AH Etiquette when someone clearly over bid?

What have you done when it happened to you?

I am torn because someone over paid for something on the AH, not just by 1k or 10k but big time.

If you want to be completely fair, give back the difference of the going rate. If it was me, I'd keep half and offer half back.

As someone who has done that before (and never gotten gil back) I say keep the difference.

Here's why:

Regardless of personal feelings, the game does offer multiple layers of security to ensure you know how much you're paying for something. A lot of times we might get in a rush, and overlook it, but that's the burdon of being in a rush.

I'm sure you've looked around Jeuno and seen plenty of tools (I mean, mules) who put single-piece dynamis currency in their bazaar for 100-piece prices hoping to catch a quick gil. Is this morally right? Perhaps not, but if players take responsibility for their own purchases, then those tools (sorry, I meant mules again) wouldn't be reaping any benefit.

So, if you personally feel compelled (as you said, you're torn) then do what you think is fair. However, it would do much more for a player's psyche to understand the consequences of their actions.

The "right" thing is to give them the gil back, the "wrong" thing to do is to keep it for yourself and pray off their mistake, the choice is yours either way because it was their mistake, they will learn more if you keep it for yourself, however they will probably not hate you if you return the money.

Give it back. It's the sensible thing to do. The game has enough asshats as it is, making enemies can be done a number of different ways.

Nobody would argue that the person bidding shouldn't take responsibility for their mistake, but nobody's going to consider you ethical if you make a conscious decision to profit off of someone else's misfortune, either.

If they send me a tell explaining themselves and don't come off as an ass while doing so, I'll usually give the money back.

Otherwise, if they don't do this, chances are I'll never even notice that they overpaid. I don't look at the gil I take out of the dbox, I just take it.

If they ask nicely, I would give back most of the money if they made an accidental bid that was orders of magnitude bigger than the going rate is. If someone paid 100k for a 10k item, I would probably give them back 60-70k or something. If they bid 1M for a 10k item, I would probably give them back ~8-900k, again, if they asked nicely.

If it was for example paying 200k instead of 100k, I wouldn't really care, and just keep it all.

I would use the windfall to purchase a gaudy, overpriced hat.

Small amounts like 100k or a million are easy to talk about giving back. Let's get down to the real issue here, someone over paying, assuming that they are over paying and not being generous because they're quitting, by 100 million gil. If you found 100 million gil in your del box because someone meant to bid 10 million, would you be so forgiving on returning most of that back? When in FFXI it's not easy to earn 100 million gil. You might can do it over and over. I can. But I will never consider it easy. It's nothing but a major chore, and downright "impossible" for the player without crafts and or multiple accounts at their disposal. A person can make 100 million gil selling nothing but beehive chips. Has anyone done it? I doubt it. The possibility isn't in question, the motivation is.

So the real question is can you return 100 million gil? because returning even just 10 million isn't THAT hard to do. 100 million can make a lot of dreams come true, however. Even for me I'm not so sure. It'd be tempting to have a "free" 99 Mandau but ultimately I probably would return it if the person were on their knees over it. However I would secretly be hoping that they were pricks about it before I ever opened my mouth because then I would just keep the gil as a big FU to someone presuming right off the bat that I'm an evil bad guy for being on the receiving end of their mistake. That doesn't usually happen, though. Usually it's "oh god have mercy on me masta that's my life savings I'll quit if I lose that"

I generally would not feel great about obtaining something like 99 mandau or a KC or a new relic or whatever that's worth a fortune at the cost of someone's life being temporarily ruined, not to mention knowing I did not really earn said item for myself. But if you come off as a spoiled little brat then I doubt I'll have much of a problem over it. You can go buy more gil from RMT or something. You'll live, Mr. gold spoon in mouth.

Ethics wouldn't be required if the world was perfect.

Give them back the money.

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Originally Posted by Vold

Small amounts like 100k or a million are easy to talk about giving back. Let's get down to the real issue here, someone over paying, assuming that they are over paying and not being generous because they're quitting, by 100 million gil. If you found 100 million gil in your del box because someone meant to bid 10 million, would you be so forgiving on returning most of that back? When in FFXI it's not easy to earn 100 million gil. You might can do it over and over. I can. But I will never consider it easy. It's nothing but a major chore, and downright "impossible" for the player without crafts and or multiple accounts at their disposal. A person can make 100 million gil selling nothing but beehive chips. Has anyone done it? I doubt it. The possibility isn't in question, the motivation is.

