@doc-holmes wrote:
@chapeau-noir wrote:
@toysaver wrote:
Auctions would go the way of the dodo bird if bidders had to be there at the end to pay immediately. That would be like having to watch a loaf of bread bake before I can buy it the store. I like to bid early and low and forget about it until I get an email asking for payment which may take me a day to eventually read.
You wouldn't need to be there, just have a payment method on file.
Messes up sniping pretty bad. So, all of the snipes in the last few seconds don't come in as bidders fumble with the payment source required screen, and your item sells for significantly less than it normally would. Is that worth eliminating non-payers? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Yes - I just wanted to correct that the bidder would not need to be physically there to pay. As for sniping, I expect that one could register a payment method at any time and snipe at will, though wonder if the handshake/authorization of payment, etc., would delay things if someone signed up just to snipe and they would lose their bid (or delay a snipe from anyone). But it may be a moot point since I thought eBay walked the immediate payment back (mentioned upthread). On thinking it through I can see the logistical problems. Plus so few listings use auctions anymore (is it even over 10-12% now?) that maybe just adding a tighter window for non-payment (two days, instead of 96 hours, say) that the seller can select would be better (right now it's 4 to 30 days) and leave it at that.
I remember using a sniping service back in the dial-up days - 😣
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
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