My auction question

[adamstrange]

Alan, where did you get this info from?

 

R.

 

 

As I put in my post I wrote up some catalog descriptions for them so I've used their systems and for the other info I've simply observed and asked questions. I've not encountered any difficulty eliciting the answers from them, though each person has to make a decision as to whether they like the answers.

[Silver]

If they actually did have some sort of software-driven system in place to automatically "push" bids, I'd have to think that alone would guarantee them being the stupidest criminals in the hobby.

 

Nothing like having hard evidence of fraud right there built in to the system. The FBI would have a field day if they ever seized their system(s).

 

If you're going to run a criminal conspiracy at the single most highly visible auction house in the country then it would make a lot more sense to do it off-line, coordinating things person-to-person, with a very very small group. This would take a level of coordination, intelligence and cloak-and-daggery skills that stagger the imagination

 

it's not illegal, so why care about evidence?

[short_box-migration]

If they actually did have some sort of software-driven system in place to automatically "push" bids...

 

I thought they did. Has something changed since 2002?

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=4&Number=33755&Searchpage=1&Main=1931&Words=+bump&topic=0&Search=true#Post33755

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=4&Number=70281&Searchpage=1&Main=3899&Words=+bump&topic=0&Search=true#Post70281

[Sal]

If they actually did have some sort of software-driven system in place to automatically "push" bids...

 

I thought they did. Has something changed since 2002?

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=4&Number=33755&Searchpage=1&Main=1931&Words=+bump&topic=0&Search=true#Post33755

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=4&Number=70281&Searchpage=1&Main=3899&Words=+bump&topic=0&Search=true#Post70281

 

This is in reference to a reserve price kicking in. What you've selectively quoted may imply the same thing, but I should have indicated that I was always discussing "No Reserve" lots. Important distinction, glad you brought that up

[Doc Joe]

I have had insanely suspicious circumstances where a book I was bidding on went up to just under my bid in the last few moments. Followed almost immediately by a personal congratulatory email from the auction group.

 

Well the congratulatory email is automated just like on eBay so that is kind of irrelevant.

 

As for being bid up to your limit, well for anyone who bids on auctions there are many times when you are not only bid up to your max but also outbid by a few dollars as well whether it be with an auction house or on eBay. It happens in both directions mainly because people think alike and know roughly what an item is worth based on their research give or take a few dollars.

 

Again, I'm not saying shill bidding does not happen. All I am saying is at this point there is not enough evidence to even speculate it as it could go either way.

 

R.

 

 

No this was a personalized email from the owner, trust me. 5 figure book. Its as if they were watching (hmm watching their own autcion, maybe its not so strange). The point is who knows, and when it looks like you are going to get a book for a few thousand less then it gets ruined at the last few minutes, you get annoyed and wonder a bit.