So the real question is can you return 100 million gil? because returning even just 10 million isn't THAT hard to do. 100 million can make a lot of dreams come true, however. Even for me I'm not so sure. It'd be tempting to have a "free" 99 Mandau but ultimately I probably would return it if the person were on their knees over it. However I would secretly be hoping that they were pricks about it before I ever opened my mouth because then I would just keep the gil as a big FU to someone presuming right off the bat that I'm an evil bad guy for being on the receiving end of their mistake. That doesn't usually happen, though. Usually it's "oh god have mercy on me masta that's my life savings I'll quit if I lose that"

I generally would not feel great about obtaining something like 99 mandau or a KC or a new relic or whatever that's worth a fortune at the cost of someone's life being temporarily ruined, not to mention knowing I did not really earn said item for myself. But if you come off as a spoiled little brat then I doubt I'll have much of a problem over it. You can go buy more gil from RMT or something. You'll live, Mr. gold spoon in mouth.

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If it was an extreme amount like 100 million gil, it might not be as easy. To be entirely honest, it would probably depend on if it got it on one of my mules, or if it was on my main. If it was my main, I feel pretty confident that I would give back at least half of it. It's not really a bad deal to get 25 millions for free, while at the same time not get a very bad reputation. If it was on a mule that no one knew was mine, I'm not sure what I would do. I'm not the kind of person who would give back a few hundred dollars if I found them lying around and no one saw me take them, and 100 million gil isn't worth a lot more than that, so yeah.

Yes, I'll admit that the main reason I'd give it back is because I want a bit of a good reputation.

If they know they made a mistake they'll usually come to you about it. If they offer to return the item give them a refund or if they ask for the difference do it. I'll happily do so if asked, but I'm not going to hunt the buyer down.

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Originally Posted by Vold

Small amounts like 100k or a million are easy to talk about giving back. Let's get down to the real issue here, someone over paying, assuming that they are over paying and not being generous because they're quitting, by 100 million gil. If you found 100 million gil in your del box because someone meant to bid 10 million, would you be so forgiving on returning most of that back?

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If they sent me a tell, I'd give it back rather easily. Even if it was 100 million. Why? Because I prefer integrity over greed.

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Originally Posted by Alhanelem

If they know they made a mistake they'll usually come to you about it. If they offer to return the item give them a refund or if they ask for the difference do it. I'll happily do so if asked, but I'm not going to hunt the buyer down.

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This. Go about your business. If the person contacts you, consider returning the overpay. If not, enjoy your new windfall.

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Originally Posted by kewitt

What have you done when it happened to you?

I am torn because someone over paid for something on the AH, not just by 1k or 10k but big time.

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Well Buyer Beware basically, it's your call. Somebody over paid on something on the AH that i put up a couple of years ago and asked for the difference back. I sent it back but honestly it's your discretion. The only reason I did was because they asked.

It's exactly like those people who overbid on stuff posted to e-bay.

I would prolly give most of it back. if they lost a small portion of it i dont mind it due to really, a lesson should be learned for this kind of thing. I usually dont make this mistake as i am pretty ocd and check my prices like 15 times before i hit enter.

Havign said that, one time I got a tell from another player (who is pretty rich id think) who said they accidently overpaid for an item. i Didnt even know it happened til he told me, but he was very nice. He asked for it back and said I could keep 100k of it if i gave back the rest to him. I said i will give it all back to him but he was pretty insistant that i keep 100k of it (above the item's price) so i was finally like ok.

If someone came at me like a doucher tho they might get 10k of it back. Its all how they act upon the request. Ive even had some people pay too much but never send me a tell bout it. but that wasnt anything that would break the bank.

From being someone who has over payed by quite a bit once myself, It honestly just depends on your conscience, I've overbid by a few 100k sent the item back to the person in hope they'd refund since it was an obvious mistake but ended up just taking it and reselling it again. All in all it is entirely on the person who bought it and completely them to blame but whether or not the seller is nice or has a conscience, just the luck of the draw. Just my opinion though.

If someone were to overbid my item by 100mil, I'd invite them to join me for the screenshot I post upon finishing the relic I buy with it.

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Originally Posted by Neoclou

From being someone who has over payed by quite a bit once myself, It honestly just depends on your conscience, I've overbid by a few 100k sent the item back to the person in hope they'd refund since it was an obvious mistake but ended up just taking it and reselling it again. All in all it is entirely on the person who bought it and completely them to blame but whether or not the seller is nice or has a conscience, just the luck of the draw. Just my opinion though.

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I've heard of a similar method to get their attention by dboxing them 1 gil

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Originally Posted by Neoclou

I've overbid by a few 100k sent the item back to the person in hope they'd refund since it was an obvious mistake but ended up just taking it and reselling it again.

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That may not have been the most well thought out plan.

Giving someone every opportunity to screw you over is never a good plan. It's a brilliant one.

Someone once bid 300k on a 30k item I put up. I looked at the AH history and d-boxed the difference to the guy. Didn't even wait to see if he was gonna ask for it. He ends up sending me a stack of RCB's in thanks.

I'm pretty confident I'd do the same thing even if it was 100 mil. But that's just me.

I always try to give it back. Tho their have been times ive never seen that character logged on again and couldnt.

