TOPIC: 2026 Token Auction Queue

I would like to run an Onyx Auction in the 2026 Token sets.

I know people organized a queue in previous years to try and not cannibalize each other. Has someone already done that, if not would we like to start one now?

My plan was to run a classic lightning auction like Trent. 7500, no augments

I will be planning to run a day 1 auction like I have in the past couple years. In the past I’ve done an $8000 augmented normal auction but I was thinking of dabbling into an augmented onyx but if too many people wanted to already do onyx then I suppose I will not.

We have tried queues in the past year and a couple years ago people just don’t wait or whatever. They come in and just start it even if you pointed it out to them.

Flik wrote: I will be planning to run a day 1 auction like I have in the past couple years. In the past I’ve done an $8000 augmented normal auction but I was thinking of dabbling into an augmented onyx but if too many people wanted to already do onyx then I suppose I will not.

We have tried queues in the past year and a couple years ago people just don’t wait or whatever. They come in and just start it even if you pointed it out to them.

I'm considering an ONYX auction, and I'd probably start it close to day one. I'm guessing there may be numerous auctions to choose from at the start of the token season.

Having some order is likely better than no order in my opinion. 4 auctions running at once will do better than 10 auctions running at once.

Impy wrote: Having some order is likely better than no order in my opinion. 4 auctions running at once will do better than 10 auctions running at once.

If only people would follow any semblance of order.

The prisoners dilemma

So many of the forum auctions take far too long to complete. It's not just competition, it's how they are structured. As someone with no interest in running one and some interest in bidding in them, I'd like to see more effort put into setting up to close rapidly.

Not that I expect auction runners to embrace things like short auction durations with guaranteed orders.

Ian Lee wrote: So many of the forum auctions take far too long to complete. It's not just competition, it's how they are structured. As someone with no interest in running one and some interest in bidding in them, I'd like to see more effort put into setting up to close rapidly.

Not that I expect auction runners to embrace things like short auction durations with guaranteed orders.

Do you have suggestions?

The challenge with all token auctions is that, as one gets closer to a stated goal, the prices at other auctions farther from goal look better by comparison.


I have an idea I hate, but could see using if needed.

EDIT: another issue all auctioneers will be facing is that this is a non-te year, which traditionally drives down pyp value

Wade Schwendemann (Dr. Uid) wrote:

Ian Lee wrote: So many of the forum auctions take far too long to complete. It's not just competition, it's how they are structured. As someone with no interest in running one and some interest in bidding in them, I'd like to see more effort put into setting up to close rapidly.

Not that I expect auction runners to embrace things like short auction durations with guaranteed orders.

Do you have suggestions?

The challenge with all token auctions is that, as one gets closer to a stated goal, the prices at other auctions farther from goal look better by comparison.


I have an idea I hate, but could see using if needed.

EDIT: another issue all auctioneers will be facing is that this is a non-te year, which traditionally drives down pyp value

I'd guess all auctioneers would like to structure the auctions to end as soon as possible. Short durations risks not funding. I'm not sure what you mean by guaranteed order - do you mean the $8K order will be placed regardless of how many bids are in?

The other factor regarding waiting to do auctions is there seems to be a much shorter window these days. I don't think very many auctions funded last year before interest in forum auctions seemingly died.

Yes, put a short duration, certainly not more than 2 weeks, maybe as short as 1, and say, "I'm going to order this regardless as to whether every item has a minimum bid." Then, put reasonable minimum bids - I really don't need to see a bunch of bids at levels so low that the auction will never close. The reality is that people are more likely to bid when they know the auction will close and more likely the faster it will close.

I'd also go with buyouts, which goes way back to auctions Potter was doing.

Now, auctions running at the same time do compete with each other, so there is an element of how to sell a bidder on mine than on someone else's. If they all run the same way, not a lot of reason to pick one over another as end prices of goods are largely going to be the same because most stuff has to be at a certain minimum level for an auction to close.

Yes, can get deals on certain things from some auctions versus others as they have different pies. Also because people will throw in augments to cross an arbitrary line at unpredictable times. But, putting aside things like augments, if one person is paying less in one auction, all that means is someone else is paying more in another. Far better to standardize pricing as much as possible so that everyone gets what they want when they want it and we move on to the playing season.

Ian Lee wrote: Yes, put a short duration, certainly not more than 2 weeks, maybe as short as 1, and say, "I'm going to order this regardless as to whether every item has a minimum bid." Then, put reasonable minimum bids - I really don't need to see a bunch of bids at levels so low that the auction will never close. The reality is that people are more likely to bid when they know the auction will close and more likely the faster it will close.

I'd also go with buyouts, which goes way back to auctions Potter was doing.

Now, auctions running at the same time do compete with each other, so there is an element of how to sell a bidder on mine than on someone else's. If they all run the same way, not a lot of reason to pick one over another as end prices of goods are largely going to be the same because most stuff has to be at a certain minimum level for an auction to close.

Yes, can get deals on certain things from some auctions versus others as they have different pies. Also because people will throw in augments to cross an arbitrary line at unpredictable times. But, putting aside things like augments, if one person is paying less in one auction, all that means is someone else is paying more in another. Far better to standardize pricing as much as possible so that everyone gets what they want when they want it and we move on to the playing season.

I've only run one auction, but I know that I'd never run one with a short window and a guarantee it will be ordered at the end of that window regardless of how far away it is from $8,000 (or whatever the set goal is). If the current bids are low at the end of the window, the auctioneer is at risk of being out thousands of dollars.

I do like the idea of buyouts and might incorporate them, although for the first few auctions there won't be much of a baseline yet to know what to set them at.

Mike Steele wrote:

Ian Lee wrote: Yes, put a short duration, certainly not more than 2 weeks, maybe as short as 1, and say, "I'm going to order this regardless as to whether every item has a minimum bid." Then, put reasonable minimum bids - I really don't need to see a bunch of bids at levels so low that the auction will never close. The reality is that people are more likely to bid when they know the auction will close and more likely the faster it will close.

I'd also go with buyouts, which goes way back to auctions Potter was doing.

Now, auctions running at the same time do compete with each other, so there is an element of how to sell a bidder on mine than on someone else's. If they all run the same way, not a lot of reason to pick one over another as end prices of goods are largely going to be the same because most stuff has to be at a certain minimum level for an auction to close.

Yes, can get deals on certain things from some auctions versus others as they have different pies. Also because people will throw in augments to cross an arbitrary line at unpredictable times. But, putting aside things like augments, if one person is paying less in one auction, all that means is someone else is paying more in another. Far better to standardize pricing as much as possible so that everyone gets what they want when they want it and we move on to the playing season.

I've only run one auction, but I know that I'd never run one with a short window and a guarantee it will be ordered at the end of that window regardless of how far away it is from $8,000 (or whatever the set goal is). If the current bids are low at the end of the window, the auctioneer is at risk of being out thousands of dollars.

I do like the idea of buyouts and might incorporate them, although for the first few auctions there won't be much of a baseline yet to know what to set them at.

Buyouts are generally set high anyhow, and you’ll have the advantage of knowing relative trade good value

True, except that I'm not sure we can count on relative trade item values being the same next year as this year. Recipes are different year to year, and hopefully they have been adjusted to help with chase and glut trade item tokens. I know I'm hoping Oil of Enchantment is lower next year than this year, we'll see if it is.