I just had a customer tell me she hadnt heard from DPW sjnce she bid on my painting and she was sure the auction must have ended by now. I told her it had but someone outbid her. She was disappointed and said if she had known, she would have bid again.
I asked her if she had followed the auction and she didnt know anything about that. She said she wished she had been notified because “People like her who arent techy dont know to take extra steps”. She just placed her bid and sat back thinking all was good.
This sounds like the profile of most of my market. They rarely use their computer for more than occasionally checking their email. Most do not even have a FB page.
I wonder if it would make since to automatically notify a bidder if they are outbid giving them the chance to bid higher. At that time they could opt out of receiving notifications if they so desire.
Thanks for reading! 
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I always get an automatic email when I am outbid on an auction. However this only helps if emails are checked regularly. Unfortunately, following an auction sends out emails that also need to be read after they are delivered.
Bobbie, do you have to “follow” the auction or do you just place a bid and the updates are automatic? Do you have to be a member to bid?
I think this was her first experience with DPW. I dont know the process for a non member to place bids so I’m a little lost as to how to help her. How, does it work?
Lori, you get automatic emails either way. I usually only use “follow” when I have not placed a bid yet. My guess is if you bid and follow you probably get two emails. Your second question would probably be best for David or Sophie to answer. I believe to post messages or place bids you do not have to be a member, but you do have a process for signing up and in. Then they have a bid page like the one at the bottom of our auction page that shows what is going on with an item that has been bid on. But really the best precaution for a bidder is to check their email daily for the duration of the bid which only last 7 days on the average. I know it is frustrating to have a situation with a customer because it has happened to me too. My customer had a problem with Paypal and then DPW. Sophie helped me out with the DPW part. Once it was resolved this person became one of my best customers.
