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Hello, we implemented it this way since eBay is the most popular auction site out there and that's how they've always done it. However we do understand the conf

Hello, we implemented it this way since eBay is the most popular auction site out there and that's how they've always done it. However we do understand the confusion here. Do you think it's better to change the wording or simply move away from a proxy style auction? We hae been debating this internally as well but always deafult to eBay's functionality in these cases. You can use the contact form to request a refund. Just give us your username and it will be done right away. Thanks for the valuable feedback.

jacquesm 17y ago
As to the changes in the wording, if you switch to a regular style 'highest price' listed I think you'll find yourself doing a lot less in refunds, and you won't need to change the wording. Right now the only wording that would be acceptable before signing up or at least before paying for credits should be: "Beware, the highest bid you have seen on the item that you are interested in may be an arbitrary amount over the bid displayed" and "Second highest bid" on the item page, or a big fat disclaimer that in spite of the two-stage payment process you are using a proxy bidding system, which means that the chance is very large that your bid will not be the winning bid after you place it, and that you'll just end up buying a bunch of credits, which you can only spend on 'poorly drawn giraffes' and other stuff of that nature. Or some way to test if your bid would be the highest bid before you commit to buying the credits (that would defeat some of the advantages of a proxy bid though, because it would allow people to figure out the real high bid). Also, it is good practice to make it as easy to do a refund as it is to sign up. I know ebay does proxy bidding, I've bought plenty of stuff on ebay, but I pay after winning the bid. My obligation to pay starts with the bid, but I'm not required to pay until winning the auction, my card is not charged until after the auction closes. The scenario to go through is the one where a new user of your system buys enough credits to pay for the item that he/she is interested in. Only to find after going through all that that the amount is not high enough and that you need to buy still more credits (but not how many) in order to place a successful bid. You can't really do that imho, it feels like you're being taken for a ride. That request for a refund should be in your inbox.
andreyf 17y ago
Although I know about proxy style auctions work, I was also a little shocked by the suddenness of the Enter the bid amount... OK. Buy points... OOK. Enter credit card... OOOOK. You're about to bid... OMG OMG OMG! Are you sure you want to bid?... Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh, sorry, you've been outbid. Granted, this made me run for the PayPal link ;) I think a wording change should be enough for people who don't know how proxy bidding works. Instead of saying "Current bid", say "Second highest bid [?]" (with the [?] being a link). When someone clicks on it, explain how proxy style auctions work in very plain terms. Ditto for the "Your max bid" - say "Maximum you're willing to bid [?]". I'd also suggest a slight UX change: maybe slow down the process a little so that you can see "You've bid 200 points! Comparing bids... you've been outbid.

jacquesm 17y ago

As to the changes in the wording, if you switch to a regular style 'highest price' listed I think you'll find yourself doing a lot less in refunds, and you won't need to change the wording. Right now the only wording that would be acceptable before signing up or at least before paying for credits should be: "Beware, the highest bid you have seen on the item that you are interested in may be an arbitrary amount over the bid displayed" and "Second highest bid" on the item page, or a big fat disclaimer that in spite of the two-stage payment process you are using a proxy bidding system, which means that the chance is very large that your bid will not be the winning bid after you place it, and that you'll just end up buying a bunch of credits, which you can only spend on 'poorly drawn giraffes' and other stuff of that nature. Or some way to test if your bid would be the highest bid before you commit to buying the credits (that would defeat some of the advantages of a proxy bid though, because it would allow people to figure out the real high bid). Also, it is good practice to make it as easy to do a refund as it is to sign up. I know ebay does proxy bidding, I've bought plenty of stuff on ebay, but I pay after winning the bid. My obligation to pay starts with the bid, but I'm not required to pay until winning the auction, my card is not charged until after the auction closes. The scenario to go through is the one where a new user of your system buys enough credits to pay for the item that he/she is interested in. Only to find after going through all that that the amount is not high enough and that you need to buy still more credits (but not how many) in order to place a successful bid. You can't really do that imho, it feels like you're being taken for a ride. That request for a refund should be in your inbox.

andreyf 17y ago

Although I know about proxy style auctions work, I was also a little shocked by the suddenness of the Enter the bid amount... OK. Buy points... OOK. Enter credit card... OOOOK. You're about to bid... OMG OMG OMG! Are you sure you want to bid?... Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh, sorry, you've been outbid. Granted, this made me run for the PayPal link ;) I think a wording change should be enough for people who don't know how proxy bidding works. Instead of saying "Current bid", say "Second highest bid [?]" (with the [?] being a link). When someone clicks on it, explain how proxy style auctions work in very plain terms. Ditto for the "Your max bid" - say "Maximum you're willing to bid [?]". I'd also suggest a slight UX change: maybe slow down the process a little so that you can see "You've bid 200 points! Comparing bids... you've been outbid.