I think Flippa just screwed up my auction

[Lyubomir]

Hi all, I have a problem with Flippa (again) !

I received an email from some person that told me he's interested in one of my domains on auction. He told me that he has registered in Flippa, but they want him a credit card that he haven't got. The email was received 1 hour before the end of the auction. I wrote to Flippa's premium support(I've PAID for it) how we can fix this. 1 hour later the auction ended and still NO RESPONSE from Flippa!

I also received couple of bids last seconds and the auction WAS NOT EXTENDED. Here in their 'terms' is written with BOLD following: ...any non-BIN bids which are higher than the current bidder, will extend the end time by one hour...

I think they screwed my auction ... what do you think is the best option in this case :/

P.S.: I need some sleep now, but tomorrow I'll share with you how I'm waiting this "premium" support more than 1 week to tell me why I did not receive newsletters from them.

 

[xn--v4h.com]

If the last bid on Flippa was made within an hour before close, then it should have been extended regardless. Are you sure the last bid was made less than an hour before close?

 

[Want2learn]

Realist it

 

[EmotiveDomains]

If they have messed up, perhaps flippa should relist it as a premium listing with no charge.

 

[Chris Hydrick]

Realist it

If they have messed up, perhaps flippa should relist it as a premium listing with no charge.

How can you relist something that SOLD? I think that is OP's problem. He / She now needs Flippa to tell the buyer (bidder 1) the auction is still ongoing due to a system error.

Last bid: 20:32:28 UTC
Auction Ended: 20:36:19 UTC

If I'm correct - the auction ended 4 minutes and 9 seconds after last bid.

The previous bids (there was a bidding war at the end which makes this more effed up!)...

Bidder 2 - 20:32:27

Bidder 1 - 20:31:47

Bidder 2 - 20:31:45

Bidder 1 - 18:46:07

Bidder 3 - 18:46:07

 

[Want2learn]

Well if Flippa isnt following their own rules realist it. I mean it sounds like it sold. But it also sounds like bidding should have extended auction. Who knows?

 

[Chris Hydrick]

From Flippa HERE

@FlippaDomains How are you going to remedy this?

 

[xn--v4h.com]

Wow! That's also unfair for the bidder too but ultimately it seems Flippa should make everyone whole.

 

[Chris Hydrick]

This is a streeeetch but Flippa could contact the bidders. Ask what is the highest they are willing to pay for the domain -- then Flippa covers the difference between highest bidder and OPs BIN. (doubtful - but hey FLIPPA system error ending the auction less than 5 minutes after last bid is closer to a BIN - since they closed the auction prior to auction ending...)

EDIT: They could pay out the difference between auction end price and BIN in Flippa credits.

 

[Lyubomir]

Hey guys, this is their brilliant answer:

"
The last bid placed by XXXXXXXXX was $1600 which is less than the cap placed by LLLLLLLLL so the system upped LLLLLLLLL's proxy bid by $50. LLLLLLLL could not have lost the auction as their proxy cap was higher than that of XXXXXXXX's.

This statement "any non-BIN bids which are higher than the current bidder, will extend the end time by one hour" also takes proxy bids into consideration. Since the proxy of LLLLLLLLL was higher the auction was not extended."

I am the only one who thinks that this is totally different from what it's written here:

"
On Flippa we try to avoid "sniping", which is bidders putting in bids right at the end of the auction listing time. Sniping leads to sellers getting lower prices, and buyers missing out on items they want. This advantages no one but the sniper, and we don't like it.

To avoid sniping, in the last hour of a listing, any non-BIN bids which are higher than the current bidder, will extend the end time by one hour from the time of the bid. This allows the seller to evaluate the last bid, and gives other bidders a chance to reply to that bid, if they choose.

Some specifics around this:

• We consider the time the bid is accepted as the time of the bid
• Only auctions with more than one bidder qualify for an extension"

?!

@FlippaDomains , can you please provide us with more info?

 

[Chris Hydrick]

Wow! Based off their response,it appears Flippa supports sniping. There is no other explanation. This is unfair to the other bidder. I mean ending the auction not even 5 minutes after last bid.

@Lyubomir - if I were you, in light of @FlippaDomains breaking their own TOS, I would not accept payment for the domain, nor would I transfer it. This domain is worth way more than the mistaken end price.

 

[Sanwal]

The good old days when Kevin was at Flippa. Sigh..

 

[mdent]

This is normal @ Flippa, if you place a bid that is less than the proxy bid of the current high bidder, the auction is not extended. You need to bid higher than the current proxy bid in order to extend the auction time. There is no way to snipe domains.

