From

Location

Message

Date Posted

[email protected]

Last night, a grower was very upset over a proxy bidder not having his or her name posted.
I believe it is up to the proxy bidder, if they want their name posted. No different than being at the auction under an Alias. I've done it, We don't know who a lot of the people are anyway, only a BP handle.
It also makes no difference who the proxy bidder is, If you want the seed bad enough, out bid them, or wait for the next time the same seed shows.
Eddy

1/25/2009 10:34:22 AM

Ohio

I agree Eddy, no club is here to rip anyone off, if thats the way you think then dont bid on the seeds. The money they are collecting is for us growers, not for their personal gain. If you dont like that the proxy is not named,dont bid, plain and simple.

Brooks

1/25/2009 11:00:16 AM

Gays Mills, Wisconsin

Eddy, you are correct in protecting a person's privacy when requested. There are various reasons for proxy bidding and for wanting to know who the bidder is. Sometimes I like to know who the buyer is so I can contemplate getting pollen. A seed like the 898 Knauss is/was the perfect example.
But if I can I'll buy, if I can't I'll keep my ears and eyes open to see if the seed or pollen can be obtained later in the season. Good auction, round two tonight! ding! ding!

1/25/2009 11:17:02 AM

[email protected]

I've run quite a few auctions. We always say "proxy" when posting on their behalf but we already know who they are. Getting the bidders name is for the sellers benefit not the other buyers.

1/25/2009 11:17:10 AM

Mulino, Oregon

The proxy bidders always identify themselves to us, the club, prior to being a proxy. It is up to the club to 'vet' out this person ahead of time. As I said last night if you're upset with the process don't bid or go away, it's pretty simple.

1/25/2009 4:02:24 PM

Berlin,mi.([email protected])

Poxy money is just as good as any other. It all goes for a good cause. I agree with everyone else. There is no need for other bidders to know the name of the proxy bidder.If you want the seed out bid the proxy. Plain and simple.

1/25/2009 4:55:52 PM

Marion,IN

It seems like this happens at least one time a year in the auctions where someone gets upset when there is a proxy bidder. My eyes may have been mistaken, but I think earlier in the auction last night the persons name/nickname was mentioned when the proxy bid on a leeser dollar seed. I could be wrong, which usually is the case. Go proxy!!!

Mark G.

1/25/2009 7:55:14 PM

Gold Hill, Oregon

i agree. if the person wants to be anonymous thats thier choice.

1/26/2009 1:14:31 AM

(rocky) Bonney Lake Wa.

Besides who is to say that the proxy bidder isn't more than one person or it may even be a group of bidders. In this case for the very desired 898 Knauss seed and the fact of how high the price went by the proxy bidder one might think it to be two or more people. Which would only make sense not to list all of them if that is the case. Or the person as we all have stated just wanted to stay unknown.

1/26/2009 3:17:01 AM

Western Wisconsin

It appears that one side to the proxy bidding debate is very well represented here. Good luck to whoever the proxy bidder was that got the 898 Knauss on Saturday.

1/26/2009 6:09:16 PM

Tenino, WA.

John you must have missed the auction the proxy bidder / bidder got out bid for the 898.

1/26/2009 11:18:08 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Several years ago, I was "the" complainer about "non named proxy bidder"...live and learn, I guess!! Great explanation guys, just like you did "several years ago"!! LOL Privacy of a or a group of proxy bidders, is fairly common now, and completely acceptable... Peace, Wayne
PS...I was sorta grinnin when the proxy dint win!!! No disrespect to anyone here!!!

1/27/2009 1:23:22 AM

Wi

I see no reason why anyone can't bid with an alias. Most people at an auction either don't bid or don't bid to win. If I don't want the world to see who I am I think that's my business.

1/27/2009 10:23:10 AM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

Many livestock auctions I have attended have proxy bidders and live bidders, I know some of them, but it makes no difference to me who they are, I just bid to the amount I am willing to spend, win or lose, end of story.

1/27/2009 1:46:10 PM

Long Island,New York

I think everyone is dancing around the point here....based upon what I hear in chat and elsewhere, the real issue with Proxy is an aweful lot of people feel the proxy--being unnamed--is being used by the auction to run up the price of a seed. (Im going by what I'm told...heard etc, not my opinion neccessarily.)Real or imagined, the population feels there's a potential for the auction to run up the bids or selectively buy back the seed should there not be the bids they expected, all working through an unnamed mysterious bidder. That is what I'm hearing and I imagine no one wants to come out and say it so as to not anger the seed gods.
Real or imagined, the very fact that many people feel this way should cause the auction groups to take a look at "un-named Proxy" as a means of bidding. I accepted a Proxy bid this year at the Squash Auction because it was a named grower. Had the grower wished to be annonimous then I would have asked the grower to just have a friend bid for him, rather than give the auction a feel of not being on the up-and-up. I really don't think getting a trusted friend to bid for you is so hard and is well worth the effort to keep the percieved validity of the auction.
Thats what I'm hearing "around the town".

