Ethics question regarding buying at auctions...

[tbob]

I have expressed my feelings before, some agree, some don't, I don't see anything wrong with fellow collectors "stepping aside" for each other on a particular card that is needed. I am aware of the "consignor" argument and I mostly buy cards although I do sell some, mostly duplicates or from sets I no longer am thrilled about, but I still feel there is nothing wrong with collectors helping each other this way. I will go one step further, I don't see a problem with collectors going together to buy a set or large lot and have a plan to divide up the winning cards. I have purchased sets before just to obtain a handful of cards and then sold the rest on BST or ebay, card by card and have also gone in with a group of collectors who might need a type card or a team card or just a couple for their set. There is always the argument that this lowers the final purchase price and hurts consignors but in actuality, there have been a few sets that none of us could afford but we could be vigorous bidders when we come together. The final price was driven up because of the group's bidding...
Just my 2 cents....

[iggyman]

Nothing unethical about what you are proposing. In the glory days of eBay (when you could see the other persons id), stuff like you suggested would occasionally happen. But at the end of the day, it would almost be impossible to get a bunch of prewar junkies to actually agree beforehand on what cards they could bid on.

By the way, I'm all "in" on the elimination of a few bidders. Do you need any names???

Lovely Day...

[barrysloate]

Ethics is often about good or bad intentions.

If a group of friends pools their resources to buy a lot because none of them can afford it otherwise and most only need a few cards, then even if it lowers the final price there is nothing wrong with it.

On the other hand, if a group of dealers conspires to depress prices by never bidding against each other, then that is unethical, not to mention illegal.

There is a gray area here, no doubt.

[egbeachley]

An agreement to step-aside and allow another to win an auction is called collusion and is definitely illegal in that it artificially lowers the price.

I don't think this applies to most of the courtesy withdrawals previously mentioned.

[rainier2004]

Im appreciative of all these well-thought responses to the situation. Im in the gray....

[pclpads]

If you're doing this w/ a relative, ok. But, if you're approaching basically a stranger and essentially saying, "I'd appreicate it if you didn't bid on this lot becuz I want it more than you do," that's not a question of ethics, but arrogance. Bad form!

[rainier2004]

Originally Posted by pclpads

If you're doing this w/ a relative, ok. But, if you're approaching basically a stranger and essentially saying, "I'd appreicate it if you didn't bid on this lot becuz I want it more than you do," that's not a question of ethics, but arrogance. Bad form!

Yeah, Im more in the middle with guys Ive bought and sold cards with for about a year now. Not a relative, but also not a stranger. The stranger seems like it would fall into that "illegal" category...definitely bad form.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by rainier2004

Yeah, Im more in the middle with guys Ive bought and sold cards with for about a year now. Not a relative, but also not a stranger. The stranger seems like it would fall into that "illegal" category...definitely bad form.

Okay, I'll risk getting a reaming....If I know someone on the board collects a rare item, I know he is willing to 'over-spend' for it, and I see such an item come up in a major auction....I have a few choices: 1) I hope he doesn't see it 2) I assume he sees it and I can either give up immediately and alert him to the item, or 3) I can try to outbid him, knowing one of us will pay way above market value, or 4) I contact him in advance and try to come to some sort of arrangement so that the bidding doesn't get out of hand, or 5) he contacts me and I ignore him or brush him off.

If I choose option 4, is that wrong? Personally, I would never do it, but I HAVE had other collectors approach me (option 5), trying to figure out where I stand on a particular item. I generally try to tactfully brush them off.