[Matt]

OK - after discussing with Tim in the chat - I think we've come up with something, which, dare I say, might solve all the issues raised in this thread regarding auction ending times. Please post here if you see a hole in the plan.
These times are all arbitrary - use a different number if it makes more sense to you:

1) As it does now, Extended Bidding begins at 4 PM and you may only bid after this point on lots you've bid on prior to this point.

2) At 10 PM, the auction ends (soft-ending).

3) After 10 PM, anyone outbid on any lot, will get a personal 20 minute window of Extended Bidding (and normal Extended Bidding rules apply - bid on anything you have a qualifier on) from the time they are outbid. Anyone outbid on a lot from 9:40-10 PM will have a 20 minute window starting at 10 PM.

4) The auction ends (hard-ending) when the last bidder with a 20 minute window open decides not to place a high bid on any lot.


Why this works (I think):
This has the advantage of a hard ending, like eBay, in that everyone will be compelled to place their high bids before 10 PM. No one can lay low waiting until 3 AM to bid, because there is no assurance they will be outbid on something and get a 20 minute window to bid at 3 AM.
Yet, there is no issue with sniping since anyone outbid at 9:58 will have until 10:20 to counter that bid, so no one can say they didn't have an opportunity to respond when outbid.

In essence, you're keeping the auction open to allow two things - someone responding to being outbid on a lot they were just high bid on and allowing someone to move their money to other lots when they get outbid on one, while at the same time compelling everyone to get their high bids in early.

OK, thoughts?