Post Absolute Times in Auctions

NoeJeko · 3 Jul 2007

Please use absolute times in auctions. We are having an increase in auction discrepancies because the end time was questionable. A good point of reference would be the Trickster Online clock - US PDT timezone (GMT-7).

Starting tomorrow (24 hours from this post, 18:30 PDT, 4 July) auctions without an absolute end time will be considered to have no end time and thus closed.

Note the difference:

Relative Time: "Auction ends 48 hours after first bid".

Absolute time: "Auction ends at 20:00 GMT, Friday, 6 July 2007"

I'm not saying you have to use GMT or US Pacific time - if you live in Singapore and want to use GMT+8 that's your choice - but please use *a* timezone.

Fuzz · 4 Jul 2007

Does that at all change the length an auction can go on?

NoeJeko · 4 Jul 2007

Negative .

Fuzz · 4 Jul 2007

Ok then. So you better hope your item is popular D:

NoeJeko · 4 Jul 2007

In the last 2 weeks there have been 5 or 6 discrepancies on the end time. Some of them I think are sellers trying to squeeze that little bit more from their buyers and some I think are buyers trying to one-up the other bidder. Nevertheless, this is the best way to deal with it so there is no question of who won.

frozenxcalibur · 4 Jul 2007

Can the exact time be given after a first bid?

For example, i'll start with "ends 2 days after first bid".
There's a bid and then i'll reply by giving the exact time ( of course the exact time will be that 2 days).

Is that acceptable?

NoeJeko · 4 Jul 2007

Originally Posted by frozenxcalibur

Can the exact time be given after a first bid?

For example, i'll start with "ends 2 days after first bid".
There's a bid and then i'll reply by giving the exact time ( of course the exact time will be that 2 days).

Is that acceptable?

If, and only if, the seller is able to accurately track the time that first bid was given and give an absolute time. I saw an auction today where the seller stated his auction would end in 20 hours. Based upon post timestamps, he was incorrect and almost extended his auction an entire day past the correct end time.

This could have been an honest mistake but once people start using this to circumvent our auction rules it becomes a problem.

Fairfrozen · 11 Jul 2007

Hmm tht could be confusing depending on if u got a seller or not

StudyPunkRockism · 11 Jul 2007

Originally Posted by frozenxcalibur

Can the exact time be given after a first bid?

For example, i'll start with "ends 2 days after first bid".
There's a bid and then i'll reply by giving the exact time ( of course the exact time will be that 2 days).

Is that acceptable?

I've been doing that as well. The easiest way to track the time is to post a reply, then scroll down to the Topic Review, and it'll show the exact date and time the first bid (and all subsequent posts) was made. I usually base the end-time on that. For example, Fairfrozen posted at 6:33 AM, so I would use that as the end time on the # day from the date the post was made.

TMM · 11 Jul 2007

Why not just say be careful about your auctions or you will get an infraction?

NoeJeko · 11 Jul 2007

Originally Posted by TMM

Why not just say be careful about your auctions or you will get an infraction?

Because.. is it really breaking the rules if they're cloudy about the end time and then get into an argument about who won? Every time this has happened - they come to me to resolve it. I then have to do the math on timezones, check post timestamps here, and try to decipher the winner.

Besides, some of the staff think I give too many <3

TMM · 11 Jul 2007

Infract away, bro. Maybe you'll get a reputation like snacks. :P

Besides if they say auction ends 20 hours after the first bid, then you see if the last bid was within 20 hours. If it isn't, they get an infraction and we aren't liable for the bidder not receiving the item s/he bid for because s/he did not pay attention to the time. If they complain, market violation. Moral: pay attention.

kyatsu · 12 Jul 2007

whisper me if ur interested in sellin or tradin

NoeJeko · 12 Jul 2007

If that was a joke it wasn't funny.

@TMM: I'll just suggest it, then leave them to resolve the conflict themselves if they don't follow the suggestion. I'm not doing it anymore, heh.

Fuzz · 12 Jul 2007

Can we get a feature like Basilmarket.com or Trickstermart.com?