htf item ended early with bids cancelled

[RockinPrettyBeats]

Ebay rules are only there so that they can collect fees. Ebay rules also allows buyers to bid on 10 items and then cancel whenever they want. So yeah, as soon as they get rid of that we can all treat it like a reputable auction website.

What auction house would let someone bid and then cancel?!?!

No one. Plus, Ebay's rules isn't the end all be all to how auctions are supposed to be run. The rules are in place only to be certain that they make as much money as possible.

I think people are being too hard on the seller and buyer. It's not much different than losing a pony because you got outbid. There was another thread on this forum about how snipers are flaky bidders and blah blah blah.

The fact of the matter is, no one likes to miss out on an item. But it happens.

[KiwiSquirtBottle]

If you take a look at the auction, there were bids that were cancelled by the seller. There's no timestamp, so it's hard to determine when they were done, but....

[okiegurl1981]

RPB, this has been frowned upon in this community for several years, and it's against ebay rules.  Plain and simple. 

[Maniah]

RPB, that's a selfish attitude to take. The rules are there to be followed and anyone who doesn't want to abide by them shouldn't use the website, plain and simple.

I hope in the future that the buyer and seller involved in this debacle take a moment to consider the ramifications of what they are doing, should they ever choose to do it again.

Sad event.

[tootie_tails]

Well the point here is that the behaviour of asking for bins like that has been frowned upon around here, like someone said, that is the way it has been for years.
It used to be that most people here hated that, and there was like an agreement between people here *not* to do that.

But maybe that simply has changed over time?

Because I don't really see the same disappointment and rage towards it around here any more.
Also, while it used to be *officially* unacceptable here, as in moderators would state harshly 'please be aware it is extremly frowned upon around here' or something like that, it is now acceptable enough for moderators to officially congratulate the member who did it.
So I'm guessing this is an effect of the arena having changed a lot the last few years.
The more tight knit community of friends with similar interests and similar values, that is gone... The member base is now a melting pot of different people with different reasons for being here, different goals, different attitudes towards collecting and other collectors.

So maybe we are now a minority, the people who dislike the asking for bins. If most people here don't mind or don't really care anymore, then it's a free for all I guess. I mean it will come to a point where the few people still trying to uphold the agreement will only keep losing out when all the others "beat each other to the punch". So if that is the case I might just have to give in and adjust.
And that is what I meant when I said this in the original post starting this thread:

I'm just so peeved. There are a few things on my wantlist, ponies and other similar toys, that has been there for ages, so that I seriously wonder if it's even *possible* to acquire them in a normal fair way. It seems whenever one of them is listed somewhere, it soon has a bin added to it or it's ended early because 'the dog ate it'.............

I'm trying to imagine myself asking a seller for a low bin on a htf doll, pony, or other toy on my wantlist, posting a brag here on the arena when I receive it, random members including moderators replying to it and congratulating me and commenting on how cute the toy is - somehow I can not really see that happening...

So, will I eventually have to join the dark side to be able to acquire those last few items on my list? I really hope not! Not quite ready for that...

Anyway thanks to everyone who replied, I really appriciate it, whether or not we think the same about this.

[Brandi]

Also, while it used to be *officially* unacceptable here, as in moderators would state harshly 'please be aware it is extremly frowned upon around here' or something like that, it is now acceptable enough for moderators to officially congratulate the member who did it.
So I'm guessing this is an effect of the arena having changed a lot the last few years.
The more tight knit community of friends with similar interests and similar values, that is gone... The member base is now a melting pot of different people with different reasons for being here, different goals, different attitudes towards collecting and other collectors.

So maybe we are now a minority, the people who dislike the asking for bins. If most people here don't mind or don't really care anymore, then it's a free for all I guess. I mean it will come to a point where the few people still trying to uphold the agreement will only keep losing out when all the others "beat each other to the punch". So if that is the case I might just have to give in and adjust.
And that is what I meant when I said this in the original post starting this thread:

I'm just so peeved. There are a few things on my wantlist, ponies and other similar toys, that has been there for ages, so that I seriously wonder if it's even *possible* to acquire them in a normal fair way. It seems whenever one of them is listed somewhere, it soon has a bin added to it or it's ended early because 'the dog ate it'.............

I'm trying to imagine myself asking a seller for a low bin on a htf doll, pony, or other toy on my wantlist, posting a brag here on the arena when I receive it, random members including moderators replying to it and congratulating me and commenting on how cute the toy is - somehow I can not really see that happening...

So, will I eventually have to join the dark side to be able to acquire those last few items on my list? I really hope not! Not quite ready for that...

Anyway thanks to everyone who replied, I really appriciate it, whether or not we think the same about this.

I'm so sorry that this happened to you, because it IS against ebay policy to cancel bids on an auction to sell outside of ebay and quite underhanded of both seller and buyer, but are you sure that the mods and members congratulating the buyer even realized what has actually happened here? Maybe they haven't seen this thread and only seen the one in off topic..

[pop-girl]

tootie_tails, I think you've made your point and I see no reason for you to continue carrying on in such a way. I understand that you are disappointed but what's done is done and all we can do is move forward from here.

