RE: UKNM: Quixell - QVC on the Net?

[Andrews, Stephen]

>Thoughts on the psychology of auctions


you can liken the "mentality" of the crowd to that in any other "crowd"

situation, whether it be oxford st xmas sales, football, rugby etc etc.


eseentially (the whole being bigger than the sum of its parts) the group

adopts behaviour patterns unique to that particular group at that

particular time.  it is unpredictable and never the same, even with the

same group of people in the same circumstances.... and the individual is

simply swept along with it, often completely oblivious.


the very nature of the auction environment is that you CAN get a rolls

royce for �100 if there is no reserve and no-one else wants it - the

secret is that the PERCEPTION of bargains to be had is so great that the

mind is quickly fooled into believing that everything is good

value...until one gets home of course!


so an auction should be a marketing man's dream - it is all about

perception and manipulation of the masses, en masse.


Steve Andrews

Business Analyst

Cable & Wireless PLC