# Gratuity



## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

Hi, All. 

I was wondering if it's customary for the winner of an auction to tip the seller, especially if you win a fairly large amount for peanuts. I just won FIVE BUNCHES of Proserpinaca palustris on AquaBid for a measly $3.50 (heck, the shipping was more than twice this) and I feel really bad. If I were my own bread-winner, I would have included a hefty tip, but my husband insisted that the winner does NOT tip on an auction. 

As a seller, I've gotten tips or the winner would round up to the next dollar. Maybe I should just stop bidding on stuff that's no reserve and low starting price. My conscience can't take this. I know I'd feel gypped if I grew out 30+ stems of dang-slow-growing mermaid weed and got only $3.50 for it. 

What do you guys typically do when you win stuff on auctions? I feel really bad, now. Thanks for any advice...

-Naomi


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## Aaron (Feb 12, 2004)

I say either tip him or be a good, loyal customer. Did you get the plants yet? I saw those auctions and had a feeling they might be collected, not cultivated.


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

Naomi, 
From a process standpoint, having no reserve and a low start bid is something set by the seller at their own risk. You place your bets and take your chances...there's no reason for you to feel guilty for your good fortune.

That being said, I don't see how you can go wrong building a little bit of good karma in your life.


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

Karma.... Good one to think about. If the plant was nice, I'd always try and find a way of saying thanks.... 

Andrew


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

Look at it another way, mermaid weed isn't always slow growing, it is a true weed in some people's tanks, pretty fast growing .


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

Aaron said:


> I say either tip him or be a good, loyal customer. Did you get the plants yet? I saw those auctions and had a feeling they might be collected, not cultivated.


They should have been sent today and hopefully, I'll have them by Wednesday or Thursday. Maybe they are collected - I've read that P. palustris grows wild in Florida, and this is where they're being sent from. I sure hope this is the case because I've kept this plant before, and they are R-E-A-L-L-Y S-L-O-O-O-O-O-W-W-W to grow, at least in an aquarium. This is only the third time I've bid on anything, and second time I've won. As much as I'd like to be a "loyal customer," I don't normally find any need. Even these are not for me (okay - *maybe* I'll keep a bunch for myself). I bought them as a gift for somebody else who's been wanting them for the past year.

What's funny, though, is that you were precisely the person that came to mind when I began to fret about this whole gratuity thing  . I totally wasn't expecting it, and it was such a kind gesture  . Then I started to wonder if it was "the norm."



bharada said:


> From a process standpoint, having no reserve and a low start bid is something set by the seller at their own risk. You place your bets and take your chances...there's no reason for you to feel guilty for your good fortune.
> 
> That being said, I don't see how you can go wrong building a little bit of good karma in your life.


Hey, Bill! I thought I'd be "building good Karma" by buying these for Erin, but it wasn't until *after* I won that I realized that I might be building *bad* Karma in paying so little for the goods. Well, I guess the best I can do is to leave the person REALLY GOOD feedback. I suppose I could get on my husband's case about not leaving a tip, but these days I just don't have the energy... I just won't bid on anything with a low starting bid and no reserve any more.

Thanks for your thoughts on this, guys! I'm a penny-pincher by nature, but when it comes to tipping, well, on my own, I like to be moderate-to-generous. I'm married to somebody who rarely does more than 10-15% for restaurant services. I'm not comfortable unless I do 15-20% (depending on the quality of service). He says "nucular," I say "nuclear." He's wrong, I'm right  ... But he's also Mr. M-Bags in our household :biggrin: i.e. - he wins.

-Naomi


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

Hey, again...

Well, dangit, I feel even worse, now. I received the plants today, and they were wonderful. Actually, I didn't get a chance to see how they would look under water, but when I unwrapped it, the bunches looked *very* healthy. I was thinking of keeping one bunch, but since I didn't have my 20-gallon tank set up, yet, I just gave all five to my friend. It was worth it, though, to see how happy he was with my surprise. 

I e-mailed the seller to express my deepest gratitude and left her the best feedback I could fit into that teeny space allowed. Then tonight I checked to see if she left feedback for me, and boy - as if I weren't feeling low enough, she gave me awesome feedback and said she'd love to do business with me again! 

Oh yeah - and when I looked at the postage, it was actually more than what I was charged for shipping on the auction... Man - I feel like I committed robbery or something. Well, I guess I could see if she's interested in any of the plants I'm able to grow and offer to send them as a gift. I don't even know if she keeps tanks or anything. Hey - I guess I could just recommend her here. She's called "Barefoot_aquatics" on AquaBid. Her packing method was impressive (I was never a proponent of newspaper wrapping, but the way she did it was really awesome). Most of her auctions are combinations of large quantities of common stuff like Ludwigia repens, hornwort, anacharis, Bacopa, Cabomba, and the like. But it's perfect for anyone setting up a large planted tank, and you get so much for very little money. So if you don't have a major sense of guilt like I do  , I recommend her highly.

Okay - thanks again for your input, guys! 

-Naomi


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

I have seen a few of her auctions on Aquabid. Its nice to know a good, safe place to look. Thank you for sharing that. Also, you jsut did tip her by giving a terrific review where ~2000 people into aqautic plants gather


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