I've looked at the new auction forums a few times. And each time I've been bothered by the number of fake auctions. That is a retail business posting items with the starting price = full retail. It seems at least one business is using the auction forum as cheap advertising. Is there any way to stop this? This action dilutes the value of the auction forum. In fact, I doubt I'll take the time to wade through the fake auctions while this goes on.

Yes. There is. We are taking measures this week to mitigate and eliminate this issue.

I admit we did not consider this in our plan and will likely make it so commercial retailers cannot upgrade and thus would have to pay insertion fees and/or surcharge to list to eliminate this unwanted practice.

Thanks, I wouldn't have thought someone would be so unethical myself. So they save a few bucks on advertising and trash there rep.

I agree this needs to be dealt with. It looks like these vendors are deciding to not pay the advertising fees and abusing the system by inserting auctions at retail price so they only pay the insertion fee. They are basically ripping off the system and cluttering up the auctions where people really want to see deals, not full retail that they can get anywhere. Marc I know you will deal with this, but I just wanted to add my vote.

It is tough to anticipate all the 'ways around' and 'loop holes' that people will come up with. I'm just nice of a guy tho think that way. [sm=devious.gif]

I agree also

Maybe if the had a vendors auction in a seperate listing? they(RCU) are trying to deal with it and are doing a 'filter by' set-up so that should help.

But its just like the old Swap-meet or Flea market, you use to go there for the deals and it just kept changing untile it was 95% NEW imported junk being sold, and the "back of the pick up" guy could not afford the table fees. Miss the old Swap meets too

I think they will realize that the member of RCU aren't going to be 'chomping' on bad deals and if they wish to sell their RC stuff, they are going to have to price it appropriately.

Understood! That is why we are helping you with this stuff, so that the more brains that are contributing, the less things will fall through the cracks and be missed.

There was also an incentive for this type of thing to occur, in the awards for most auction listings during the "interim" period.

Thanks Mav.... and thanks for assuming that I have a brain.

Gotta give you the benefit of the doubt! hehe....