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Lets see some popular fish like plecos,corys,discus. Hey it's just a suggestion from a buyer! If you sell them-they will buy them :)

If the deals were"good" more would bid.

RMC wrote:

There are 4 pages of plecos listed on AB and only 12 auctions have bids.
There are 2 pages of cories listed on AB and only 6 auctions have bids.
There are 2 pages of discus listed on AB and only 5 auctions have bids.

With so few people participating and even fewer bidding on "One-Hour" auctions, it's not very likely there will be many fish offered unless the seller protects themself with a minimum or reserve bid.  In the past, sellers were criticized for using minimum/reserve bids so most don't bother posting in SNE anymore.

I see a lot of multiple auctions by a few sellers every time I check them out.  They seem to have high - almost retail, starting bids and are obviously from commercial sources.  People eventually figure out that there aren't many bargains in these auctions.  Why would you buy sight unseen from a seller you don't know when you can pay the same price to buy from a more trusted source?

Discus and Flowerhorn auctions, in particular, are overpriced to the point where I wonder that anyone buys from them.  Maybe they're just shilling auctions and the sellers hope to make side deals later on.  That's why I think Mark should charge a small fee which wouldn't hurt any of the honest sellers, but stop the freeloaders from using Aquabid as an advertising billboard.  I could see it being a small percentage of either the minimum bid or reserve, whichever is higher, for all amounts in excess of $20.

I'm thinking a lot of you define a "good deal" by how cheap you can get something and give little to no consideration to the time and effort it takes to make some of the stuff available.  How can you say discus are overpriced?  Do you have an inside information souce so you know what the breeder/seller has invested in his stock?  I have discus that cost me over $100 each plus shipping when they were under 2 inches in size.  Frank and a lot of other Corydoras enthusiasts, including myself, have a fortune invested in some species.  Most hobbyists and avid aquarists pay a lot more for the fish they keep, put a lot more time into keeping them healthy, and if they sell online they usually guarantee live delivery.  Personally, I think a good share of the fish sold on AB are worth more than what a lot of you see in retail stores.

Seriously, if price is the only motivation you have for buying online then perhaps the fish at WalMart are better suited to your needs.  I buy online because that's how I get the unusual, and high-quality fish I like to keep and I almost never whine about the price because I know what it takes to get these fish.  Nobody is holding a gun to somebody's head to make them bid.  If sellers can't get a fair price for what they have to offer I can't blame them for not wasting their time taking pics and typing all the verbage to run an auction.  Just look at the last few comments in this thread and tell me what motivation any seller in their right mind would have in order to list any uncommon species in a one-hour auction.  It's no longer a fun time when a seller loses his butt and then reads posts of people complaining that the prices aren't low enough.

Like Frank said, a good deal is only good if both sides are pleased.  And that's probably the only time you'll ever see me even remotely agreeing with that knucklehead.

RMC wrote:

I'm thinking a lot of you define a "good deal" by how cheap you can get something and give little to no consideration to the time and effort it takes to make some of the stuff available.  How can you say discus are overpriced?  Do you have an inside information souce so you know what the breeder/seller has invested in his stock?  I have discus that cost me over $100 each plus shipping when they were under 2 inches in size.  Frank and a lot of other Corydoras enthusiasts, including myself, have a fortune invested in some species.  Most hobbyists and avid aquarists pay a lot more for the fish they keep, put a lot more time into keeping them healthy, and if they sell online they usually guarantee live delivery.  Personally, I think a good share of the fish sold on AB are worth more than what a lot of you see in retail stores.

Price is not the only consideration.  It is a part, but not even the most important part, when compared with quality and reliability.  I am perfectly willing to pay more for fish from a source I trust and/or who has good references.  I usually pay more for fish from AB sellers than I would have to through local stores, because I trusted the online seller when he described the quality of his fish. 

I admit that my statements about discus and flowerhorns are more personal opinion.  I don't care for either one.  I have bred Discus and don't find them particularly interesting.  There is a mystique around discus that I have seen develop during the 50+ years I have been in the hobby to the point where some of the more ardent followers of this fish have taken it to almost religious levels. 

Flowerhorns are, IMHO, nothing but genetic pollution, as are red parrots.

