REAs " Honest Auto Bid (TM) "

[Stonepony]

In REAs catalog they make the following statement...
"Bidders in many auctions are under the false impression that the privacy of their bids is secure. With the exception of EBay and Robert Edwards Auctions, ALL AUCTION HOUSES CAN SEE EACH AND EVERY MAXIMUM BID THAT BIDDERS PLACE. The auction houses have never claimed otherwise. In the absence of utilizing the Honest Auto Bid style , THERE IS NO WAY FOR THEM TO NOT HAVE ACCESS to the maximum bids when they are placed"

This is a strong statement. I was under the impression auction houses had the ability to adjust the software so max bids could not be seen.
There are many owners of auction houses on this forum. I invite their comments.

[gnaz01]

Originally Posted by Stonepony

In REAs catalog they make the following statement...
"Bidders in many auctions are under the false impression that the privacy of their bids is secure. With the exception of EBay and Robert Edwards Auctions, ALL AUCTION HOUSES CAN SEE EACH AND EVERY MAXIMUM BID THAT BIDDERS PLACE. The auction houses have never claimed otherwise. In the absence of utilizing the Honest Auto Bid style , THERE IS NO WAY FOR THEM TO NOT HAVE ACCESS to the maximum bids when they are placed"

This is a strong statement. I was under the impression auction houses had the ability to adjust the software so max bids could not be seen.
There are many owners of auction houses on this forum. I invite their comments.

I've won several items from REA for several bids under my MAX. I trust them!

[rainier2004]

I believe that to be false.

BST introduced a new secure bidding system as well and they cannot see max bids, not sure about any others though.

True Bid - BST Auctions uses a new software overlay called True Bid, which will ensure that max bids placed will be known to the bidder alone

http://www.bst-auctions.com/default.aspx#

[Stonepony]

Originally Posted by gnaz01

I've won several items from REA for several bids under my MAX. I trust them!

My point Greg, is that REA is stating that all other auction houses can see max bids and " there is NO WAY for them NOT to have access to the maximum bids"

[gnaz01]

Originally Posted by Stonepony

My point Greg, is that REA is stating that all other auction houses can see max bids and " there is NO WAY for them NOT to have access to the maximum bids"

Understood, I was just saying that IF they have access to it, and used it, they didn't.

[asphaltman]

I always assume my max bids can be seen. Only use them at this point when I just can't stay up that late...and I have to come with terms if I'm going to get the item it may well be at my max bid.

Honestly the only auction houses I ever thought it was screwy because it seems like EVERY time I won for my max bids were with Mastro and Legendary. Surprise. With REA i've had my max bids hit, and at other times got lucky...maybe a 50/50 split or so.

Assume everyone can see your bids....

[kengoldin]

It is an antiquated statement that has been in REA rules for years.
Prior to going online with our first auction I instructed Bob Freedman of Simple Auction Site that neither I or the staff should have access to max bids.

This comment is in our rules
"Bid with confidence. Our auction software provider has turned off, at our request, our ability to see your proxy/ceiling bids. "

We use the same software provider as BST and others who instruct simple auction site to turn off ability to see maximum bids can do the same
I believe Leon has his site set up the same way.
Ken Goldin
Goldin Auctions

[atx840]

Bob, do AHs who use your software have access to the database(s) for their auctions?

[slipk1068]

Can someone give me a legitimate reason why it would be useful for an AH to see max bids and why any software developer would offer this feature in auction software?

[rainier2004]

Originally Posted by slipk1068

Can someone give me a legitimate reason why it would be useful for an AH to see max bids and why any software developer would offer this feature in auction software?

There are no legitimate reasons to see a max bid...none. This is part of the reason I feel as strongly as I do about BST. When they advertised initially they touched on this and I felt it was glossed over by the community as a whole, but I feel this is very important and says something about the owners of BST, Becker, Spano and Terjung. Integrity lacks in our hobby and this was a step in the right direction before they even got their business off the ground. According to their site, True-bid was an overlay to the previous software. Id be curious to hear from one of the owners what all this entailed, but I felt it became the gold standard in our hobby. My thought was "why would BST add an addition layer of protection, for us the buyers" and in the end it all comes down to integrity.

The second part of questions, I believe, is that its not up to the developer to make the decisions about the "switches". I heard rumors in the hobby for years about passwords and max bids...obviously. I always thought the developer had their own job and is essentially working for the AH at that point. I'm wondering who first requested to use it, I'd also love to see a list of AHs that can see my password...I know BST cannot.

I'd love to hear more about the "true bid overlay" and think this is the direction that AHs need to go, transparency and integrity will get my business.

Protect your joy-

S Suckow

[sb1]

For the record, B & L uses Simple Auctions as our host and we do not have the ability to see passwords, watchlist's nor max bids. It does make it a bit inconvenient when people can't remember their password, that would be the only inconvenience to the AH.

That being said, I believe prospective bidders should have a basic trust in the people they choose to do business with. I wholeheartedly think there are very few auctions that frequent this site and/or advertise here that would act in an inappropriate manner, even IF they could see the information. Just because you might be able to see or do something, is a large step from acting nefariously with it.

Scott