Related Links

Bookmark and Share

Featured Links

Recommended Sites
Auctions Links





Quote of the Day

"Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage."

Ambrose Bierce



Recommended Products





 


 
Featured Auctions Articles

Ebay Auction Tips
Buying things in an auction is the most affordable way to obtain the item a person wishes to have. That is why even the Internet had provided such sites like eBay in order to provide more affordable items than what the typical market has to offer. Best ...

eBay Listing Service : Make Managing Your Auctions Easy
Do you want to have a lot of auctions going but don't have time to keep track of them all? Trust me, you're not alone. With more and more people making significant portions - if not all - of their income from their eBay auction websites the need has ...

Selling on eBay? Here's a Success Tip for Your Online Auctions
Are you planning to sell on eBay? Or have you tried in the past but not had much success with your online auctions? If so, here's a strategy that has worked very well for me. In my experience, the auction lots where I created a useful collection of ...

5 Questions that On-Line Auctions Sellers Wish You Wouldn't Ask
 
On-line buying and bidding can be a lot of fun when all is going well. But if you're getting ready to part with a significant sum of money for an item purchased from a stranger, then you need to ask a few pointed questions.
Here are 5 questions to ask BEFORE you bid on a serious high-ticket auction.
1. Why is your shipping and handling fee (S&H) higher than the actual postage?
This is a loaded question that has sparked many a heated debate. The seller should be able to explain to your satisfaction that his/her S&H fees are reasonable. Most businesses have to purchase shipping supplies and some even have to pay help or other companies to ship for them. Thus a handling fee is not unreasonable. It is the size that will matter. Too much handling compared to the postage and you have a gouger on your hands.
2. How do you respond to bidders who ask "dumb" questions?
Buyers and bidders should feel free to ask questions of any seller. The seller should respond quickly and kindly to all inquiries. A seller's failure to respond should send a signal to the buyer that this could be a difficult or problematic seller who may also not answer you when you have a problem. The tone of a response can give clues to the seller's disposition – will s/he be easy or hard to work with. A sarcastic response or one that implies that the asker is a blind idiot is out of place and a strong indicator of a temperamental seller best avoided.
3. What would you do if I left you negative feedback?
It is to be hoped that this is not necessary – that the buyer and seller can work out any problems together. Buyers, as well as sellers, should make every possible effort to work out the deal so that negative feedback is not deserved by either party. But how will the seller respond in the face of fully deserved negative feedback? Will unjust retaliatory feedback result? Or will the seller admit fault and try to resolve the issue?
4. Is this your business or just a hobby?
How serious is the seller about providing good service and products? If the seller has a solid track record of sales and feedback, it will show. Even part time sellers can bring a sense of professionalism to this business. The ones to avoid are the ones that really don't care because they were just cleaning out the closets anyway and can quit anytime.
5. Do you leave feedback first or will you wait until I do?
Lots of buyers call this "taking feedback hostage" - or "I won't leave feedback until you do". This has come about in part due to nonpaying buyers leaving retaliatory feedback for sellers who complained. Sellers who feel they've been unfairly beaten up before now won't leave feedback until they're sure that the buyer has left good feedback first. This results in an unhappy standoff. It is helpful to know where your seller stands on this issue.
In the end, it is up to you, the Buyer, to be knowledge not only about the goods but about just who it is that you're dealing with. I don't know about you, but I'm not sending my hard earned money off to a stranger without a little up front investigation.
After all – Caveat Emptor
About the Author
madorman is a veteran of on-line auctioning who specializes in books, martial arts gear and business and industrial equipment.





Google
Auctions News


Canada.com

Is the sky falling on auto auctions?
Canada.com, Canada - 1 hour ago
RM Auctions, in conjunction with Sotheby's, held an auction in London recently and prices for really good or desirable classic and exotic cars still seemed ...
ClassicCars.com Is the Classic Car Enthusiasts' One Stop Access to ... MarketWatch
all 8 news articles

Reuters Canada

Bush Takes Steps to Ease Holiday Air Travel Delays
New York Times, United States - 8 hours ago
Transportation officials said the auctions at the three airports could raise about $150 million, which would be used to expand runways and make other ...
Video: Bush Tries to Ease Air Travel Congestion AssociatedPress
Bush: Government should 'make airlines more accountable' ATWOnline
Air Transport Association Applauds Administration's Efforts to ... MarketWatch
Aero-News Network
all 768 news articles

UPDATE 1-Bank of Canada to adjust purchases at auctions
Reuters - Nov 17, 2008
TORONTO, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada said on Monday it is adjusting its purchase of nominal bonds at auctions for balance sheet purposes, ...
Bank of Canada gives details on liquidity measures Reuters
Bank of Canada says no transactions for term PRA Reuters
all 16 news articles

ConocoPhillips auctions off plant
KFSM, AR - 17 hours ago
AP - November 18, 2008 12:25 PM ET PONCA CITY, Okla. (AP) - ConocoPhillips is auctioning off a plant in Ponca City that turns natural gas into diesel fuel. ...

North Augusta Golf and Country Club prepares to be sold at ...
Aiken Standard (subscription), SC - 6 hours ago
The auctions -- one for the golf course and a separate one for The Pinery -- are to be held in January, but the exact arrangements are not yet set, he said. ...

UK auctions: Where the real market is to be found
Financial Times, UK - 7 hours ago
Auctions, with their comparative liquidity and speed of transaction, can act as a bellwether for the wider commercial property investment market. ...

Mass. regulator accuses Oppenheimer & Co. of fraud
The Associated Press - 18 hours ago
The complaint alleges Lowenthal sold nearly $1.8 million in such securities two weeks before auctions began to fail in February. The complaint also alleges ...
Oppenheimer Accused in Auction-Rate Complaint Wall Street Journal
Brokerage is charged with fraud Boston Globe (registration)
Galvin Charges Oppenheimer With Securities Fraud Worcester Business Journal
Boston Herald - InvestmentNews
all 129 news articles