lost an online auction, then got asked to buy it

[Caveman]

About a month ago I lost an online auction for some computers. Two days ago I got an email from the local school system that the auction winner lives a couple thousand miles away and hasn't even paid for the items yet. They offered to sell me the lot for my last bid, the last bid before the winning bid. The terms of the auction were that the items were to be picked up by 10 days, after that the auction winner would be charged for the items and the school can do with the computers as they wish.

I suggested to them to give away the computers, to me if they want, and charge the auction winner. I included a note that I would have been very happy to win the auction straight up, but if I were to buy the computers now it would sort of let the 'winner' off the hook. Sure, no matter what the guys account gets frozen, and he can't use that online auction site again, but that is no big deal. If the 'winner' has to pay for something, or has to dodge collection agencies they probably won't play around again.

Thoughts? I passed up making good money off of these computers, but figure it would pay off in the future. I hope that the school doesn't go easy on the 'winner' as it just ruins things for guys like me.

[NJSouth]

I think you need to do for you!! Make the money you can for you and let the system deal with the other guy. You work too hard for what you do and sometimes this stuff doesn't come along all that often. Let us know how you make out.

[msmoorad]

if u would make good money on your last offer for the auction-then just go ahead & pay for it

we all know that the other guy is at fault
but if u hold out, u could lose it all

though, if u are sure u wont lose it
and that they could lower the price,
hold out for a while

or maybe make an agreement that they give u first preference in their next auction

[RustyDollars]

Forget about the other guy. This is your golden opportunity to become your local schools ewaste guy.

[miked]

Also there is no reason not to offer less than you last bid. I have been offered the same thing myself and offered when the item did not make the pre-set minimum price. Mike

[fecual]

I agree with the other poster who said that it is your golden opportunity to get into that school system and become their "friend". Try to be nice and businesslike and tell all of them how much you want their recurring business.

[oldtoothlessbassmaster]

I personally avoid any "second chance offers" or "the winning bidder backed out" deals.

the possibility that the "high" bidder was pushing up the final price for the seller cannot be ignored.

[Caveman]

Maybe saying local isn't totally accurate. 50 miles from my home, but compared to states away it's local. If this would have been my towns school maybe I would have been more willing to go the extra mile. I think maybe one reason I got the asked to buy them was that a couple weeks ago I did win another auction for a different somewhat-nearby school system and the person there was very happy with my promptness and willing to help, and maybe my name got recommended somehow.

To those saying think of myself. That is why I am second guessing myself. If I was struggling to survive right now I would have done the deal, regrettably. These were for more than scrap, but not sure if that matters.

[1956]

Ok well I would like to give my opinion here, first of all to the guys that think you will become the schools new e-waste guy, you are 100% wrong! the schools are selling there scrap on line to get the most they can, they use these online auction company's because they feel they would get more thru them rather than the school handling the sale themselves. Now I have been buying lots on line way before it was the thing to do, it's pretty common for the high bidder not to pick up there lot for manny reasons, so it is just common sense to offer the lot to the last inline bidder, if they pass on the lot it will just be put back on auction the next week or the next sale, if you are a good business man and know what you can pay, I bid my maximum bid, if I buy it for less than that it's a little sweeter, I do not let my personal feelings get involved in my bid it's all business, so if they offer you the lot for your high bid I think you are making a mistake not getting the lot. Just my .02.

[armygreywolf]

Now hold on. In the interest of fairness, and for legal reasons, if they choose to go with the next highest bidder they actually have to do that at your LOWEST high bid in which the winner did not outbid you or someone else. I know usually in the last hour I get into a little war with someone on servers or whathaveyou and well...is what it is. My last legitimate bid before the winner should be the ask price. Example: I bid 35 bucks on something, that bid stands until the winner starts bidding against me...all his bids should be nulled and my last standing bid before him should be the ask for the lot. That's my two cents.

Small edit: I realize that may not make sense to some, but look at it like this, that's the deal I would have had without his bid...that's what's actually fair. I may have bid against the winner sure...but competition is different than inflated bidding.

[Immulmen]

Now hold on. In the interest of fairness, and for legal reasons, if they choose to go with the next highest bidder they actually have to do that at your LOWEST high bid in which the winner did not outbid you or someone else. I know usually in the last hour I get into a little war with someone on servers or whathaveyou and well...is what it is. My last legitimate bid before the winner should be the ask price. Example: I bid 35 bucks on something, that bid stands until the winner starts bidding against me...all his bids should be nulled and my last standing bid before him should be the ask for the lot. That's my two cents.

