Good topic, let us interpret the rules:
Rule #8 of the auctions subforum is currently:
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8. You may have a buy it now price only in addition to your auction guidelines.
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The rule does not have restrictions as to when the BIN may be added.
However, these two rules are very important:
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4. You must specify an exact end time, of which time zone, and the date. NO "ends *hours after last bid" allowed. AT YOUR LEISURE, you may also allow for provisions of anti-sniping, so that a bid placed within the last 5 minutes of the auction would extend the auction by an additional 5 minutes to the clock. The standard to this rule, if its not exactly specified by the thread starter is this - 4 minutes remaining, bid placed, 5 minutes get added, so clock gives 9 total minutes till end of auction. If 1 minute or less is remaining, 5 minutes get added, so the clock gives 6 total minutes before auction closes. This is the standard to be used whereby anti-snipe is in place (and ONLY if anti-snipe is in place as would be stated by the auction holder). If anti-snipe is NOT clearly specified, it is not in effect. Anti-snipe is a new procedure in effect as of April 10, 2008 (4/10/2008).
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5. No "reserve price" auctions. If you have a reserve in mind, start your auction there and no time is wasted.
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http://www.dnforum.com/f150/auction-...ad-291685.html
I can see both sides of the argument though. I think the sellers deserve the benefit to post the BIN at their leisure. I think they should be allowed to have an auction and then decide after the start of the auction that they'll accept a BIN commitment.
A "buy it now" price added after the start of the auction may actually be detrimental to the final value of the auction.
As a bidder, it may be upsetting to see a BIN posted on an auction you helped run up via your participation. However, I think if we prevent sellers from posting a BIN after the start it will overall have more of a downside.
In addition, please keep in mind that there are no "reserve price" auctions. So if an auction hammer falls at said time and the BIN was not met, but there were bids, the seller is obligated to sell to the highest bidder.
Violators of the rules should be reported and the appropriate feedback should be left if you happen to be involved in a transaction gone sour.