"To Out" or "Not to Out"

[Fballguy]

Oh...That kind of outing. My policy is, if I'm interested in the item, mums the word.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Fballguy

Oh...That kind of outing. My policy is, if I'm interested in the item, mums the word.

Haha...this!!!!! Like most topics on this board...there is no 1 answer. When should a post be allowed in the wrong section? Seems there are exceptions abound. Same as "outing" an auction.

[Snapolit1]

I see no problem "outing" an auction. I am careful not to crap on something a board member may be trying sell. However "does that look right" kind of posts are fine with me.

I've seen instances where someone simply posts "wow, did you see that Cobb on Heritage. . ." and people get their panties in a twist. Like it's a big secret or something. Never understood that at all, like we are supposed to be quiet and not draw attention to someone that some dude is looking at. On the internet. All poppycock if you ask me.

Long winded. . . I have no problem "outing an auction" and for the life of me just don't get it.

I've been accused of outing entire auctions. "Hey, is anyone watching Hunt" kind of stuff. Evan a deeper level of absurdity.

[Fballguy]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

I see no problem "outing" an auction. I am careful not to crap on something a board member may be trying sell. However "does that look right" kind of posts are fine with me.

I've seen instances where someone simply posts "wow, did you see that Cobb on Heritage. . ." and people get their panties in a twist. Like it's a big secret or something. Never understood that at all, like we are supposed to be quiet and not draw attention to someone that some dude is looking at. On the internet. All poppycock if you ask me.

Long winded. . . I have no problem "outing an auction" and for the life of me just don't get it.

I've been accused of outing entire auctions. "Hey, is anyone watching Hunt" kind of stuff. Evan a deeper level of absurdity.

It's hard to believe that consignors haven't come on here and outed their own auction items unbeknownst to everyone else. Why wouldn't you do that.

[drcy]

Not posting an ongoing auction is one of those 'unwritten rules,' as in baseball. Some people are strongly for this rule and insist everyone should follow it, but it is not a codified rule except in their minds. At the latest broken MLB unwritten rule brewhaha, some baseball people will respond "There's a reason it's unwritten. Because it ain't a rule."

I'm not against the rule and follow it (except in private conversations), but nowhere is it a law and, as in baseball, it gets comical when someone gets bent out of shape about unwritten rules that "have to be followed by everyone."

Certainly, if the public comments are about authenticity, identity, dating or important details concerning a current auction lot, those are talked about on this board with regularity and don't break that "unwritten rule."

[Buythatcard]

I personally don't like when someone outs an auction.

What bothers me the most is when a seller outs his own auction to beef up interest. If that's okay to do, then I will out all my auctions.

[Fballguy]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

I personally don't like when someone outs an auction.

What bothers me the most is when a seller outs his own auction to beef up interest. If that's okay to do, then I will out all my auctions.

Don't understand this logic at all. The most basic rules of marketing indicate that it's not only ok to do...it's mandatory.

Why wouldn't you want to beef up interest in your items? If someone wants to give their items away, they can take them to Goodwill rather than leaving it to chance at the mercy of the unwritten rules of secret auctions.

[Bigdaddy]

So what's the purpose of 'not outing an auction'? Allowing someone to pay less than fair market value for an item? Artificially limiting demand for an item and therefore reducing a seller's income? Manipulating free market conditions?

I'm all for fair and efficient markets. The whole things sounds communist to me.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

I personally don't like when someone outs an auction.

What bothers me the most is when a seller outs his own auction to beef up interest. If that's okay to do, then I will out all my auctions.

On the BST page there is an section where people can pimp their own auctions if they want. Doesn't belong on page 1.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

I personally don't like when someone outs an auction.

What bothers me the most is when a seller outs his own auction to beef up interest. If that's okay to do, then I will out all my auctions.

So you don't like when someone outs an auction, yet have a link on your posts to your eBay page. Mmmmm. Trying to process that.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

I personally don't like when someone outs an auction.

What bothers me the most is when a seller outs his own auction to beef up interest. If that's okay to do, then I will out all my auctions.

It's ok to do until you get caught (outing your own auction). Then you won't do it any longer on this board as you will be warned and then banned.

And to answer a question above, yes paid advertisers will be able to advertise on the front page but they are few and far between (besides auction date notes.)

And lastly, except for outing your own auction, there is no board rule against outing anything. It has been discussed many times before.