[x2drich2000]

Originally Posted by perezfan

This is exactly what happened to me in Hunt's yesterday. The auction had just opened - I bid on a whole slew of items - and was instantly outbid on every single one! I have never had that happen before.... It's as if each lot already had a ceiling bid in place. Normally you are the high bidder for at least a short period.

I know Hunt has stated they are privy to use hidden reserves on certain items... but for every single lot (dozens actually) to receive outbids instantaneously feels like a mathematical impossibility.

While I'm not going to say there might not be an issue with some auctions, the AH placing automatic bids early doesn't make a lot of sense since they are also then limiting the number of potential bidders putting who may put in placeholder bids. I can also say it is not uncommon for me to go through the day an auction opens and put in a bid, and sometimes a bid several increments up if the opening bid is really low, on a majority of the card lots. Often I'll put in bids on lots up to say 50% of what I believe a lot should sell for with the idea to limit the number of other bidders. As someone who is willing to buy just about anything when the price is right, I do that to keep my options open during extended bidding when i go through looking for bargains. Have 2 or 3 people like me doing that and it is easy to see how you could get outbid immediately on multiple lots.