Author Topic: Off & Away  (Read 2071 times)

Offline Smirk

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Off & Away
« on: June 11, 2010, 01:22:09 AM »
Promising the presidential suite for the price of a budget motel room, a hotel auction site called OffAndAway recently began operating online.

Two nights in the Tata Suite at the Pierre in New York — list price: $40,000 — was the first to go up for auction at the Web site, which deals the best room in the house at each participating hotel. The room ultimately went for $938.25.

Unlike most auction sites, which list a base price, Off & Away starts a sale at zero with minimum bids of $.25, and continues for 24 to 48 hours, closing on the highest bid when time expires. To keep the noncommitted from running up the price artificially, the site requires bidders to buy “bid packs,”  essentially chits sold in $10, $20, $50 and $100 increments and used to raise the auction price.

According to its chief executive officer Doug Aley, the financial commitment ensures only those serious about their hotel stay will bid for $20,000 suites normally patronized by the rich and famous. This way, high-end hotels generate revenue on rooms that would otherwise be visited only by housekeeping.

“We’d like to democratize the process a little and get other people to experience these amazing suites,” he said

Offline Dan

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Re: Off & Away
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2010, 01:53:25 AM »
I can't understand how these sites are allowed to call them "bids"
"Bids" cost $1, yet only raise the cost of the room by $0.25 and then if you win you need to pay the winning price.  They're glorified raffle tickets.

Really people paid nearly $4,000 worth of "bids" for the Tata Suite and then the winner had to pay $938 in cash for the suite.

Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Off & Away
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2010, 01:58:05 AM »
I can't understand how these sites are allowed to call them "bids"
+1
Unless you read through the "How does it work" properly it is very deceiving.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2010, 02:00:10 AM by aussiebochur »

Offline Smirk

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Re: Off & Away
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2010, 01:58:48 AM »

"Bids" cost $1, yet only raise the cost of the room by $0.25 and then if you win you need to pay the winning price.


+ your bids, its nuts

Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: Off & Away
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2010, 05:48:58 AM »
I've seen a couple of such sites, a 40 inch flat screen goes for $250, but $1000's have come in through all the bids.

Offline elikay

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Re: Off & Away
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2010, 08:24:18 AM »
Such a site is quibids.com they are very deciving and in my opinion, just a variation of gambling.

Offline plane.love

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Re: Off & Away
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2010, 10:07:33 PM »
swoopo and all these sites are the same racket.....they sell an Ipad for $50 with each bid costing money and raises it by a penny or so....its not an auction its a lottery. These sites faced legal trouble and had to restructure the T&Cs to make it exempt from gambling licenses.