The auction contract system needs to be fixed and updated

[pRyodon]

The auction contract system needs to be fixed and updated.

The Helpdesk article for Auction Contracts says:

“If the auction contract receives a bid shortly before it expires, the auction will be extended for some time to allow other bidders to react. Additional bids within that timeframe will extend it again.”

Exactly how long is “extended for some time?” The “time left” section of a auction contract does not display the exact time the auction will end. I am looking at an auction and it says “Time left: Less than a day.” This is extremely vague!

If I want to bid on a auction contract which is in a far away region, I have to go to that region. If I want to win the auction, I have to stay in that region for “Less than a day” until the auction is finished. I’ve got other things I would like to be doing besides waiting around for an auction to end.

Auction contracts should display the exact time the auction will end and if it is extended by the act of someone else bidding, then the new ending time should be displayed.

Auction contracts should have automatic bidding where you bid the highest amount you are willing to pay but only pay the current auction price not your highest bid amount if you win the auction.

If someone put up for auction a researched BPO, they might get more for the item than the price they would get from a regular contract. It takes a considerable amount of time to research some BPO’s and if someone really wanted it, they probably would be willing to spend more to get it.

I also think that auctions should be available for bidding from anywhere in the universe, not just in the region where the item is located. What do you do if there are two items for auction that you really want that are located in different regions that end on the same day? The HyperNet Relay allows items to be “traded at any time, from anywhere.” Why not allow this for auctions?

I strongly believe the auction system would get a lot more use if it weren’t so vague with the end of auction time, had automatic bidding, and bids could be placed from outside of the region where the item was located.

I talked to players about these issues and I got the reply: “Auctions suck!!” So lets fix it!

[Jerry_Falcone]

Most auctions IRL on websites such as Ebay and others, when it ends it ends, so if you place a bit within 2 minutes of it ending, 5 others could easily outbid you with outrageous prices, and there are no extentions to the auction, when its over its over.

One thing I agree with is that you should be able to participate in an auction that is not in your region, but still keep it separated from between the different securities. IE if you are in High, you can’t bid on low or null, or if you are in low, you can’t bid in high or null etc.

but I also think that if you win a bid, you can get some time frame to pay, before the item is transferred, or make the seller transport said product to a station of your choice, before you pay.

[Galaxy_Raid]

@Jerry_Falcone

but I also think that if you win a bid, you can get some time frame to pay, before the item is transferred, or make the seller transport said product to a station of your choice, before you pay.

Hell ■■■■■■■ no, to both of these.
What if the winner doesn’t pay? What would stop him from not paying, oh yeah…just take the isk when he bids. At absolute minimum you’re wasting the sellers time.
“Ah yes, I’d like you to deliver it to this structure you don’t have access to. Please try not to get shot by the gank I have set up on the off chance the item drops when I blow you up trying to get it here.”

Set the bid system like Ebay, you bid your max, and then the game auto bids in 1 mil increments up to your max. BUT unlike ebay where people bid on stuff they have no intention of paying for, take that isk at the time of the bid and refund where appropriate when the auction ends.