You are correct in that asking for BINs on running auctions is frowned upon here at the Arena and discouraged. However, you can't really expect our mods to publicly tear into someone for one offense. People make mistakes and shouldn't be humiliated and painted in a poor light because of it. If the behavior were to become chronic that would be a different story as it has been in the past.

Next time politely bring it to a mod's attention and we will take care of it without causing a public spectacle.

[Loa]

Tootie, we have been saying this for YEARS until we are blue in the face and people ignore us and do what they please.
We cannot sit on people, or physically stop them from doing so, not matter how much you bully my mod team in PMs.

[tootie_tails]

tootie_tails, I think you've made your point and I see no reason for you to continue carrying on in such a way. I understand that you are disappointed but what's done is done and all we can do is move forward from here.

You are correct in that asking for BINs on running auctions is frowned upon here at the Arena and discouraged. However, you can't really expect our mods to publicly tear into someone for one offense. People make mistakes and shouldn't be humiliated and painted in a poor light because of it. If the behavior were to become chronic that would be a different story as it has been in the past.

Next time politely bring it to a mod's attention and we will take care of it without causing a public spectacle.

My point was to show that I have accepted this and will move on.
I wanted to post my thoughts on it to sum it up, and to explain why I'm even debating to start asking for bins myself. It would be really strange otherwise, wouldn't it? if I started doing that just like that after speaking against it for years.

I in no way expect you mods to "publicly tear into someone". Again, that is just why I posted this, to state that while I do not like your your stance, I *accept* it.

And yes, I did talk to a mod about it, privately, first.

Tootie, we have been saying this for YEARS until we are blue in the face and people ignore us and do what they please.
We cannot sit on people, or physically stop them from doing so, not matter how much you bully my mod team in PMs.

Those are harsh words...
You are the head moderator of the arena, and you are stating that I "bully" your mod team to make you stop people from doing this.

I will post the two pm:s I sent about the buyer bragging about her bin so people can see what you think of as "me bullying":

Hi.
I have to say I'm disappointed. When you replied and congratulated that member, did you realize they got the item in question by asking for a bin? resulting in the seller removing other peoples bids and ending the auction early.
While it is impossible for the arena to stop people from doing that I thought you would at least not *encourage* it. Asking for bins has always been frowned upon around here. Or has that changed?
When you replied like you did, and as a moderator, of course she is taking it as confirmation it's ok to ask for bins like she did.
I hope you can explain this...........
Thanks

(then the moderator replied, not sure if it's allowed to post that so I will leave that out.)

Well if you did not want to encourage it you could at least have refrained from posting in the thread. You and other mods too. (I saw now another mod has replied as well, as if it was perfectly ok to do what this member did).
The staff posting in that thread, not having a problem with it, the message you are giving this member and other members is it's ok to ask for bins!
If I got a rare item from a bin like that and bragged on the arena, would you post and congratulate me too? 

You are right though in that offtopic is not a good place for discussing it, I will post her user name for reference in the original thread instead.

sad, tootie

That's it. The "bullying". 

Any communication I have with the mods on the arena, I'm happy to post it publically to show what has been said.

[Baby Sugarberry]

Forgive me for intruding, but if, like me, said Mods saw nothing but the original Arena post, how would they have had any way of knowing the buyer had acquired the bird through a BIN/private sale/whatever?  It wasn't clearly part of the original thread, at least I never saw it mentioned until later.  All it said was that they had completed a collection, and were starting a website.  Then there was the very typical round of "congrats" posts.


Most of the Arena members (unless I'm way off base) don't collect or follow Fairy Tails birds/auctions, and would not have seen the original ebay listing.

[tootie_tails]

You see, the buyer admitted it herself, in her brag thread. That is how we all knew it. (and that has been mentioned in this thread, including link to that thread). I also talked to them in pm:s as qouted here.
And in any case, I have accepted their stance about bins.

[ponylady]

Baby Sugarberry has a very valid point.  I am not sure if you realize how many posts have to be read a day by one single or several Mods in one single forum.  It was a Brag thread so who would of thought anything different except that it was a brag. 
 
But like I said before I am not sure what else there was to do except report it to ebay and make a public statement in TS.  Which you did.  It is not a bannable offense if that what you were seeking.  We can't control what happens on ebay.
 
I know for a fact you were issued an apology.  So I do not see the need to keep dragging that about in here.  I also don't like people speaking for me and by saying you have accepted "our stance"  on the issue is well speaking for me.  I will speak now though and say I am strongly against asking seller's to end items early.  Plain and Simple but I have to answer concerns in a professional manner and keep the peace.
 
*sigh* We cannot control what other's do Tootie, what happened is wrong but what more is there to do about it.  It was brought to our attention and the member's.   I just don't see the need for a personal attack on the Mod team.   
 

[pop-girl]

And in any case, I have accepted their stance about bins.

You have accepted nothing because there is nothing to accept. I stated in my previous post that the Arena does NOT agree with buyers asking sellers to end auctions early. We share the same stance. The difference is that we understand that mistakes are made and choose to handle it quietly rather than demonize a member who maybe didn't realize they were doing something wrong.

You've gotten your apology and been offered an explanation but it seems you prefer to argue. This thread has obviously served it's purpose and is no longer constructive or helpful.
If you have any further questions please take it up with a site admin.

And with that this thread is locked.