We need to talk about auctions

I didn't say it was a good idea. Just that it seems to be the only sure fire way to prevent auctions.

 

I think if every OP contained at least one "here's an example of a trade I'm looking to do" - which is very specific - then I think this would cut down on lots of problems.

 

I know I brought up the guy that had promised his Tree House cans to other people but in case those deals fell through he wanted other offers. I feel like auctioning beers promised to others has to be a double whammy of doucheness.

I guess I thought all "make me an offer" comments were instant reason to have a trade post deleted. However at the same time I have submitted ISO specific IPAs but mentioned that I'm open to others in case I missed any or someone has something I haven't heard of. If that was a violation of trade rules I didn't realize it at the time.

 

Points trades or GTFO.

 

Two very simple solutions. I like the first one best because it directly communicates what you think your bottles are worth rather than attempting to "figure out" what they're worth, then you can adjust from there once you get feedback. I've heard of people praising the points system but I feel like you have to have a cellar with at least 50 beers in it to have it work for you which counts me out.

 

I see no difference in someone asking for specific quantity of beer for a hype whale (i.e. I want a case of heady topper for my $18 bottle of Goose Island Unobtainium) and the same person asking for open offers on the bottle (i.e. I have an $18 bottle of Goose Island Unobtainium – looking for heady topper in quantity – make me an offer). Both cases are about someone trying to create intrinsic value for their bottle beyond what the brewer said it was worth (the $18 retail price of the bottle). In either case, if you trade with that person you’ve accepted that premise as well. So since both parties then agree that the trade becomes a negotiation and both sides should ultimately be happy with what they give/get, otherwise, no trade gets done. Let the people who want to do that, do that. Let the market decide intrinsic value. How does that impact me? Someone pulls that “value” crap with me, I don’t trade with them. I personally am not interested in imputing intrinsic value to beers I trade or trade for. I trade for beer I want to drink more than the beer that I have. I’m not collecting bottles as an investment. I can’t “lose” if I trade and receive beers of equal retail value. IMO, nothing ever tastes as good as the hype so it’s not worth over-trading for anything.

 

well currently the difference is forum rules. I think the rationale is that this is a trading forum and not a buying/selling/auction forum and as such people should be explicit

 

As several people have said, you're asking for the impossible, unless you want to create a tangled mass of rules or moderators snooping every response to every trade thread created. Both of which are unrealistic, not to mention undesirable.

Just keep it simple. If someone trades in a way you don't like, don't trade with them. It's really as easy as that, & not worrying about what other people (especially jerks) are doing will lower your blood pressure & make trading a much more pleasurable experience.

 

That rule isn't stopping negotiating in PMs, so it basically becomes an auction in the PM process. In my example, one has a high ask price the other is open. Neither approach is gonna prevent someone from offering what they feel is a fair amount of Heady in a PM. Why not just let the auction process be public?

 

#ding#ding#ding. We have a winner.
Is this really that bothersome to people??? Its a site to trade beer. Yeah I get it, it has to have some rules, but let's not make it prison life. There's so many other things to worry about in life than "auctions" in a FT/ISO thread or how someone else is trading their beers that you don't like. Hmmm..let me think...there's people dying everyday of some sort of cancer, or people that are disabled or handicapped in some form or way that doesn't allow them to do the simple things in life, that we all take for granted. How about we worry about stuff like that instead??? Just saying.

 

for the sake of transparency, and also to make trading less of a headache. if someone wants 24 Heady Topper for a Cherry Rye, I can ignore if. if they want 8, I think about it. and I don't waste time negotiating back and forth via PM

 

This thread makes me laugh. Are people upset that their offers aren't getting completed by OPs auctioning their beer? I don't want to trade with those kind of people anyway....

 

There will always be ways to take advantage of the system and shady people that do. I understand your concern but I'm not for additional regulations. I feel the mods do a damn good (if not 100% consistent) job at policing.

 

So is speeding. You telling me you NEVER drove over the speed limit???

 

Why does trading beer(something enjoyable and fun) need to become so complicated. I don't condone auctions but aren't lists kind of a way to get conversation started. You probably don't view the value of certain beers the way I do and so on. Also not everyone knows what is an appropriate offer for every beer. So if I put up the beers I'm willing to trade and the ones im looking for I want to talk about what you feel is fair. I answer responses in order they are recieved and if both parties can't be happy on a deal I move on to the next person. I believe auctions are happening but who cares just put that person on your no trade list and move on. Making more rules and figuring out exactlly what I want to happen seems tedious. Hell I've even expanded on trades beyond what I've offered and sought out. Let's just enjoy some beer and ignore tose you don't agree with.

 

the rules aren't changing.

we're not interested in actively policing alleged auction threads and there's no way we're delving into people's BM conversations to look for alleged auctions.

there are too many nuances and we have neither the time nor the manpower to do so.

if you think it's an auction, report it. otherwise, ignore it and move along.

if you threadshit about alleged auction posts, you'll have your post deleted and you'll likely be warned.

it's not rocket surgery here.