Robert Edwards Auctions STILL going strong at 8:15 AM Est!!!!

[Yoda]

Do we know if the REA site crashed because of a malware attack or was simply overloaded because of the massive number of bidders during extended bidding?

[Lorewalker]

There is no great solution but the fact is the bidders are going to feel the adverse impact of the outage. Consignors can only do better with guys having a 3rd shot at overtime. REA needs to get this resolved and make sure it never happens again. On the other hand this is such a first world problem. Tells me that life here in the US is pretty good, in spite of it all.

[CJinPA]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Do we know if the REA site crashed because of a malware attack or was simply overloaded because of the massive number of bidders during extended bidding?

Private company - you'll only know if they decide to tell you.... they're under no obligation to disclose that information.

[Bobbycee]

I just received notice that I was outbid on an item. How is this possible if the auction doesn't open back up until 9 EST tonight? WTF?

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Bobbycee

I just received notice that I was outbid on an item. How is this possible if the auction doesn't open back up until 9 EST tonight? WTF?

It's open all day today. My max bid got pushed up this morning too. They used the outage as an excuse to add an entire day to the auction instead of just starting from the point where their site crashed.

Nice, huh?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Bobbycee

I just received notice that I was outbid on an item. How is this possible if the auction doesn't open back up until 9 EST tonight? WTF?

It is open now to all bidders who previously bid. No one can bid on a lot they haven't already bid on but it is open otherwise, per their rules.


Mark, I can guarantee you this was not a planned situation. It is a nightmare for auction houses when these things happen.
.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Leon

It is open now to all bidders who previously bid. No one can bid on a lot they haven't already bid on but it is open otherwise, per their rules.


Mark, I can guarantee you this was not a planned situation. It is a nightmare for auction houses when these things happen.
.

"Nightmare?" They will profit nicely from this nightmare.

Not saying it was planned, but they sure found a way to take advantage of the situation.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Mark17

"Nightmare?" They will profit nicely from this nightmare.

Not saying it was planned, but they sure found a way to take advantage of the situation.

I think people vastly overestimate the "advantage" a situation like this brings to the auction company. For every person who decides to throw a few bids they might not have (which really doesn't make much sense) there are several who might have still been interested in bidding yesterday who are pissed and won't bid today.

But let's spitball and make up a number. Let's say this adds something crazy like $250k in bids that they WOULDN'T have gotten yesterday. That would likely add about $62,500 to REA's bottom line. Does anyone REALLY think this hassle, bad publicity, pissed off buyers AND consignors (consignors like things to go as planned, period) and aggravation is worth $62,500 to REA?

[lug-nut]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I think people vastly overestimate the "advantage" a situation like this brings to the auction company. For every person who decides to throw a few bids they might not have (which really doesn't make much sense) there are several who might have still been interested in bidding yesterday who are pissed and won't bid today.

But let's spitball and make up a number. Let's say this adds something crazy like $250k in bids that they WOULDN'T have gotten yesterday. That would likely add about $62,500 to REA's bottom line. Does anyone REALLY think this hassle, bad publicity, pissed off buyers AND consignors (consignors like things to go as planned, period) and aggravation is worth $62,500 to REA?

Yep! looks like someone pulled the plug

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I think people vastly overestimate the "advantage" a situation like this brings to the auction company. For every person who decides to throw a few bids they might not have (which really doesn't make much sense) there are several who might have still been interested in bidding yesterday who are pissed and won't bid today.

But let's spitball and make up a number. Let's say this adds something crazy like $250k in bids that they WOULDN'T have gotten yesterday. That would likely add about $62,500 to REA's bottom line. Does anyone REALLY think this hassle, bad publicity, pissed off buyers AND consignors (consignors like things to go as planned, period) and aggravation is worth $62,500 to REA?

I am not saying the entire "situation" is an advantage to the AH. What I am saying is, to use your numbers:

1. Server crashed. Accident that is a bummer for everyone.
2. Auction SHOULD resume the next evening from the point where it crashed, in other words, as lots are going into individual 10 minute rule.
3. REA instead opens up the auction all day today and puts that estimated $62,500 in their pocket, and lots of smiles on the faces of their consigners.

So, in your scenario, my issue is with that marginal $62.5k garnered by adding another day to the auction needlessly.

To be clear, I honestly believe REA would've rather had the servers stay up and things work as expected. But when they didn't, there was no valid excuse to pad the bidding time by an extra day.

[Exhibitman]

Perhaps they need to stagger the close to two or three nights when it comes to 3500 items? Or make the 10-minute feeding frenzy into 30 minute one?