It's very simple, brain.  AA provides the information, then goes silent.  We take the information and after that it starts getting deep.

Schuylerboy, yeah, go to GB where they have a FIFTEEN minute rule. Makes sense to me.....bigger is better right?????

brain, AA has made THEIR decision on how they want to run THEIR site with THEIR policies. Even though we might like to THINK it is, this site ain't no Democracy. It is what it is, and we go along and stay, or hate it and go somewhere else.

It is AMAZING how many buyers are saying they are going to go to GB now, and they don't even KNOW that GB has a 15 minute rule on ALL of their auctions.

Petes- But when AA and GB or GA all have the 10-15 min rule, the most important thing becomes "amount of auctions".

With all being equal, buyers will go to the biggest selection. IMHO

I know the sevice is better here, but newer buyers won't know that. Even seasoned buyers won't know that, unless they have dealt with AA in the past.

Very few people read this forum. And would not have a clue about what most AA members believe about the service here.

AA has simply stepped into the shadow of the bigger sites. Obscuring any differences there were between them. And AA may fade because of that choice.

brain, can't disagree with any of your points. Well stated as well. The key to everything about this site, as far as I am concerned, is advertising. GB is bigger and has FAR better advertising out of all proportion to size differences. We get people ask us all the time to sell stuff for them on the net. When I tell them we will sell it on AA, they, 98% of the time, have never heard of this place. It seems to be a well kept secret. While I don't believe that the 10 minute rule will address any of this unless AA wants it to, I do believe it will increase per-auction returns by a bit. Bargains will be less, but listening to some posters here, there are none to be found anyways. The best thing that could happen to ANY of us here, buyers and sellers, is if AA becomes more well known. GB has the market visibility nailed. I do know that some sellers here asked AA to address the 10 minute rule as they saw that sales were suffering in comparison to AA's direct competition, GB. The one thing that AA, or any site, cannot do is keep everyone happy. Buyers want that screaming deal to snipe at below value and sellers want the item they sell to realize maximum price as in a real live auction. Methinks AA has decided that the sellers are the ones to keep happy as their, (AA's), income comes from the seller, albeit as a result of what the buyer pays the seller. It was a catch-22 decision either way, kinda between a rock and a hard place. And ONE thing can be certain, ain't no WAY everyone will be happy. Even if Utopia COULD be achieved, there sure would be some skinflinted greedy SOB that would find SOMETHING to carp about. Take care!

Well I for one am against this new move and yes they are going to be about the same as GB now and that is sad and the guys are right about GB having more guns so if the rules are going to be the same why not go there-- the indiviuality is now gone and the reason for so much of what was liked about AA is also gone now. I never once heard any discussion as to what the buyers thought so that statement about asking buyers and sellers seems dubious at best and yes I know this is AA's site and they have the right to do it but we also have the right to take our business elsewhere too --now that we are being run off to the same things as GB who has more of a selection. The word auction is now less meaningful here. This on top of the Gpal fiasco and the failure to put forth proper communications really does raise serious questions about AA now--next thing we know Gb is going to buy AA out and we will have lost even more but they are nearly there already so what is the difference. I too like Trapper liked the idea (even if I knew it was very unlikely) of having the penny auctions where a guy could buy cheaply and also I agree what was said about phantom bidders driving the price up even more now. The chance of any bargains just went poof and that is why people come to the sight in the first place mainly.

BNPHunter - If anyone believes that there is no difference in AA or GB now, they're a fool or just plain ignorant.  Having bought on both, I will flatly state that if anyone has experienced a problem as a buyer on GB, the difference will be readily apparent.  The word "fairness" is not in GB's vocabulary if you a buyer with a problem.  They don't care.  To them, the seller is always right and they don't care if a seller screws a buyer.

Maybe I will not be able to able to buy as much as I have  previously on AA now but I know that I'm going to be backed up by the site if there's a problem and I'm in the right.

The difference in attitude toward buyers is the main reason I'll stick with AA as long as fairness to seller and buyers remains the site's policy.   

5th love to read your post when you are being tactful!!!LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have, on a couple of occasions, needed to contact GB Customer Service concerning a problem or two. Each time it was not a bad experience and issues were resolved in a timely manner.

Also, there is one AA former seller who has recently experienced the same response form their customer service.

All things can change, as we all have experienced here on AA recently, and maybe GB has seen the light and now realizes the value of good customer service.

Bubba J

There's a time for being tactful and there's a time to be frank to the point of bluntness.  As much fun as I have with the guys here, there are times when some of us make me want to tear my hair out - if I had any.  Yeah, we've had some contentious issues and I've been as free with my opinions about the site, its policies, and the management as any.  Anyone qualified is free to express his opinion and unless it's waaaaay overboard, it stays on the forum.  I frankly doubt that the Green Site would let some of the criticisms I've seen here stay posted on their site and I have no doubt that the customer service here is far superior to theirs, escpecially for buyers.  Others may leave as they wish, but I'm staying unless there is the unlikley eventuality that AA started acting like GB toward the buyers on the site.