MEARS Auction Problem?

[BU54CB]

If you are trying to bid, and can't, you make a simple phone call. If you weren't really interested in bidding, then you give up. Extending the opening round of bidding until 11:00PM Eastern, seemed very fair to me, to both sides. You call what they did "insufficient" - you can't create a vendor back-up plan during the problem, and who knows what the vendor had promised them in advance, in terms of back-up plans? I think what they did at the time was entirely sufficient. If they don't get a back-up plan guaranteed for future auctions, then I agree that their planning is insufficient



Agreed - 'computer vendor 101'.

I wasn't bidding, so I could really care less. It's just my opinion, but this is the way Mears makes a good deal of its living and isn't a mom and pop shop. They shouldn't need for something to happen to have a back up plan, having a plan is part of doing business.

If I had items in the auction and I knew internet bidders couldn't bid, I wouldn't be happy. Someone who did have items posted in this thread and wasn't thrilled. Sure, phone bidding is available, but if the site isn't working properly, would you have all the information to call in a bid?

[BVC]

I wasn't bidding, so I could really care less. It's just my opinion, but this is the way Mears makes a good deal of its living and isn't a mom and pop shop. They shouldn't need for something to happen to have a back up plan, having a plan is part of doing business.

If I had items in the auction and I knew internet bidders couldn't bid, I wouldn't be happy. Someone who did have items posted in this thread and wasn't thrilled. Sure, phone bidding is available, but if the site isn't working properly, would you have all the information to call in a bid?

I worked for software vendors for years. Our customers depended on us to have back-up plans for software fails. If we didn't, and got caught in a situation similar to what hit Mears the other day, we were out the door.

Phone bidding IS the back-up in a situations where the vendor's software (or server) fails and the vendor can't get it up and running immediately. The only other option is to have your entire auction on another vendor's software as back-up, and that is not practical.

[BVC]

Sure, phone bidding is available, but if the site isn't working properly, would you have all the information to call in a bid?

That was the problem I had when I initially called in. I was asked what lots I wanted to bid on, and I said that I had been outbid on a particular one and now wanted to do initial bids on others, but I had to be able to see the lots in order to decide which ones.

That's a good example of a situation Mears needs to address as part of their plan for dealing with a vendor failure. I would suggest a catalog pdf file that could be reached without going into the auction itself (available from the home page).

[BU54CB]

That was the problem I had when I initially called in. I was asked what lots I wanted to bid on, and I said that I had been outbid on a particular one and now wanted to do initial bids on others, but I had to be able to see the lots in order to decide which ones.

That's a good example of a situation Mears needs to address as part of their plan for dealing with a vendor failure. I would suggest a catalog pdf file that could be reached without going into the auction itself (available from the home page).

I agree, I think Grey Flannel has a pdf of their auctions available on the site, at least last time I looked.

[esigs]

Did anyone have any issues with Mears this past Saturday? They changed the auction close by lot from 15 to 30 minute, but I had items I bid on cycle thru multiple 30-minute cycles and not end. After 3 cycles, I was outbid on one of them. I emailed Troy and he replied it was caused by their web host Simple Auction related to the change. I searched the forum and found this thread where a similar problem happened due to a server issue, hosted by the same company. Back in 2013, I had a similar problem of a lot I bid on not closing for multiple cycles without any additional bid being placed. It seems too critical to their business to have as a recurring problem.

[truvalue123]

James, Troy responded to me as well..put the blame on Simple auction, but, said bids will stand..cost me one item-but, I left before time was done, so, I likely didn't bid as I didn't know when it was going to end.....I prefer the 15 minute rule, but, could live with 30..but, not what happened Satursday

[esigs]

Greg, I forgot the mention that of the 3 lots I placed bids on, one I was outbid within the first 30-minute and I didn't re-bid, while the other two went thru two 30-minute cycles and one of them closed but the other cycled thru again until someone outbid me on the 4th cycle. The only difference between the two lots was that the one that closed was of much lower value, from a player who's not well known and had little if any use. It's odd that the system would malfunction on both lots but differently, as one closed after 2 30-minute cycles (instead of 1) while the other stayed open longer.

[Chris78]

I believe if anyone placed a bid on any auction lot within the 30 minute period, ALL auctions would be reset for another 30 minutes. That was the way I interpreted it. I did not like the new system. I went to bed and did win the one item I had bid on.

[truvalue123]

It worked kinda like that, but not exactly...different items had different time left...most were together , but, not all...As I reread the new auction rules, the lot by lot closing is still in effect, but, the time is now 30 minutes, not 15..and, items without bids basically stay open longer...