Has this happened to anyone else

[matt]

This has been discussed many times here before. AMI basically uses an artificial "starting bid" and then uses a hidden reserve to autobid against you, so you get these immediate outbids. Many of their items move from auction to auction unsold this way, but plenty of our members have had the experience of a callback after being "outbid" with some explaination of why they really won. I tend to assume that any lot with an even number of bids is still under the reserve.

Just to save myself the flamefest, let me quickly say that I see nothing really wrong with this since their rules allow the consigner bidding, so there is no foul play here. Plenty of member have been very happy with AMI. They just have an unusual approach to an auction in my opinion

Matt Miller

[rufusandherschel]

This has been discussed many times here before. AMI basically uses an artificial "starting bid" and then uses a hidden reserve to autobid against you, so you get these immediate outbids. Many of their items move from auction to auction unsold this way, but plenty of our members have had the experience of a callback after being "outbid" with some explaination of why they really won. I tend to assume that any lot with an even number of bids is still under the reserve.

Just to save myself the flamefest, let me quickly say that I see nothing really wrong with this since their rules allow the consigner bidding, so there is no foul play here. Plenty of member have been very happy with AMI. They just have an unusual approach to an auction in my opinion

Matt Miller

Interesting perspective! I would have never 'thunk' of that.