Interesting... Ebay must have changed because I just checked and you are correct. Placing a bid disables the BuyItNow... I would swear it never used to.

IMHO, and this is only my opinion, it may be "standard" but this is not the correct behavior. When someone Bids they run the risk of losing as long as the Auction is open. Whether by conventional bid or BuyItNow.

I can't see someone bidding and complaining that someone else won the item via the BuyItNow. If you're not willing to pay the BuyItNow price and someone uses the BuyItNow, it is really no different than being outbid by conventional means. The second buyer was willing to pay more.

BuyerA Bids $200 on an item with a BuyNow of $250 and BuyerB pays uses the BuyNow, aka bids $250? Sorry BuyerA, you got outbid.


The only time I can see this raising a complaint is when a buyer is willing to pay *more* than the BuyItNow price...

Example: Listing with opening bid = $100, BuyNow = $250

BuyerA places bid of $300. He's willing to pay it but hopes to get it cheaper through the auto-increment bidding system.

BuyerB bids $200 and the increment system puts BuyerA at $201. BuyerA thinks, "Yay, I'm still only paying $201!"

Until BuyerC comes in and hits the BuyItNow button and gets the item for $250. BuyerA's complaint would then be "But I was willing to pay more than the guy who used the BuyItNow button."

Valid, yes. However, why would you run the risk of paying more than you have to and having to wait extra time until the Auction ends? He should have just used the BuyItNow, paid $250 got the speakers right away and saved himself $50 off what he was willing to pay.

BuyerB doesn't have a leg to stand on... "I bid $200 and someone used the BuyItNow for $250! Not fair!" That makes no sense.

my 2 cents.
snazzed

It has always been the case with eBay that Buy it Now disappeared as soon as someone placed a bid. If you can't wait, buy it now. Otherwise, bid like everyone else.

That is my understanding on how it has always worked Ken, as most auction websites. If you really want something "now", then you use "Buy Now". Otherwise, if you want to take your chances, and possibly get the item cheaper, bring on the auction.

I see nothing wrong with the Buy Now option disappearing after the first bid. If you want the item right away, use the button before anyone puts a normal bid in. Having the Buy Now option is a luxury, anyway, as you'll see it's not a requirement when listing on eBay. It's a convenience for both the buyer and the seller, as it can save time for both parties. If it's not going to save time, then the seller should have the potential to make more than the Buy Now price.

Yeppers, it's always been like that.

I would agree if everyone saw the item at the same time but not everyone does. In a lower sales volume setting I don't think it works as well. It is entirely possible that someone may never see a BuyItNow button on an item the want.

In a high volume setting with thousands of sellers like EBay it doesn't matter. Wait a day (or a few hours) and there will be a new listing.

I would be frustrated if all I wanted was a pair of FO priced M22s right away and there were 3 listings on the Auction Site but they all had a bid on them already. doesn't apply because I don't have that opportunity on the existing listings any more. It has been disabled by the first bidders.

Another set may or may not show up next week. When another set of M22s does show up, what are the odds I will see them first? I guess it makes retail more attractive which is good for Axiom.

(interesting to note there is 1 set of M22s listed right now and they already have a bid on them. If anyone wants to BuyNow on a set of M22s they are out of luck.)

Anyway, as I say... my opinion. I could be wrong.

snazzed

Exactly the way it works, Randy. BTW, you should sell your plaques (is that what you call them?) on Ebay. I bet you would do well, especially with designs by request.

Frustrating, yes, but it's just the nature of the beast. However, people have a lot better chance of getting FO prices without the wait under the new auction system as opposed to the old Factory Outlet. You were guaranteed a wait under that system, whereas now you actually have a really decent shot since everything listed is available right now, and all it takes is for the Buy Now option to be available on it. Granted, if you're waiting for a specific model in a specific finish, it could take a while. I guess it doesn't affect me so much because I've always been willing to pay the extra money to get things right away. I only bought my M3s through the auction page because I wanted to try the process out and see if I could actually spot the cosmetic defects, which so far I haven't. Anyway, I prefer the new system, but like you said, it's simply a matter of opinion.

I can’t agree that this system is in any way better for the customer than the old FO system. The longest listed waits for the FO were about 4 weeks usually shorter, and items often shipped in half the listed wait time. I know because I own 12 FO speakers from 3 separate orders. Besides who doesn’t want a specific model in a specific finish when ordering speakers? With the FO you could put together a whole system now you might get lucky and find the foundation of your system or fill in a gap if you are really lucky.

I just think Axiom would do better by it’s customers and for itself just to go with straight discount pricing on B-stock like all other online speaker brands that I know of. Just less hassle for everyone that way IMO.

Well, even if they go to straight discount pricing, if they do what they're doing now and posting only what's actually available, people will still have to wait for the ones they want. Do you mean they should go back to how it worked before, where they were probably sending A-stock as B-stock when they needed to fulfill orders? That does not seem like every other online speaker brand.