Most players love auctions. Some love going to them, while others love to hold them. Some, on the other hand, enjoy both. Chances are extremely high that if I see an auction listed in the events, I’ll stop whatever it is I’m doing and go check it out. These days it can be hard to find a good auction. Auctions are perfect for getting great deals, but if you do not know how to attend and behave while in one,
there’s a big chance you’ll get kicked and lose your chance of scoring amazing deals! Many people have resorted to having private auctions (invite only) because, well quite honestly they can’t deal with the “general public” and their behavior at an auction. In any given auction you will hear the following said: “When are you going to lock”, “I’m lagging”, “Start”, “You’re on me, move”, “Do you have any rares?”, “Next”, “Get off me you idiot”, and many variations of these.
This week I’m going to give my tips for attending an auction. Next week we’ll have tips for people holding auctions.
1. It’s not your auction so don’t be bossy.
- No one likes to have people tell them what to do. Owners know they have to lock and you telling them is not going to make it happen faster. You need a good amount of bidders for a decent auction and since several people disappear rather quickly, owners usually let a few extra people in. If you feel the need to say something, don’t be rude about it.
- Once an item has been sold, give the owner time to complete the trade. With slow loading times and large inventories this can take a couple minutes. Saying next isn’t going to speed up the process. (I always laugh to myself when someone says “next”. Like the owner is just sitting there doing nothing while everyone is waiting.)
2. Lag happens, don’t contribute to it.
- By now we all should know that certain things cause lag. Do not go to an auction wearing the following items: flashing camera, sparkler, your car, flying carpet or any other animated items. Do NOT dance, strike a pose, or any other actions. Don’t even think about having water balloon fights. They cause major lag. Do not max each other. If there is an animated item up for bid, please do not click on it. You don’t need to test the bouncy out or get shocked by the tesla coil. Leave it up to the owner to demonstrate if anyone needs it.
3. Turn off your buddy list.
- First of all, it causes lag. Secondly, no one is interested in your buddy showing up in the middle of the auction asking you if wanna come look at the junk they have for sale, oblivious to what is going on around them. So just turn it off when you’re in the auction.
4. Move in and find a spot.
- Most of the time at least two people spend the first five minutes arguing over who got to a spot first or who is standing vs sitting. No one wants to hear this. Let me let you in on as little secret….you will always be sitting in the chair on your screen until the lag catches up. ALWAYS! (And don’t think that you’re not the one lagging.) And the other person obviously doesn’t see you sitting there, they see themselves sitting. So quit arguing about it and move. No one else cares who moves – we just care that someone moves. I mean, come on guys, it’s not like you have to physically get up and walk somewhere else. Would you rather look like the stubborn baby who just keeps saying “I was here first” or be the bigger person who moved so the issue could be dropped? And once you find a spot that’s good – stay there.
5. Not all auctions have rares.
- There is no rule that says if you have an auction you must have good rares or 08 costumes. People are allowed to have auctions for regular, still in stores type stuff. There are plenty of people who want auctions with cheaper items. I see nothing wrong with politely asking the owner if they have rares or what types of items are coming up. If you don’t like the items, don’t thrash on the owner. Just leave.
6. Do not sell at an auction unless the owner says it is okay.
- Have your own sale or auction. Don’t highjack someone else’s event. And don’t PM asking if my hat is for sale. It’s not.
7. Do not bid unless you want and can pay for item.
- This is an obvious one, but still deserves to be said. Too many times someone “changes their mind” or opps, didn’t have that much. Pay attention to where the bid is at and how much you can. Unfortunately there will always be poofers who for whatever reason think it’s funny to waste people’s time. The rest of us need to be responsible bidders.
Auctions can be a lot of fun. I’ve met some great people at auctions. When there is a good group of people you can joke around and have a good time without even finding something to buy. If we would treat each other with a little respect and common courtesy, auctions would be much more enjoyable. So that’s it for now guys! Stay tuned next week for tips on how to hold auctions 
