Heritage Online Final Session Change?

Coxe

Perhaps I am reading this wrong, but it appears the email I just got from Heritage indicates that bidding through their site now will close two hours before the end of the online auctions and the auction itself will reside on eBay Live. Basically, you will be unable to snipe at Heritage unless you are willing to use your eBay account and pay the higher fees. If so, I can see where this is going but am not sure it is ultimately in their best interest.

Barndog

discussed in another thread too, but it seems you can still bid (after internet bidding closes) via telephone

Wolf359

Well that is one dumb move. When they see the bidding drop off, they'll change it. eBay Live is terrible anyway.

Coxe

Only thing I can figure is either they just have an obvous coordination problem with the end of auction or(/and) eBay is strongarming them to do this. My guess is they are getting too many complaints from eBay bidders who appear to have won but didn't.

On the positive side, Heritage could simply conduct only eBay Live internet auctions and use the site for regular major sales.

SG58

This seems very strange to me.

(1) Ending the online bidding at 7AM CST on a Monday morning ?

(2) Starting the eBay session ( I presume no actual "floor" session) two hours later. And for how long after that does the eBay session last ?

I have had the following opinion about these large Heritage "online sessions" that follow the signature floor auctions for some time now: it seems that many "no reserve" lots may sell for less than Heritage would want them to sell for, and by doing this new "final session" format, they can control or bid themselves to up the price on items whose current bids are less than they want them to be. Bottom line, this means more $$$ for Heritage (higher selling price and higher "juice").

pharmer

That's how I see it as well. Yet I believe they are in error, and would benefit their bottom line more by instituting a functional internet bidding system. How many people can fit in that room for the floor biding? Now, how many people are there in the potential internet bidding pool?

They need to do it all the way and do it right. Not take half measures like this that show a brief increase in revenues while ignoring the vast potential of being internet capable.

They know they have a problem, and point it out themselves. But the "solution" does nothing to solve the internet bidders' problems. Like some of the respondents to my thread about this, they say "bid higher, bid your max, what's the problem?". Nothing from Heritage or the floor bidders' standpoint.