Small edit: I realize that may not make sense to some, but look at it like this, that's the deal I would have had without his bid...that's what's actually fair. I may have bid against the winner sure...but competition is different than inflated bidding.

In other words, if I bid $25, then someone bid $30, then I bid $35 then he bid $40. If he does not pay you should be offered it at $25, not $35.

[t00nces2]

Now hold on. In the interest of fairness, and for legal reasons, if they choose to go with the next highest bidder they actually have to do that at your LOWEST high bid in which the winner did not outbid you or someone else. I know usually in the last hour I get into a little war with someone on servers or whathaveyou and well...is what it is. My last legitimate bid before the winner should be the ask price. Example: I bid 35 bucks on something, that bid stands until the winner starts bidding against me...all his bids should be nulled and my last standing bid before him should be the ask for the lot. That's my two cents.

Small edit: I realize that may not make sense to some, but look at it like this, that's the deal I would have had without his bid...that's what's actually fair. I may have bid against the winner sure...but competition is different than inflated bidding.

This /\... Unless you will be getting $76,908.21 worth of goods for $0.61. if so, pay the $0.61 with a smile on your face.

[erewen]

Makes sense Armygreywolf. Never had a bidder pull out before, but I have been contacted on a bid that was rejected as too low at the time of the auction, only to be given a chance a week later to buy it at my bid.

[Caveman]

Now hold on. In the interest of fairness, and for legal reasons, if they choose to go with the next highest bidder they actually have to do that at your LOWEST high bid in which the winner did not outbid you or someone else. I know usually in the last hour I get into a little war with someone on servers or whathaveyou and well...is what it is. My last legitimate bid before the winner should be the ask price. Example: I bid 35 bucks on something, that bid stands until the winner starts bidding against me...all his bids should be nulled and my last standing bid before him should be the ask for the lot. That's my two cents.

Small edit: I realize that may not make sense to some, but look at it like this, that's the deal I would have had without his bid...that's what's actually fair. I may have bid against the winner sure...but competition is different than inflated bidding.

I did think about that. Difference was between about $230 and if done your way, the correct way, about $215. But how do I know that the third place finisher isn't in on the gig, too? I think I should have pushed to get the lot for opening bid. Think that was only $75.

[1956]

Now hold on. In the interest of fairness, and for legal reasons, if they choose to go with the next highest bidder they actually have to do that at your LOWEST high bid in which the winner did not outbid you or someone else. I know usually in the last hour I get into a little war with someone on servers or whathaveyou and well...is what it is. My last legitimate bid before the winner should be the ask price. Example: I bid 35 bucks on something, that bid stands until the winner starts bidding against me...all his bids should be nulled and my last standing bid before him should be the ask for the lot. That's my two cents

Small edit: I realize that may not make sense to some, but look at it like this, that's the deal I would have had without his bid...that's what's actually fair. I may have bid against the winner sure...but competition is different than inflated bidding.

Well we can go back and forth on this, the bottom line is be a smart bidder know what you are willing to go to and place your bid, avoid costly bidding wars, sometimes the best deal is a deal you don't make.Internet auctions are not 100% fool proof but what in life is?

[armygreywolf]

I'll just use Wisconsin Surplus as an example since it happened today. I lost the lot I was bidding on three weeks ago now. They called me today and asked if I was still interested in the lot, I said sure. That really beats having to relist it... They looked up the last bid I made as "high bidder" as if the original winner had not bid at all, got it for that. In fact most online auction houses have this practice at least if I tell them what my last "bid" was. If you go to an equipment auction (which I also do this time of year regularly) and the winner doesn't take it...usually over stupid stuff like "they said it runs but couldn't get it going" And there I am, again high bidder before him, at that point I'll just come out and say what my last bid was before him and offer it just like that, 90% of the time I get it.

I'll save my rants for other things

[Caveman]

It happened again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This time I already have a history with the seller and gave them a call. The seller sweetened the deal adding in a few things that weren't included in the original lot and I agreed to the deal. Should be getting complete working dual cores for less than scrap price. Not going to pass this one up.

[unknownk]

Any deal that makes you legal money (enough to be worth your time) is a deal you should not pass up.

[matador]

Any deal that makes you legal money (enough to be worth your time) is a deal you should not pass up.

This last post has been brought to you by Gordon Gekko.

I approve.