I'll be at SNE but not in chat. Chat won't load for me for some odd reason.

Barbara aka nysparkle aKa sparky as you guys call me in chat. ;  ^  )

SPARKY... LOL, THAT'S MY BIRDS NAME!

I TRIED GETTING INTO CHAT AROUND 5 W/ I.E. NO LUCK WANTED ME TO DOWNLOAD THE LATEST JAVA... I HAD NO LUCK WITH THE DOWN LOAD, BUT, YOU COULD TRY THAT, OR A DIFFERENT BROWSER.

THE ECONOMY STINKS SO EVERY RETAILER IS SLOW.
FISH AND RELATED SUPPLIES AND NOT NECESSITIES... WELL AT LEAST NOT TO MOST PEOPLE SO IT'S ONLY NATURAL SNE IS SLOW... AQUABID ITSELF ISN'T AS "BUSY" AS IT ONCE WAS.

AND YES RMC A LOT OF SELLERS WERE BADGERED INTO POSTING WITH NO RESERVE.... SOME EVEN STARTED @ $1
PERSONALLY... I THINK FOLKS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RUN THEIR AUCTIONS IN WHATEVER WAY WORKS BEST FOR THEM.

WHAT HAPPENED IF YOU RECALL WAS THAT AQUABID, AND AQUACHAT COULDN'T HANDLE THE LOAD OF ALL THE EXTRA FOLKS USING THE SERVER.
AND YES A LOT OF SELLERS GOT SCREWED WHEN THINGS KEPT CRASHING.

THE ORIGINAL IDEA OF SNE WAS A TIME FOR SELLERS TO GIVE BACK A LITTLE
TO THE BUYERS, A CHANCE TO GET INTO CHAT WHEN FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY THERE, MEET NEW PEOPLE, FIND OLD FRIENDS AND BASICALLY HAVE A GOOD TIME IN CHAT.

THERE WERE CONTESTS AND PRIZES AND FOLKS HAD FUN!
AND YOU CAN STILL GET GOOD DEALS.
1 HOUR AUCTIONS ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SNIPERS!

I STILL HAVE FUN, CHAT IS A BLAST!

ALL THE CRASHING PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN FIXED FOR MONTHS....
I KNOW SOME SELLERS ARE STILL GUN SHY.... BUT HAY YOU CAN AT LEAST COME TO CHAT AND HANG OUT AND MAKE A SIDE DEAL OR TWO.

TONIGHT I'LL GIVE AWAY A "SECRET" AUCTION, AND AM ALSO RUNNING 3 TRIVIA FOR PRIZES!

"WANTED ME TO DOWNLOAD THE LATEST JAVA... I HAD NO LUCK WITH THE DOWN LOAD, BUT, YOU COULD TRY THAT, OR A DIFFERENT BROWSER."


Yeah I had that too. I tried uploading the newest java and while it's in my files I'm not sure if it's active.
I use firefox for my browser. Internet explorer is not loading at all these days.
My dh works in computers but you know the saying the cobblers kids have no shoes.
One of these days he will find time to look at it. Hm yeah right.

SPARKY... LOL, THAT'S MY BIRDS NAME!

I TRIED GETTING INTO CHAT AROUND 5 W/ I.E. NO LUCK WANTED ME TO DOWNLOAD THE LATEST JAVA... I HAD NO LUCK WITH THE DOWN LOAD, BUT, YOU COULD TRY THAT, OR A DIFFERENT BROWSER.

THE ECONOMY STINKS SO EVERY RETAILER IS SLOW.
FISH AND RELATED SUPPLIES AND NOT NECESSITIES... WELL AT LEAST NOT TO MOST PEOPLE SO IT'S ONLY NATURAL SNE IS SLOW... AQUABID ITSELF ISN'T AS "BUSY" AS IT ONCE WAS.

AND YES RMC A LOT OF SELLERS WERE BADGERED INTO POSTING WITH NO RESERVE.... SOME EVEN STARTED @ $1
PERSONALLY... I THINK FOLKS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RUN THEIR AUCTIONS IN WHATEVER WAY WORKS BEST FOR THEM.

