Analysis of current AH's rules regarding shill/internal/sketchy bidding practices

[Leon]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Are you freaking kidding me?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some guy comes on here to throw his crap around, basically saying that they can rip off the collectors you supposedly care about, and me responding to it makes ME the bad guy?????????????????????? What the hell fantasy world do you live in, Leon????????????? Since you personally attacked me, I'll return the favor, you feeble-minded moron. Ball up your fist, grease it up real good, and shove it straight up your f_cking a_s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My point proven. Thanks for blanking out part of the f bomb so I didn't have to.

[Exhibitman]

Please welcome our new mascot:



But I digress.

Corey has it spot on: the AH foregoes the BP it would have made otherwise, so while there is no money exchanged it effectively loses the BP on the sale if an item is picked up for the house. And as anyone who has tried to profit from flipping knows, there are no guarantees. I do my best to find bargain lots I can flip. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. It isn't an exact science. HA also has to pay to store, insure and then for staff time to relist an item. They are slow as molasses to work a consignment through anyway, so those costs are real, even if they are hard to isolate.

As for the optics, I don't see the problem. I find HA to be one of the more consistent auctioneers. HA tells you exactly what to expect right up front in its rules. Whenever I bid on their site I have to tick a box acknowledging the auction terms, which are linked right there, so there is no reason to cry foul when they do what they say they are going to do and give you the chance to read their rules every time you bid. If I don't agree i can skip their auction. If enough people skip their auctions, maybe they change the rules. But the vitriol here, come on guys, we are better than that; it's just a hobby. It isn't supposed to be a cause of stress.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Using these rules, too many nefarious opportunities can exist for the auction house, such as:

Descriptions can be written to limit maximum bids, if the AH really wants to up the item
Descriptions can be written to limit maximum bids, if an employee collector really wants to up the item
Scans can be tweaked, the scanner glass not cleaned and leave a spot, or other games can be played with the item
No "purple sticker" (or type of equivalent) would be given to an item that may deserve one
Once the AH owns the item, improved descriptions can be written, or the item can be saved for, say, a "Platinum" type of auction.

This is why we don't allow employee bids. (Or "Auction house" bids)

[robertsmithnocure]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Corey has it spot on: the AH foregoes the BP it would have made otherwise, so while there is no money exchanged it effectively loses the BP on the sale if an item is picked up for the house. And as anyone who has tried to profit from flipping knows, there are no guarantees. I do my best to find bargain lots I can flip. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. It isn't an exact science. HA also has to pay to store, insure and then for staff time to relist an item. They are slow as molasses to work a consignment through anyway, so those costs are real, even if they are hard to isolate.

As for the optics, I don't see the problem. HA tells you exactly what to expect right up front in its rules. Whenever I bid on their site I have to tick a box acknowledging the auction terms, which are linked right there, so there is no reason to cry foul when they do what they say they are going to do. If I don't agree i can skip their auction. If enough people skip their auctions, maybe they change the rules. No sweat either way; it's just a hobby. It isn't supposed to be a cause of stress.

Perfectly said.

[Exhibitman]

Scott, I can only go from my experience with HA, but they have always allowed me to review the copy on my consignments and they have never rejected an edit I suggested. I write that review provision right into the terms of my consignment. I am sure they would veto it if I wrote something completely out of left field, but I wouldn't expect any AH except eBay to put up with that.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Yet again, if what Heritage does is fine, why doesn't any other auction house bid on its own lots, competing with its customers?

And to the folks who are good with Heritage's bidding practices, what do you think they should do when they learn (as with the Bobby Hull) that they've auctioned an altered card?

The internet lynch mob wants to know.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Yet again, if what Heritage does is fine, why doesn't any other auction house bid on its own lots, competing with its customers?

And to the folks who are good with Heritage's bidding practices, what do you think they should do when they learn (as with the Bobby Hull) that they've auctioned an altered card?

The internet lynch mob wants to know.

To think they would answer is foolhardy. THEY are in on it and don't give a flying F... But you knew that, that's why you asked twice. The silence should tell everybody everything they need to know about them.

The Hull is just one of 100,000's of thousand these scabs are selling. They all cater to the trimming crowds o what would you expect? Them to care They are laughing all the way to the bank like so many others

[Peter_Spaeth]

If they won't answer maybe the people vouching for them will answer? It's a simple enough question, it's now been established they sold a butchered card for 70K or whatever it was. What should they be doing about it? And if they aren't doing anything, is that deserving of criticism?

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Yet again, if what Heritage does is fine, why doesn't any other auction house bid on its own lots, competing with its customers?

And to the folks who are good with Heritage's bidding practices, what do you think they should do when they learn (as with the Bobby Hull) that they've auctioned an altered card?

The internet lynch mob wants to know.

I kinda remember when Huggins auctions was outed as allowing employees to bid on their auction items...they changed their policy.

Personally I think this practice is BS and I will never bid in an auction where this is permitted let alone stated in their "rules."

As one of the "biggest and best" auction houses on the planet...Heritage obviously should do the right thing regarding the Hull card.

Will they? Who knows?

lynch mob member #2