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Originally Posted by Kysaiana

Someone once bid 300k on a 30k item I put up. I looked at the AH history and d-boxed the difference to the guy. Didn't even wait to see if he was gonna ask for it. He ends up sending me a stack of RCB's in thanks.

I'm pretty confident I'd do the same thing even if it was 100 mil. But that's just me.

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That's exactly what I'd do... No sense in screwing over someone because they messed up, not like that.

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Originally Posted by Demon6324236

That may not have been the most well thought out plan.

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Eh was a Cerb hide vs a stack of leathers, all or nothing. They were a mule, not much I was able to do otherwise.

I've been on the wrong side of this before, accidentally bid 420,000 for 42,000 dragon meat. Tried to talk to the person who sold it to me, was ignored, /sigh, move on.

I just feel bad for the people who must have accidentally paid 18,673,893 gil for a wooden arrow, that must have been heart breaking. Ohwait.

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Originally Posted by Neoclou

Eh was a Cerb hide vs a stack of leathers, all or nothing. They were a mule, not much I was able to do otherwise.

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I dunno, if it were me I would probably keep the item just because I paid outrageous money for it in the 1st place, would feel like shit if I spent all that money just to lose the item on top of it.

I reply with <<That's too bad.>>

If I keep getting bugged/harassed, I send them 1 gil, as a condolence.

I'd send the money back.

Never happened to me, though, but I've been on the other side. A few times I slightly overpaid, but one time, when 100k certainly was more for me than 1 or even 3M is now, I paid I think a bit under 400k for a 1k scroll while bidding for Utsusemi 2. It was rather funny because I think I got an IM at that moment, and for some reason, it likes to activate the mouse cursor which was at the time located over that cheap'o scroll. ^^;

I didn't even send them a message, but I did send them the scroll back!

I don't mind that they didn't send me a message even; it was my mistake, but I personally would still send the money back even if it was 99,999,999 Gil. Though at that point, I might consider reporting them to the STFµ first, since that might be just a tad suspicious...

I had someone bid 10m on a Galateia which as going for 1m at the time several years ago. I did give them the 9m back. It was some JP guy he sent me all this stuff in Japanese. I couldn't understand him but then he started speaking in English I gave him the 9m back. He also gave me something he crafted because I gave him 9m back.

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Originally Posted by Dragoy

I'd send the money back.

Never happened to me, though, but I've been on the other side. A few times I slightly overpaid, but one time, when 100k certainly was more for me than 1 or even 3M is now, I paid I think a bit under 400k for a 1k scroll while bidding for Utsusemi 2. It was rather funny because I think I got an IM at that moment, and for some reason, it likes to activate the mouse cursor which was at the time located over that cheap'o scroll. ^^;

I didn't even send them a message, but I did send them the scroll back!

I don't mind that they didn't send me a message even; it was my mistake, but I personally would still send the money back even if it was 99,999,999 Gil. Though at that point, I might consider reporting them to the STFµ first, since that might be just a tad suspicious...

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Pssst... Hey ... Shhhh... Just mail the 999 billion Gil back! Please? :( But seriously, I'm not sure what I would do. Never had it happen before. I HAVE put a few items up before for abit cheaper the the going rate. Just to sell it faster . XD At least that's how it seems the AH works to me. The cheapest goes first or if same price whoever put it up first? Someone enlighten meh. D: On another note: Unico...err... Fenrir for life ! ....!

If yours is the cheapest, it sells first, yeah.

If one item is for sale at 1 million gil, and you put up another for 100 gil, if someone offers 1 million for that item, your item sells and you get all the money. Of course, if someone tries to offer just 1000 gil for that item, you'll only get that, even if the item is actually worth a million, that's why extreme undercutting isn't very smart, at least not for the seller.

...'sigh'. Can't believe I'm admitting to this.

Is it wrong that I sell everything on the AH for just 1k? Due to my limited play hours for my favorite game, I speed up the sale process by doing this...

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Originally Posted by Sephiran

...'sigh'. Can't believe I'm admitting to this.

Is it wrong that I sell everything on the AH for just 1k? Due to my limited play hours for my favorite game, I speed up the sale process by doing this...

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No shame in that, I do 2 gil, and only if it can't be sold to an NPC vendor.

When ever I over pay I always have the same responce. "Lucky bastard."

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Originally Posted by Arcon

No shame in that, I do 2 gil, and only if it can't be sold to an NPC vendor.

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Yay! I'm off the hook! Thanks Arcon!

I had this happened to me once back in 2006. Someone paid over 3mil for my 10k item, he contacted me a day later asking very nicely for his money back, I obliged. I know at the end of the day it is all meaningless virtual goods but I would have felt guilty if I held onto the cash.

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Originally Posted by Arcon

No shame in that, I do 2 gil, and only if it can't be sold to an NPC vendor.

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2gil....? Blasphemy! 1 Gil or go home. :)

Someone should make a bot that automatically bid 5g on everything on the AH, for so to NPC it or resell it.