Here's a scenario that will make your friend's blood pressure spike:
It's Saturday night. Her vintage jewelry auction is in full swing. Bidding is hot on a 1950s diamond bracelet - the kind of piece that could make her month. The price climbs from $200 to $800, then $1,200. She's watching two serious bidders go back and forth.
Then suddenly... nothing. The high bidder vanishes. No response to emails. No payment. The bracelet sits in limbo while she scrambles to contact the second-highest bidder, who's already moved on to other auctions.
Plot twist: This could have been completely avoided.
Sarah runs her auctions the "simple" way - anyone can bid without registering. "Less friction means more bidders," she reasons. But here's what she doesn't see happening behind the scenes:
The Serial Non-Payer: "BidderX47" has won 12 items across different auctions and paid for exactly zero. But Sarah has no way to track this pattern because she doesn't know who BidderX47 actually is.
The Competitor Saboteur: A rival auctioneer creates fake accounts to drive up prices, then disappears, leaving legitimate bidders frustrated and Sarah with unsold inventory.
The Impulse Bidder: Someone bids $500 on a whim during their lunch break, then gets home and realizes they can't afford it. With no registration data, Sarah can't even send a proper follow-up.
The Lost Goldmine: Her best customer "AntiqueQueen88" has bought $15,000 worth of items over six months, but Sarah has no idea who she is or how to reach her with similar pieces.
Meanwhile, Mike (yes, the same Mike who uses bulk upload) requires registration on his auction site. Here's what his Saturday night looks like:
Before the auction starts:
During the auction: