A Big Problem In Villager Auctions That Needs To Be Addressed!

[Yugi Moto]

Having dealt with this personally both on the winning and losing side I feel like I need to say something about it. When people host auctions and give an end time, (let's say 5:00 pm est), there's a level of confusion among certain bidders (always confuses me tbh) about what that actually means. They say it ends at a certain time but then when it hits 5 pm and someone else is the last to bid on that minute they'll take that offer anyways and end the auction, leaving alot of ppl with a sour taste in their mouth.

I really hope there is a rule implemented or some kind of action taken to address this issue and to save people from this in the future because trust me, it sucks when you're dreamie is within reach and at the last second a supposedly ineligible bid wins the auction and you're left scratching your head in disbelief and confusion.

If you say it ends at 5 pm EST THEN END IT AT 5 PM EST. People should really specify specifcally when the auction ends. If it ends at 5 then end it at 5. If not then notify people that any bid AFTER 5:00 is ineligible. Saying it ends at 5 then letting a bid at 5 win IS JUST STUPID IMO.

Thanks for reading this rant/venting session hope you guys enjoyed it and please support this if you agree! Let's not let one more dreamie slip through our fingers! *puffs out chest*

 

[Mizu]

Yeah, that would really piss me off too. I had this happen to me a few days ago (different story) where I called dibs on an item before someone else. I was the first one to call the item, but because someone who posted before me edited their post saying they now want the item, I did not get it. That was kind of frustrating to deal with as well. I could have posted TURKEY and then edit post to pick what I wanted, course that wouldn't be fair.

 

[Yugi Moto]

Yea kinda the same thing but different. Hosts of auctions (items, villagers, etc) should be held accountable. If they can't host with a certain level of common sense, fairness and honesty then they shouldn't be allowed to host at all. Why do we have to suffer because some ppl don't know how to host properly?

Sry to hear about that =/

 

[sn0wxyuki]

Personally I have not join any auction yet but yes, bidding after a certain time should not be count in because that would be so unfair to others. Also, there is some people that did not set an end time to their auction, so lets say person A bid 100k and next person B bid 500k, immediately person B win the bid and should be close, but no, appear person C bidding 700k and the seller switch to person C =.=...

 

[Yugi Moto]

That's why I think all auctions should be required to have an end time (if they aren't already required). If you don't want to put an end time then simply sell it and take the first decent offer that you're happy with. You would think setting an end time to avoid confusion and unfairness would be common sense but sadly that's a quality some ppl lack.

Personally I will always notify specifically when the the auction ends and I hope everyone else does the same :3

 

[sn0wxyuki]

Too bad we can't do anything to educate people how they should set up their auction properly unless there is a rules for it, set your auction right or thread will be close! lols...not sure bout it xD

 

[oath2order]

I don't think there'll be a rule. It just depends on the auctioneer.

 

[Yugi Moto]

Too bad we can't do anything to educate people how they should set up their auction properly unless there is a rules for it, set your auction right or thread will be close! lols...not sure bout it xD

Omg that would be my dream to see that implemented. I think we'll ONLY see it in our dreams tho =/

 

[Yugi Moto]

bump :3

 

[Kit]

Bidding on the last mintue (like 5:00) shouldn't be counted
But bidding at 4:59 should be counted. Even if no one has bid for hours. Bidding right before the last mintue is called sniping
Watch out for that

 

[J087]

....or just stop paying ridiculous amounts of money for villagers all together?

 

[vodkasmizmar]

....or just stop paying ridiculous amounts of money for villagers all together?

This can happen in any type of auction, be it for villagers or items ...

I totally agree with ringbearer90 that whoever is holding the auction should make it CLEAR when the last offer is going to be accepted. At first, I thought he meant anything saying 5:01 or after is acceptable, but after reading it, I understand that, to him, any bid after 4:59 should not be accepted. I really think that if anyone is going to hold an auction, should make it very clear of whether:
A) Any offers after X:00 are considered invalid
B) Any offers after Y:59 are considered invalid
C) Auction keeps going until the OP comes back to a thread, despite having an end time.

