What Does "Winning" At Auction Mean?

[mso489]

I think the common usage is to say you "win" something at auction if you end up buying it. But doesn't the "win" depend on getting the item below some general market price? If a pipe could be sold by a retailer at $300, but you get it for $150 or less, that's a win. If it is the other way around, you bought it at auction, but it doesn't seem like a win at all. I'm I picking nits, or should we just maybe say, I bought the item at auction, and let the win/lose discussion go from there?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Beating the competition.

 

[mso489]

I guess the win is beating the competition, but that's sort of a sad illusion if you got soaked on price. It's true, winning the auction means you bought the item, maybe against other bidders. So you won the auction game even if you got sacked on price. Something to consider. Granted some people get incredible deals at auctions, and those are indisputable wins, both ways.

 

[workman]

Pyrrhus won something once...

 

[Casual]

I’ve always thought that eBay marketing was genius to get people to call paying more than anyone else a “win”.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Granted some people get incredible deals at auctions

Those are the only ones I play.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I’ve always thought that eBay marketing was genius to get people to call paying more than anyone else a “win”.

That was an auction tool long before eBay existed.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

You have to make sure you don’t lose when you “win,” I reckon. I always go into an auction site knowing ahead of time what I’m willing to pay. For cigars, my cap is 50% of market value for most brands. If it goes north of that, I let someone else take that “win.”

 

[ashdigger]

Tiger Blood

 

[DAR]

I think the common usage is to say you "win" something at auction if you end up buying it. But doesn't the "win" depend on getting the item below some general market price? If a pipe could be sold by a retailer at $300, but you get it for $150 or less, that's a win. If it is the other way around, you bought it at auction, but it doesn't seem like a win at all. I'm I picking nits, or should we just maybe say, I bought the item at auction, and let the win/lose discussion go from there?

I agree. I've been saying that since eBay started. Calling it a "win" is stretching it a bit too far for me. Ebay is far from being a real auction even though it's touted as "an auction site". It's basically a garage sale with a large audience and an escrow. I've never "won" anything at a garage sale and even if I buy a $300 pipe at $150, I am skeptical about how much of a win it is until I actually get my hands on it.

 

[ofafeather]

Now “winning” is harder. eBay collects sales tax in my state. Other auctions have a buyers premium plus sales tax. Then there’s shipping to consider. Yeah, truly winning on all counts takes careful consideration.

 

[Chasing Embers]

You have to make sure you don’t lose when you “win,” I reckon. I always go into an auction site knowing ahead of time what I’m willing to pay. For cigars, my cap is 50% of market value for most brands. If it goes north of that, I let someone else take that “win.”

I often contact the seller before any bids are made and make a reasonable offer. The success rate is fairly high, I avoid bidding wars, and have walked away with some very good deals.

 

[sablebrush52]

If a pipe could be sold by a retailer at $300, but you get it for $150 or less, that's a win. If it is the other way around, you bought it at auction, but it doesn't seem like a win at all.

This is why I often put quotes around the word "winner" when posting about various eBay auctions.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Where's Charlie Sheen?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Where's Charlie Sheen?

 

[romaso]

One online retailer, years ago, very forthrightly wrote they were making their trial on-site auctions permanent because people were willing to pay more than the online retail selling price just to win the auction.

 

[verporchting]

Since Charlie Sheen’s gonzo interview the concept of WINNING! has been a little off.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Ya think!?!!

 

[PipesRock]

Thanks alot... way to make me again confront the fact that I really LOST on over 50% of my pipe acquisitions on the popular auction sight, lol.

 

[captainsousie]

The whole idea is that an auction is a means by which to acquire an asset by placing bids in competition with other potential buyers. That simple, you win when you eliminate the competition. Redefining it to terms that make you happy works for the person doing the redefining.

The fact that many auctions result in a purchase price that doesn't accurately reflect the value of an item is a different thing altogether.