuing to bid on the item a last chance to do
so.
We hope to have this new auction approach in place fairly
soon, but as you can imagine it is a very tricky thing. You have to make sure
everything works just right in all circumstances because you are adjusting the
end time, the most critical moment in an auction, "on the fly" --
and you are asking a computer do it instead of a live, experienced
auctioneer.
But we think we can make it work.
-- JR
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 21:03
Subject: Re: [MOPO] Reply to
Claude
Thanks Kirby
I agree with you that the "beat the clock" method is different
than a live auction but realistically it is the only way to have an internet
auction. You can call it a hybrid from the old standard, and i agree
with you, but I still think it is an auction. After all, no matter how
the game is played only one person ends up with the item. However,
because of sniping it is more of a crapshoot.
The second part about condition--i agree with you.
Claude
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