Gentleman's Agreements...

BigD · Post by **BigD** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 3:00 pm

Okay, I've had a few requests in the past from TalkBloodBowl people requesting GAs on auctions I've been interested in or have bid on already but have been quite happy to concede an auction as the person was after a figure to complete a team or the collection.

But lately this in my opinion has gotten ridiculous. I've had a number of requests for GAs from people who haven't even placed a bid on the auction yet, even worse there has been no bid at all placed but they're requesting a GA. If a person has enough time to request a GA on an auction they have enough time to place a bid. I had been stupid enough to accept the GA on a couple of items I was interested in only to find out later on they hadn't even bid on the auction at all. One auction closed of at a price I was more than prepared to pay without the said person bidding to the amount they were willing to pay. Even worse, one of the auctions didn't even get a bid so closed of unsold.

Well I've had enough of this. I'm now making a note of the person requesting the GA and will monitor the auction to make sure they have at least bid. Anybody requesting a GA on an auction I'm interested in better place a bid! Pure and simple. At least show some interest and a commitment to that auction. I won't accept a GA any other way! I've missed a number of items I was interested in because the said person didn't bid.

I realise that as a community we've increased in size but I don't expect our standards and expectations to drop just because theres more of us. We're not a company! We're a community!

I don't believe this is an unreasonable request to make and will oblige likewise

BigD

Post by **GalakStarscraper** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 3:11 pm

Agreed.

Actually, I think the only way the GA process makes sense is that you immediately bid the amount you GA for and not snipe.

Otherwise its too easy to forget an auction and screw the other TBB member over.

I normally snipe, but the times that I've GA'd an auction, I've immediately bid at least the amount we agreed was more than the other person so that they didn't get burned by being agreeable about it all.

Rule #3 of my life: Screw over no one if you can avoid it unless of course they already screwed you ... then all bets are off.

Galak

Post by **Dave** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 11:19 pm

I can see the points, and could abide with them, this in the first place.

I feel the GA also as a 'hmm-I-want-this-but-if-you-want-it-also-lets-talk-about-it' notice.

This doesn't mean you should not bid (I'm more of a sniper also) but if somebody is willing to bid higher, he's the one that's screwed, as you bid to your max before.

Making a GA first and putting on a bid would lessen these risks for everyone.

Still, I can abide by your proposal BigD

(How would I not, after all we share a name

)

Count Zappa · Post by **Count Zappa** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 8:14 am

I have to admit... I don't really get the whole GA thing. Sort of goes against the spirit of what eBay's all about, doesn't it?

traveller · Post by **traveller** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 8:30 am

spirit of what eBay's all about

.... thats a story of it s own !

Well, i ´m not asking for GA anymore. I mostly "inform" at TBB, that i´m after a auction. So, if someone is interested, too, he/she can mail me. So we can arrange something, which worked well the last time (yes, Dave !?

) If she / he just try outbidding me, without mailing me before, he/ she will see if he/she can outbid me...

And if he/she outbid me, he/she will see, if i will snipe the auction or not

But i prefer the communication before

Traveller

BigD · Post by **BigD** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 9:03 am

I've got no problems at all with sniping. Thats something I do with myself but even then as a rule I won't snipe a TBBer and would hope but don't expect the same these days. At least not with the 'usual suspects' on here and we all know who they are LOL

I just feel if somebody requests a GA then doesn't place a bid at all then they're not serious. Having seen a couple of auctions in the last two weeks after a GA had been requested I expected the requestor to place a bid on the item, but they didn't. One of these was a particularly nice 2nd Edition Treeman in excellent condition that in the end closed of after the 4 days without a bid. This was an item I definitely would have brought but as a GA was asked I oblidged. But gutted to see it close off without a bid as its an item I'm after for a mate of mine for a Goblin Team. Goblins gotta have their trees!

BigD

TiMuN · Post by **TiMuN** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 9:43 am

Well, wasn't it that GA is a matter of 'not bidding too high if i know some TBBer would win it anyhow' kind of thing?

If someone requests a GA, and some other TBB member wants the item, they should get in touch with each other, and discuss how much they are willing to spend on such bid, or even, do that through a third person, but this is not like 'i saw it first, it's mine!' thing .. IMO

Norse · Post by **Norse** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 1:16 pm

Agreed, the whole TalkBB site is so large now that is almost unworkable to enforce anymore... I understand BigDs frustation on this issue and think that some people have misinterpreted my original desire, which was to help collectors out....

If you wanna basically scrap this, then it's damn fine with me!

Redfang · Post by **Redfang** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 1:21 pm

I really agree with what Traveller said and the last few times I was interested in an item I did just that.
What I kind of dislike about GA's is that people tend to really use them to claim something... Often I saw a really interesting auction, got excited, checked TBB and then found that there was already a GA on it already; that kind of told me: "Forget it"...

R