WHAT HAPPENED IF YOU RECALL WAS THAT AQUABID, AND AQUACHAT COULDN'T HANDLE THE LOAD OF ALL THE EXTRA FOLKS USING THE SERVER.
AND YES A LOT OF SELLERS GOT SCREWED WHEN THINGS KEPT CRASHING.

THE ORIGINAL IDEA OF SNE WAS A TIME FOR SELLERS TO GIVE BACK A LITTLE
TO THE BUYERS, A CHANCE TO GET INTO CHAT WHEN FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY THERE, MEET NEW PEOPLE, FIND OLD FRIENDS AND BASICALLY HAVE A GOOD TIME IN CHAT.

THERE WERE CONTESTS AND PRIZES AND FOLKS HAD FUN!
AND YOU CAN STILL GET GOOD DEALS.
1 HOUR AUCTIONS ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SNIPERS!

I STILL HAVE FUN, CHAT IS A BLAST!

ALL THE CRASHING PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN FIXED FOR MONTHS....
I KNOW SOME SELLERS ARE STILL GUN SHY.... BUT HAY YOU CAN AT LEAST COME TO CHAT AND HANG OUT AND MAKE A SIDE DEAL OR TWO.

TONIGHT I'LL GIVE AWAY A "SECRET" AUCTION, AND AM ALSO RUNNING 3 TRIVIA FOR PRIZES! 





IF YOU READ ALL OF WHAT I ACTUALLY WROTE YOU MIGHT FIND WE ARE SAYING THE SAME THING... ARN'T WE?

COULD BE, THAT YOU PROMOTED IT, JUST LIKE I PROMOTED, YOUR CHAT....


AND IT WOULD BE SUPER NICE, SINCE YOU PROMOTED IT, TO KEEP PROMOTING IT NOW THAT IT'S TAKING OFF AGAIN.

I HAVE NEVER HAD A BAD TIME AND MEET LOT'S OF GOOD FOLKS THAT I MIGHT NOT HAVE OTHERWISE MET.

YES IT STARTED SMALL AND SOME GREAT SELLERS (PETE FOR 1) SUPPORTED IT, AND IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT, IT SOON OUT GREW THE SERVER....
TWICE! THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING AT.

THE PROBLEMS THAT AROSE WITH AB'S AUCTIONS, AND CHAT CRASHING, LEFT A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE LERCH, SO TO SPEAK.
BUT THAT'S LONG PAST!
AND JUNE'S SNE WAS GREAT FUN!

I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO AGREE THAT "CRAIG" WAS ACTUALLY THE ONE WHO CONCEIVED THE CONCEPT OF SNE. AND IT WAS HIS BABY FOR A LONG TIME.
(HE CONTACTED ME LAST YEAR ABOUT DOING A SALT WATER SUNDAY)

AND HE ASKED ME TO MAKE FLYERS AND PROMOTE IT, WHICH I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO.  AND AFTER HE LEFT I CONTINUED, ALONG WITH OTHERS SUCH AS CIVIL, IJEDIC, AND SUE MANG AND SOME OTHER CORE FOLKS WITHOUT WHICH IT NEVER WOULD HAVE LASTED AS LONG AS IT HAS. UNFORTUNATELY NONE OF THEM SEEM TO COME AROUND MUCH...... WONDER WHY?

MY GUESS IS THAT THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND FRIENDSHIP WAS SOMEHOW LOST... AT LEAST FOR A WHILE.

AND FYI....
I WAS THERE FROM THE VERY FIRST NIGHT, AND I HAVE ONLY MISSED IT ONCE DUE TO A HOSPITAL STAY AND ONCE BECAUSE LUSCIOUS TIGRETTE SENT ME BACK STAGE PASSES FOR A HOUSE OF BLUES SHOW. AND ONCE BECAUSE I WAS SO BEAT THAT I JUST COULDN'T STAY UP ANY LONGER.

SORRY ABOUT BOUNCING UP AND OLD POST, I JUST "FOUND" IT, AND I FELT THAT AS AN ONGOING SUPPORTER OF AB AND SNE, YOU DESERVED A RESPONSE.

ALL THE BEST.... UNCLE. 

P.S. JULY SNE IS ON THE 17TH HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!