I personally don't think this is unfair at all, in fact I prefer this system to the way other marketplaces handle proxy bids

 

[ksusha64]

Why don't you invite flippa people from NP into this converation? Let them explain what happened.

 

[Nikhil Jain]

I don't think there was any error with the system and it was a fair auction.

The auction could have extended only after bidding more than the proxy of the highest bidder.

 

[Chris Hydrick]

Why don't you invite flippa people from NP into this converation? Let them explain what happened.

How about being proactive and tagging any if you know their usernames.

@iHaveThisIdea is no longer with flippa.

In case you didn't notice, myself and OP tagged @FlippaDomains

 

[Chris Hydrick]

I don't think there was any error with the system and it was a fair auction.

The auction could have extended only after bidding more than the proxy of the highest bidder.

Fair according to what?

Bidder #2 was willing to spend $1,600 on this domain. Imagine being that bidder (familiar with Flippa's auction extension rule) going to the bathroom, and coming back to find the domain has been sniped.

https://support.flippa.com/hc/en-us/articles/202469934-What-is-proxy-bidding-

Do a CTRL+F for "extend" and the only result is a link to:
https://support.flippa.com/hc/en-us...n-auction-just-extend-after-a-bid-was-placed-

Do a CTRL+F on that page for "proxy" and the only result is a link back to What is Proxy bidding.

Please find where Flippa's statement is outlined on their site or TOS.

 

[Ollie3000]

The good old days when Kevin was at Flippa. Sigh..

I used to send Kevin some right rubbish when i first started lol But he always politely replied and pointed me in the right direction. Where has Kevin gone now? Whenever I email them I get Herwin now

 

[Nikhil Jain]

Bidder #2 was willing to spend $1,600 on this domain. Imagine being that bidder (familiar with Flippa's auction extension rule) going to the bathroom, and coming back to find the domain has been sniped.

I have used Flippa for a good extent and I'm aware that if I place a bid which is lower than a proxy bid, then as soon as I click 'Submit Bid', the page refreshes the very moment with the message that I have been 'Outbid'.

So I know it immediately in the very next second of placing a bid that I have been outbid due to a higher proxy bid. Thanks.

 

[Lyubomir]

I have used Flippa for a good extent and I'm aware that if I place a bid which is lower than a proxy bid, then as soon as I click 'Submit Bid', the page refreshes the very moment with the message that I have been 'Outbid'.

So I know it immediately in the very next second of placing a bid that I have been outbid due to a higher proxy bid. Thanks.

You may understand it, but they not give you a chance to take action, because listing is closing and the name is snipped because of the proxy bid!

 

[Chris Hydrick]

I have used Flippa for a good extent

I wouldn't exactly call 7 transactions a good extent.

Besides the point. There is no written explanation that this is the policy. You may know this because you've been with Flippa for two years, but how, other than this happening to you, were you aware of this? Prove me wrong, and I'll eat my words. May even write them on paper, and physically eat the paper if you can provide evidence.

EDIT: I have been a Flippa member for '3 years' but that doesn't mean I know everything about flippa due to my low transaction amount.

 

[Chris Hydrick]

Where has Kevin gone now?

@iHaveThisIdea = Kevin

 

[rentmynames]

Sedo is doing the same thing ever since they started business . I think it is fair that way. If outbid (bidder notices right away after submitted) then bid higher. If bidder is trying to bid in the last seconds then this bidder is trying to snipe it anyway, why complain?

 

[Nikhil Jain]

Besides the point. There is no written explanation that this is the policy. You may know this because you've been with Flippa for two years, but how, other than this happening to you, were you aware of this?

https://support.flippa.com/hc/en-us...tend-after-a-bid-was-placed-?mobile_site=true

"This extension continues as long as there are new winning bids. This means that it will not extend if a bid is placed that does not result in a new winning bidder."

I hope the above link answers all the doubts we all might have.

Thanks.

 

[Chris Hydrick]

Sedo is doing the same thing ever since they started business . I think it is fair that way. If outbid (bidder notices right away after submitted) then bid higher. If bidder is trying to bid in the last seconds then this bidder is trying to snipe it anyway, why complain?

SEDO states this in their website.

Are you saying Proxy bids don't extend the auction time on Sedo?

I hope the above link answers all the doubts we all might have.

It doesn't. Pretending for a second that I don't focus on the bold...

... that support page neglects to mention anything about proxy bids not being subject to the one hour extension.