Hi all,
I wanted to ask what people's views were on dibs-ing, and what the forum etiquette has been, given that I'm fairly new to the forum. While I understand that there is an informal acceptance of dibs-ing someone else's watch within the forum community, so should they wish to sell it, they may privately offer a watch to another forum member, prior to offering it to the forum in general.

However, my personal view is that that shouldn't apply to watches on eBay, and that every forum member is able to bid on watches on eBay. If there was some convention that a person who brings an eBay auction to the forum has 'dibs' on it, it would encourage over-posting as everything that someone was vaguely interested in, they would post here, to a) get dibs and b) ensure that somebody else doesn't get dibs. I try to do some research on a watch myself before posting, and only post those that I'm honestly interested in, either to buy, or to discuss for some reason or another. It also would reward people who happened to be online at the same time as a good watch is posted on the Recommended thread.

While a 'dibs' system may work for sales within the forum, as then if the person with the 'dibs' doesn't end up buying the watch, it is likely to then be offered within the forum to other members, that doesn't work on eBay. If there is a watch on eBay that two forum members are interested in, but the one with 'dibs' happens to have a much lower maximum bid than the other, it isn't fair that that watch then gets lost to all forum members, and could then end up in someone else's hands entirely.

Anyway, just my view.

 

The general rule is if you find a watch and are asking for us to vet it, we'll understand it to mean you intend on bidding on it and refrain from driving the price up by competing with you. If a member has already located it and has it on their watched items list, he'll usually tell you. While there's nothing wrong with free enterprise and competition, do we really want to cost each other money? The good thing is that there are different experience levels, and therefore different desired watches. You are correct that the dibs thing isn't always perfect and it would be good to privately work out who has priority first and up to what their maximum price is. It's also correct that no Omega is so rare that only one exists - and if it were so, it would be out of all of our price range. I've passed on plenty of very nice Constellations, some that are more sought after models because they were the first to have this or the last to have that, to get the best examples of the ones I most desire.

 

And I have no problem with that at all.

What if you hadn't already seen it before i, or someone else, brought it here, and then you though 'damn, that is one great watch!' ?

 

None of the VΩBT would snake it out from under you. It's an unwritten rule among us. Again, we'd just add it to our Most Wanted list and hunt down another (better ) specimen.

However, there are probably dozens or more lurkers that have no qualms about swiping your gem from your grasp. Ever wonder why you don't see me, Steve / cicindella, Kyle, Evan / gatorcpa, or any other of the gang posting links for opinions? Think about it.

 

One pays ones money, and takes ones chances. I would not bid against another here from the forum, unless like has been said I was already watching the watch. I would however let someone know that I was interested. I value the opinions to much, I am no expert, and like to know that I can ask and perhpas not make an expensive mistake. With ebay I decide before hand what I am willing to pay. I will make a mid level bid early to let others know that I am serious. It's those last few seconds... Have not made any "offers" yet however. It is an auction that takes "offers" then I would consider that. I have never done that selling or buying yet, and I have sold and bought a lot on the bay. Feedback is important, but not perhpas as much as it was in prior years.

 

Just an example, few months back I had my eyes on a waffle dial constellation which MKelley posted here subsequently. I would have had a go for it at 1200 just to make sure i get it but decided to give it a miss after his post. He won the watch for sub 900 eventually. I re-read the thread again and learnt he would bid higher than me. We would both have been losers had I gone ahead, me not winning the auction and him paying a much higher price. Very happy for MKelley and I get to see that watch every time he posts. And I will never dare to post the watch here even if I had won it.

 

Two men enter, one man leaves.... with a watch, that is.

What other forum gives you an opportunity to quote lines from Mad Max?

 

I agree with everything you state, except I bid late. Similar style as Steve stated above. I guess I take a laid back approach to dibs. I agree it's not a perfect process. I'd like to believe, no member would intentionally bid against another, unless they agreed to do so beforehand. The non-member lurkers are out there. Even if I'm serious about bidding & others on the forum are interested in bidding the same piece, I back off...no problem. Guess I haven't found my holy grail yet. I do, as we all do, have a wishlist. Mine's short & it has not shown up, but for a few examples, that after some vetting decided to pass. For now, I just play on Ebay, if it catches my eye, as a newbie, I seek & kindly receive opinions/advice that are valuable to the learning process. Play On!

 

Gavin, I don't know what to say, other than I didn't know. I'm glad you're happy for me, but knowing what I did was wrong, I'm not happy with myself. Since my avatar is a bitter reminder, I will take it down...immediately. Whew

 

No worries dude. I got myself another nice one shortly after. Patience is one of my virtues. And I like that avatar.

 

Gators bark? And I thought it was strange for cats to bark.

 

Congrats to you, on both getting a nice one & patience, it is a good virtue to have.

 

Sounds like it's purring. Is somebody rubbing it's belly?

 

My excuse: I activate my protection shield against eBay dibs when login onto ΩF

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