Posted By:
JoannHey Jeff - now that I think about it, wasn't the idea for decreasing the time increments as the auction goes later originally yours? If I were better at using the search function I'd try to look it up, but I think it was. I think you had it even going down to 2 minutes if need be. I still think that's the best compromise. Everyone gets a chance at everything they need, and it doesn't go on forever.
Matt - The clock that was in place last night is the same type that has been used in pretty much all major auctions for the past several years. At time X:00 the clock runs for 15 minutes. If any bid is placed in that 15 minutes then at X:15 it resets for another 15. It doesn't reset at X:07 just because a bid was made at X:07 - that would be a mess with 1700 lots. They all have to go on the same 15 minute punch, and they all pretty much always have. It seems like I remember one that had an odd-time reset but I can' remember which. Lipset maybe? Anyways, the 15 minute rule has always worked that way. No conspiracy going on there to do it different.
Here was the only thing different: In the past you never knew when the auction was going to end, as a practical matter because there was no way to know if someone had just bid in the last 15 minutes on some obscure thing. All of a sudden you'd get the closed message, meaning no one bid in the last 15 minute reset. No different this time. All Rob did this time was reserve the right to look at the bidding and say "You know what? There were two bids placed for a total increase of $500 in the last 15 minutes, both on small lots with little bidding activity. The 15 minutes before that there was only one bid. I think it's time to wrap it up rather than allow ticky-tack little bids to keep this thing open until Tuesday."
I think that's not only fair, but wise. Just use some good judgment. But it made absolutely zero difference to anyone's ability to know when it was going to end. Unless in past auctions someone was screaming through all 1700 lots during that 15 minutes and tracking which had had an increase. Nah. That's just a ficticious debating point, not reality.
Now we have to figure out how to get Dave F's idea implemented to let people know which lots are active toward the end. At least it would make it more interesting.
And Mark - thanks! lol
J