Revisiting Auctions: Keep or Ban 'em?

I think people tend to have very strong opinions here and since the early voices posted negative feelings regarding auctions, you're going to get a lot of silent voting to avoid the conflict. No one's fault, just a natural consequence.

I can see both sides, and there are things I didn't consider until now. Still here how I feel about trading on this site:

1) There's not enough trading given the amount of posts. Like 90% of posts on the limited forum don't even get a response. Granted, a lot are like ISO BBT, FT 6 mediocre beers, so it's on the posters in that case. Still, for my own posts, I really try to offer things that I would want if I were on the other side of things and I pretty much hear crickets. It's frustrating, and I'd love feedback or just anything. Perhaps because a lot of limited beers are too specific and only a handful have access and it's unlikely that person wants what you specifically have. So while I've never tried, I get the appeal of being like, "Yo, I have this cool beer but I have two of them and really only want one. I apparently have no idea what you have or are willing to trade, so just give me your best offer and if I'm interested, awesome." It would at least help things get started.

2) Ghosting is unacceptable...at best it's just rude and self-centered...basically treating people like objects. I agreed to a deal a few months ago with a guy. I explicitly said the words "deal" and then we continued to talk. Then at some point I never heard back (nothing was shipped, so whatever, and I realize now that you can officially send trade requests through BA...I was new and didn't know).

Between that and #1, I felt really demoralized and said I'd never use this site to trade again. I ended up giving away my prize bottle that I was trying to move to a friend because I figured there was just no point in dealing with trades here on BA.

I'd just like to find a way to actually engage with people here. I have friends that I trade with all of the time and it's a piece of cake. I don't even care if I'm "winning" the deal. Now I realize a lot of people have had much more positive experiences on BA, so I'm only speaking for myself. But out of shear frustration, I'd love an auction if it meant there was more action.

 

Also, I'm fully aware I'm probably going to take a lot of heat for the post above, but I had to vent. This has been bothering me for a while, and I wonder if some of the people making up the 39% (as of now) who aren't saying anything also feel the same. Who knows...maybe not.

 

The should be allowed , all the stupid old rules are what drove people.away.

 

I hear your concern about wanting there to be more activity in general... but I think advocating for the allowance of a technique that unfairly and artificially inflates the value of beers (auctions) probably isn’t the best or most effective way of achieving that goal.

Perhaps this also addresses some others’ concerns along the lines of “it’s a pointless rule.”

 

Makes sense

 

If people stopped participating in auctions then people would stop running them. when you respond to the OP if they’re running an inbox auction or not it’s pretty clear from their response. Just walk away

 

I believe the only people who are pro-auction on here are those that get access to beer/bourbon running hot on the secondary. It works for them therefore they are pro-auction no matter how much shittier it makes it for the rest of the trade community. Auctions and inflated secondary markets go hand in hand.

 

I see, so if the moderators can only see the individual PM that was reported, then it may be tough for individuals to help self-police auctioneers. But it's good for privacy, so I'm more than fine with that.

Reading through this, I think whatever is decided if a ban is implemented, the line needs to be well defined and enshrined in an easy to access post at the top of the trading rules or whatever. I do agree that a "FT: One big beer, ISO: List" whereas the potential for auction is higher, probably should have a lower threshold for a warning/ban than the converse "FT: List, ISO: One big beer" listing as that is more of a person casting a big net to land something he/she really wants. But a line should be drawn well in advance of any moderation.

 

I think its ridiculous to get strung along for days in hopes of completing the trade just for the person to turn around and say I found something else..

 

Having never used the auction, and frankly not even remembering them... It seems to me that the potential (IMO very likely) opportunity for negative consequences will outweigh the benefits.

- We have Trading, and Auctions will certainly adversely impact Trading.
- Will this increase site traffic, or just shift traffic?
- Who do we think is more likely to use Auctions, in lieu of Trades?
- What are the legal ramifications, for the site?

Any consideration, for adding Auctions, should include much greater input and investigation than user opinions and feedback. I’m sure you are already on top of this, and just wanted to overtly make the point.

Also, all of my trades, to date, have been in person between friends. I have not yet used BeerAdvocate for any trades. (Largely out of concern for shipping laws.)

 

I voted to have auctions(i was under the impression they weren't allowed)

If people want to throw up an auction and other people want to engage with it who am I to tell them not to? Maybe have a time limit on them though?

 

The argument I and others in the thread have made against auctions (beside simply being a pain to deal with when you find out you’re participating in one only after PM’d the auctioneer) is that they unfairly and artificially inflate the price of beers people are looking to trade for.

 

Very slippery slope...

 

Why not? All I've seen for not having them is because it raises secondary values of certain beers?

Why not just have some specific rules for Auctions. 12 or 24 hours, all communication needs to stay on the post are 2 that I can quickly think of at the moment.

 

To be honest I was already under the assumption that auctions were not allowed, mainly because every time a trade is posted that even slightly resembles one it gets absolutely demolished in the comments.