C happened to me not long ago. The end auction time was like 7PM. The OP didn't come back until 7:10 and accepted the highest offer, which was posted well after 7PM. I was livid because going by case A, I should have been the winner. Going by case B, someone else should have been the winner. But the OP was greedy and did not honor her own rules.

 

[ayeeprill]

I don't auction my villagers or participate in them for others, but the whole concept is so messed up. There's so much that can go wrong. A friend of mine should have won an auction here, but the poster neglected to mention they'd also posted it on GameFAQS and ACC as well so they had been outbid and didn't even know there was anyone else bidding outside the thread here.


If only someone could write a program where people could list AC auctions on a site (or even add it to TBT if that was possible) and link to that site and have all bids done there, set an end time and buyout, and after the end time or buyout no bids would be accepted. The person auctioning could then PM the winner and set up the trade.

 

[vodkasmizmar]

I don't auction my villagers or participate in them for others, but the whole concept is so messed up. There's so much that can go wrong. A friend of mine should have won an auction here, but the poster neglected to mention they'd also posted it on GameFAQS and ACC as well so they had been outbid and didn't even know there was anyone else bidding outside the thread here.

There was a recent thread made on Reddit addressing this problem. The mods asked people not to cross post and if they are going to cross post, to link the opposite site's thread on the post and keep the high bids updated on both threads. I think this is probably the best way to cross post, if you are going to cross post at all. If a buyout was done at the same time on both threads ... then that's the reason why they asked not to cross post.

 

[hemming1996]

If it's before the end time, let it be. I'm against last second bids but last minute, why not? XX:59 is before a certain hour so it's fine.

 

[J087]

Even if such a program or automatic thread-lock exist, and even if it utilizes all the security adaptation to make split second decisions on which bids are late and closes the thread on the very second the auction ends, a third party can still contact the host and offer a higher price than the highest standing bid. The host can still decide not to trade with the highest bidder for what ever reason he or she can come up with, without any consequences.

If you participate in auctions you should accept their instability and deal with it, or don't participate at all. Being the highest bidder doesn't automatically mean the deal is on. If you are the highest bidder but the host doesn't wish to trade with you, than who are you to tell the host what he or she can and can't do?

 

[MisterEnigma]

What if you could put a timer on your thread so that it automatically closed at that specific time so no one else could even post? Just a thought. I think people have a hard time saying no, though I agree if you state a specific time, you should remain honorable to it. c:

 

[vodkasmizmar]

If you participate in auctions you should accept their instability and deal with it, or don't participate at all. Being the highest bidder doesn't automatically mean the deal is on. If you are the highest bidder but the host doesn't wish to trade with you, than who are you to tell the host what he or she can and can't do?

Everyone deals with suckage every day. Just because we experience it doesn't mean that we have to comply and subdue to it like sheep. We can alter our way of thinking and our methods of working to ameliorate the situation. That's all this OP is saying.

And you're right, we can't force anyone to do anything. But it's not a lot to ask for the OP of an auction to uphold their own rules.

 

[Shirohibiki]

I can't handle the stress of auctions. I get upset/anxious very easily. I either buyout or try until it's too much for me, and I've only really participated in one or two. xD;; But, yeah, about end times... I can't say much since I try to buy out if I want something ASAP, but if it has an end time it's UNACCEPTABLE to take a bid after that end time.

Also, crossposting is gross too unless they keep EVERYONE updated and did it because they weren't getting bids.

 

[Yuki Nagato]

I can't handle the stress of auctions. I get upset/anxious very easily. I either buyout or try until it's too much for me, and I've only really participated in one or two. xD;; But, yeah, about end times... I can't say much since I try to buy out if I want something ASAP, but if it has an end time it's UNACCEPTABLE to take a bid after that end time.

Also, crossposting is gross too unless they keep EVERYONE updated and did it because they weren't getting bids.

Exactly how I feel. I'm in a bid for something not AC related and it always gets me going. I'd be furious if someone got away with cheating me out of something.