Auctions: Fair or foul?

[manzervite]

I may be stepping on some toes here, but I am going to just put this out here for discussion:

Is it just me or are auctions wish lists and values ridiculous?

I have never held an auction nor bid on one, but I will look at the wish lists whenever I have the hiccups because it is a guaranteed cure. For example, if a $10 GC is up for auction, bidding starts at 50 points. No problem with that. But then I look at the items valued at 1 point, and they're already hard to get, HV coupons. Jump up to 5 points, and my hiccups are long gone. At the 10 point level, my belly hurts from laughing. Anything at the 15 point and beyond level has me slapping the table and tears are running down my face from guffawing.

Now in a free market society, auctioneers can ask for whatever they'd like (more power to them). No one forces you to bid on what they're asking. But then I see a 1st bid at 50 pts, then another at 65 pts, then so on until the winning bid is close to 90 pts. I do the mental calculations and figure for a $10 GC, the auctioneer is getting at minimum, $100 worth of HV/rare (high value meaning 99 out of 100 SCers would want these) and FPCs.

So I ask, fair or foul? Who bids on these auctions? The math simply doesn't make sense to me.

[Kotasmommy]

I have to say I agree...for example a FPC worth $20 should be worth more than a $10 gift card...that doesnt pay for half of the item the coupon is for. I mean I understand the GC will buy ANYTHING, but if you can use a $20 diaper coupon for example, then why should someone send you 2 free packs of diapers for a $10 wm gift card....they could redeem for the diapers and sell them for more than that...or sell the coupons on Kijiji...I dont want to sound rude...I just dont understand

[Brandy Hunter]

I'd say faul. But it works, and people are willing to pay that, which baffles me.

[Jezebel]

I bid on them...what is H/V to that person may be worth nothing to me....

ppl are trading H/V and rare bundles for $10 g.c's so I really don't see the difference...(except I don't have to freeze going from store to store searching for coupons)if I want a h.v bundle

I do agree I see some and think they are a bit to costly for me....so I move on...

[Midnightly]

i agree with you.. i can't fatham with the point system how they can get soo many points for the giftcard or whatever else i don't know who is bidding on these but just wow.. i often look at the auctions and think Oh that would be nice to get then see what the minimum bid is i can't even put together a packet for the minimum expecially when they don't want more then 5 of the same coupon

[Jezebel]

I have to say I agree...for example a FPC worth $20 should be worth more than a $10 gift card...that doesnt pay for half of the item the coupon is for. I mean I understand the GC will buy ANYTHING, but if you can use a $20 diaper coupon for example, then why should someone send you 2 free packs of diapers for a $10 wm gift card....they could redeem for the diapers and sell them for more than that...or sell the coupons on Kijiji...I dont want to sound rude...I just dont understand

yes but if you aquire a $10 diaper coupon you can't use yourself...is it still a h.v coupon for you ??

a coupon could be for a fpc ..meaning completly free say bag of rabbit food...well if I don't have a rabbit how valuable is that coupon to me? not very

[Jezebel]

i agree with you.. i can't fatham with the point system how they can get soo many points for the giftcard or whatever else i don't know who is bidding on these but just wow.. i often look at the auctions and think Oh that would be nice to get then see what the minimum bid is i can't even put together a packet for the minimum expecially when they don't want more then 5 of the same coupon

I don't get the point system I perfer $$ value auctions I can't really bid on point auction cause like you say I usually can't reach min point value to even bid...

[lekate]

I see where you're coming from Jezz, but other than coupons I pick up or order from save.ca type websites, I very rarely have HV's I wouldn't want (I email companies I legitimately want coupons from). Buut I find the auctions to be a bit ridiculous.

[Jezebel]

I see where you're coming from Jezz, but other than coupons I pick up or order from save.ca type websites, I very rarely have HV's I wouldn't want (I email companies I legitimately want coupons from). Buut I find the auctions to be a bit ridiculous.

I see your point also...generally I don't have very many HV either but every now and then LOL I have found it easier to post the stacks I am looking for with the offer of g.c's or stamps....this way I get a lot more offers....

[nottinkerbell]

I too just don't get it. I keep thinking I'm missing something when I see all those beautiful HV and FPCs being giving up for often a 10.00 giftcard so although I don't judge those that want to participate I myself would not "give away" my coupons like that. They areway to difficult to find in the first place. Also, I've never even seen 60% of the coupons that folks always ask for in auctions

[lekate]

I too just don't get it. I keep thinking I'm missing something when I see all those beautiful HV and FPCs being giving up for often a 10.00 giftcard so although I don't judge those that want to participate I myself would not "give away" my coupons like that. They areway to difficult to find in the first place. Also, I've never even seen 60% of the coupons that folks always ask for in auctions

I never have too, sometimes I think it's their wishlist of items they wish had coupons?

[nottinkerbell]

I never have too, sometimes I think it's their wishlist of items they wish had coupons?

Ok, maybe that explains it.

[Jezebel]

yup I would deff not give away my fpc's ...h.v I can't use maybe....

[Midnightly]

another part i don't get is a person could probably get a MUCH better deal just posting a "up for trade" post of thier high value and FPC coupons then going for the auction..

[manzervite]

another part i don't get is a person could probably get a MUCH better deal just posting a "up for trade" post of thier high value and FPC coupons then going for the auction..