* With the impending launch of Peter Contarino's, Sean Linkenback's and Ken Schacter's auctions (vs. fixed price sales which are there now), I've been visiting their MoviePosterExchange.com site. It's easy to navigate and very user-friendly. (BTW, where in the heck did the highly-touted $850,000 "Metropolis" 3-sheet go? I can't find it! Did it sell?) At any rate, while visiting the site's FAQs, I read that it has partnered with GavelSnipe, the sniping program service, which will be available to bidders for timed auctions. That's good news.
* But what's interesting - and this has nothing to do with MoviePosterExchange.com - is GavelSnipe "appears" to be owned by Heritage. If I'm wrong, please correct me - and a thousand apologies if I am. I'm less concerned about potential abuses like shilling and what not with Heritage's auctions - than I am about transparency. GavelSnipe's murky origins are troubling. I couldn't find much info about who owns or runs it. This is NOT a criticism of Grey - who I consider a pal. The issue of GavelSnipe's ownership - if indeed Heritage is its "owner" - is out of his hands. It's bigger than him because it's available to bidders in Heritage's other departments. * If true, this is NOT like PayPal being owned by eBay. It's more like GavelSnipe being owned by Sotheby's or Christie's, e.g., a conflict of interest where potential abuses "could" occur - despite assurances that a "sniping subsidiary" of Sotheby's or Christie's - can operate independently - with an iron-clad ability to preserve the confidentiality of all scheduled "snipe" bids submitted online. Do you trust this, given what you've read in the news about Sotheby's, Christie's, price fixing, Wall Street buddies in bed with politicians trading stocks with confidential info, etc.? * By using ANY sniping program, you are imparting the same trust you already give to auction sites when submitting "absentee bids" for "live" showroom sales. The difference is you can't be "run-up" while using a sniping program, or so you think, because your bids are placed in the last few seconds of a timed sale. But what if the wall protecting "sniped bids" is breached by another department in the SAME building? Here's what I know: GavelSnipe is based in Dallas and "uses SSL encryption (so that) your passwords are secured and not VIEWABLE by GavelSnipe personnel." I have no reason to distrust this. But what about actual snipe bid amounts before a sale closes? In the effort to make "sniping" available for clients like myself who've clamored for it - I hope Heritage hasn't errantly opened a can of worms by OWNING GavelSnipe - instead of PARTNERING with an independently-run third party company - such as JustSnipe or others like it. * Before most of you scoff and dismiss what I'm saying as "manufactured paranoia" or "no big deal" - please know that I'm approaching this as a person who has personally GAINED by buying and consigning items with Heritage over the years - hence I'm not inclined to see it stub its toes for ANY reason. Again, I'm more concerned about transparency than abuse when it comes to Heritage. And that's mostly because of Grey. But visit the GavelSnipe site. It "feels" like it has something to hide - as if it already knows that there's ZERO benefit to be PROACTIVE with consumers - about who's "really" signing the paychecks for GavelSnipe's employees. -d. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.