Ethics

ksteelheader

So, I go on e-bay and see something I would like to bid on! But, there is a problem! Someone on the boards that collects the same thing has already put in a bid. Is it ethical to try and out bid them? Please give reasons as to why you answered yes or no!.....Ken

razorface1027

I can't say anything regarding reasonability except this: "Damn the torpedos!" If you want it, bid on it....

mdwoods

I've always felt that it is an auction and anyone should bid if they want the coin. Even if I am the first board member to see and bid on the coin.

nwcs

Sure thing it is ethical.

Cockney

Ken, isnt that the whole reason E Bay exists?

RYK

It may be unethical to NOT bid on the coin. The fair price of the item may not be achieved if any potential buyer is artificially excluded from the auction.

Russ

I wouldn't even give it a second thought. Hell, it it's Marty or Don, I'd bid stupid money just to keep them from getting it.

Russ, NCNE

LAWMAN

Definitely ethical unless you are representing their interests and bidding for someone else's collection, then you have a conflict of interest.

ksteelheader

Hell, it it's Marty or Don, I'd bid stupid money just to keep them from getting it. .........Hey, that sounds like a good idea. Only thing I can think to say on that, is, that if its Marty bidding, the coin might have AU58'itis........Ken

Bochiman

Ken, if I was bidding, I would say "Don't bid"
However, the only way it would be unethical is if you actually didn't want it and you just wanted to drive up the price (ie....someone here has been mentioning how they want a certain type of coin and would pay up to $XXX for it....you see the coin, they have a bid, and you can see that the current price is WAYYY less than what they mentioned, so you jack the price up on them when you really couldn't give a care about the coin).

So, bid away, but, even in good jest, be prepared for some "interesting" talks possibly if you just barely win/nudge them on the coin

joeyuk

Ken, If you don't mind me putting a spin on this. If you see a forum friend bid on a high ticket item you are also interested in,is it ethical to ask honestly how high they will go? The lowest bidding person walks away without driving the price up.

kieferscoins

As long as you really want the item and are not going past your max bid just because its a board member, I say bid away.

Cameron Kiefer

MacCoin

its an auction thats how it works. would you be PO if I out bid you on a coin? if you out bid me I'ld send you a congrads note.

ms70

I say Ken's a cool guy for asking this question!

Barry

Sure it's ethical. Personally, I snipe all my Ebay auctions. Is it any different if you snipe it, and 3 other board members snipe it at the same time? I just bid my max and the chips will fall where they may.

MrEureka

However, the only way it would be unethical is if you actually didn't want it and you just wanted to drive up the price (ie....someone here has been mentioning how they want a certain type of coin and would pay up to $XXX for it....you see the coin, they have a bid, and you can see that the current price is WAYYY less than what they mentioned, so you jack the price up on them when you really couldn't give a care about the coin).

Even that would not be unethical. Vicious? You bet! But not unethical.

seanq

There are a couple of people I will not bid against, who collect the same things as I do, and they will return the same courtesy to me if I have first bid on an item. With those very limited exceptions, I have no problem bidding on anything nor with being overbid by someone else.

There are a few more who I think do not bid against me on certain items simply because they know I'm willing to pay strong money - my early bid has become the equivalent of the Statue of Liberty ploy at a live auction.


Sean Reynolds

DHeath

Hell, it it's Marty or Don, I'd bid stupid money just to keep them from getting it.

That's true. Ken, sometimes I'll put up a token bid hoping to scare off my buddies (kind of like peeing on a tree to mark it), but some choose to ignore the inevitable and bid anyway.

skate4357

Yee Ha !!!! The winner gets all the Bragging rights. As stated before Ebay IS a Auction. The higest bidder wins.

IrishMike

Nope not unethical at all. You might pi$$ um off. I just had a coin sniped from under me by a forum member after I had the only bid on it for 6 days. All I did was shrug me shoulders. No reason to get tighta$$ over it.

jjroll

Go for it, bid away!!!

relayer

NO-

The posters on this BBS are held to the HIGHEST standards, especially when it comes to coins.

If someone who posts here bids on a coin that you like you are prohibitted from bidding on that coin.

You could be taking away someones braggin rights on the coin they ripped!

wallstreetman

Show me the auction!

ksteelheader

Ken, sometimes I'll put up a token bid hoping to scare off my buddies (kind of like peeing on a tree to mark it) ....And here I thought that Frank was the only one who did that!!!....Ken

XpipedreamR

I agree with the general consensus opinion that it would not be unethical. But I would add that, as a matter of courtesy, I would try to differentiate between the stuff I want, and the stuff I really want, in a case like this. It would be nice to receive the same consideration, as well.


As they say, "Do unto others..."

jacktheknife

I had a similar problem a month or two ago during a Bowers and Merena auction. Best thing to do for both parties is to bid as you would under any other circumstances.

Russ

<< <i>I would try to differentiate between the stuff I want, and the stuff I really want >>



I only bid on stuff I NEED.

Russ, NCNE

poptopsRus

Go for it, just don't bid against me (hee hee).