"Could TMP host auctions?" Topic

It has happened more than once.I post some stuff for sale in the Markletplace, and I have to check the date stamps to see who gets to claim it.
I see that some Marletplace items up there now also have some skirmishing,

So, Dear Editor…
Could TMP support auctions?
Payment would of course be entirely between the parties involved.

It would probably just be the matter of some coding – or even of just dropping in a pre-built module, but then Bill would have to deal with complaints about 'this person didn't send the stuff after I paid him for it', etc., etc., etc. That's the part he probably really doesn't want to deal with.

He already has that "problem" with normal Marketplace items. I doubt it exists.
It's fairly obvious that he has nothing to do with it. He just allows listings.

Some of those listings become default auctions anyways – just saying.

Since they are NOT auctions, I always give it to the first person to ask.
I think it would not be "proper" to let it become a bidding war without announcing it as such.

Agree; just sayin. TMP has become a fascade for Ebay no offense, but its true. People are getting onto TMP to promote their ebay stuff it seems so I'm thinking Bill should STOP all this market place stuff. TMP should NOT be used for buying/selling because it is no longer just a small incidental thing on TMP; look at all the links.. they almost ALL go to ebay.

I disagree that the TMP Marketplace has become a facade for eBay. I have bought a number of things via the TMP Marketplace over the years. I have the Auction boards turned off. I don't even see the eBay advertisements.

I would rather give Bill my commission then pay Ebay who don't care less about the customers and are quite happy to rip them off.

I use Boardgamegeek to buy and sell my boardgames now and its been very successful. Granted they are not auctions but you can make offers below asking price and it is up to the seller if they accept it or not.

I wish there was a good alternative to Ebay in the UK but unfortunately their isn't.

One aspect I would like on TMP marketplace is a small flag to denote where the seller is from on the main listings page. That way we could identify sales from your own country without worrying about exorbitant post prices or import taxes.

I think the system as it is works fine. First off, you have to be a contributing member in order list in the market place. Therefore, Bill is already getting a cut as it were and it is one of the perks for being a contributing member. Second, as some have stated, I doubt Bill wants the headache of having to monitor the marketplace any more than he has too and I would not blame him. We are adults, at least in theory and age if not always in behavior, which means we can monitor ourselves. There is also the "bad/good trader" feature that is on member profiles if you have concerns about making or having made a purchase. I say leave it like it is. It is not broken so don't try to "fix" it.

I think it is fine too.

A lot of people buy and sell stuff here that could not be found in other locations, especially in the Marketplace.

I've tried auctioning stuff here directly, but everyone just inquires to see why I don't list it on eBay. Basically, it's a no brainer, since I don't like paying their high fees, on top of those for Paypal too.

Seemed to baffle a lot of people here though, and didn't work, which is a shame, since it could have saved both the seller and the purchaser some money.

I sometimes post sales for TMPers of my Ebay stock sold off ebay at a discount that I couldn't otherwise afford due to there price gouging for there services.

it makes a nice current catalog of stuff with pictures and is searchable/categoried to help you find things you might want.

Otherwise I don't post a lot of the stock updates here unless its heavily gaming related.

I've done quite a bit of buying and a llittle selling through TMP, none of which involved eBay, all of which worked out fine.

Is there any reason you can't run an auction in the current system?

Simply put in your post that you want to auction an item, list your terms, a reserve, ending time, etc… People can post what they want to bid and whoever has posted the highest amount by the end time gets the item.

I have sold mounds of stuff on TMP and never involved eBay at all. The system works fine as is, and as Whitemanticore said you have to pay Bill to be a member in order to sell ANYTHING, eBay of otherwise. So where's the harm other than offending certain parties who have some sort of odd anti-eBay ax to grind? 8)=