1/27/2009 3:45:06 PM

Wi

Point very well taken. I guess if the feeling of dishonesty is coming to seed auctions what's next? It's a seed for crying out loud!

1/27/2009 4:24:06 PM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

Glenn I understand what you mean, I believe it is called Shelled bidding? Live auctions often have proxy and even telephone bidders, no one knows who they are, equally bidders in live auctions can not always see all bidders, so again they don't know who the real bidder is, or if it was a bid at all. At live auctions i try to position myself where I can see the majority of the bidders if I can. At the end of the day that is the way auctions run. If you don't like them then bid in the Silent ones.

1/27/2009 4:25:38 PM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

Thinking about it, this thread ia quetioning the integrity of the auction holders. Personaly quetioning their integrity is not somewhere that I want to go. I am of the belief that all auctions on here are for the benefit of the growers, and the seeds have been donated for the same purpose. Sour grapes or sour minds even are not something I want to be involved with so I shall stop reading this thread.

1/27/2009 4:47:39 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

It's very simple- all the clubs need to do is have a disclaimer in their rules that although there may be proxy bidding, the club is in no way is involved or associated with driving prices higher through this method. Simple.

1/27/2009 5:10:17 PM

Western Wisconsin

Correction to above reply- Good luck to the person that won the 898 Knauss.

1/27/2009 6:56:13 PM

[email protected]

I can't speak for the auction in question (wasn't online)but the allegations sound bogus. If a member of a club wants a seed there is no reason the member can't bid. It might look strange but it's the cleanest way for a club member to buy a seed that has been donated for the club's benefit.

The most popular reason we've accepted a proxy offer was because the buyer was working. One year a proxy request came from a guy who was taking his wife out for their anniversary. Another time a club member wanted a seed but had to work. It was an amazing battle but the proxy lost that time.

I really don't believe we've ever had a proxy just because someone wanted anonymity. In Fact I KNOW that's never happened to us. It would be evident when the email confirmations & payment arrived.

Some folks just love conspiracies. There is a certain romantic mystique associated with blaming "the man" for everything we don't like or understand. Look at all the morons who think the lunar landings were staged. LOL It would be very funny if it wasn't so pathetically sad.

1/27/2009 11:33:01 PM

Long Island,New York

Steve...What allegations?
Phil....What personal question of integrity?
You won't find either in my post and I'm appalled at your attempts to suggest otherwise.

1/28/2009 7:16:30 AM

Rhode Island

i do agree with glenn that the honesty card could come into play with proxy bidding however, when you get right down to it we must rely on a clubs honesty to even be shipping the correct seed dont we?
personally i do believe that 99 and 9/10 percent of pumpkin clubs run a fair and honest auction,and proxy bidders are legit.
further --- if you have a special seed then put a starting bid on it?
this will insure serious bidders and value in return for that seed.

my only criteria if i were bidding would be where the club got the seed? if it came from the growers hands? or a club members private collection? that is a great start.

reputation is also a big thing in our pumpkin community. if your club strives to be consistant and honest in its dealings ? then it will florish as well.

1/28/2009 7:35:49 AM

Westford, MA

I was wondering if any of the auctions have the
#1186.5 Proxy '07 ???
Any Pics??

1/28/2009 7:39:03 AM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

"Phil....What personal question of integrity?
You won't find either in my post and I'm appalled at your attempts to suggest otherwise."

Glenn that was not directed at you, I can assure you, but directed at the overall feel of this thread, in that questioning the use of "proxy bidding" and questioning the motives of it is questioninng the integrity of the auctioneers?

1/28/2009 10:55:53 AM

[email protected]

Until BP has a complete list of Peoples names, addresses, email addresses, and phone number, and include their BP handle. How do we know who's actually bidding anyway.
I have changed the user settings, gone into the auction, and bid, Nobody knew who I was.
If the clubs want, all they have to do is assign a ficticious name to a proxy bidder, and post Jolly green Giant rather than Proxy, we would never know the difference.
As far as using Proxy bids to boost prices, I absolutely disagree with that statement, All it would take is for the club to win back one auction, for the whole thing to blow up in their own face.

1/28/2009 11:39:24 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Very good points Eddy!

1/28/2009 5:17:22 PM