I don't have a dog in that fight, but I've got to say that simply based on the response Freedom Auctions felt was necessary to post here -I- will never do business with them. Period. They can't possibly sell something that I want bad enough to subject myself to that kind of treatment and patronizing.
"Second, I want to acquaint everyone with the concept of an 'auction.'" This, Freedom Auctions, is about the absolute dumbest thing that you could have possibly said if you wanted to maintain any sense of professionalism and any credibility with this crowd. As if we don't all know how auctions work...yeah right. What BS.
The third party service that is quick to be blamed may have had issues on this particular auction day (I have no way to know for sure), but let me say this: I have bid in auctions online through that service several times without issue. Many, many auction houses use them. Hundreds? Thousands? Whatever it is, it's a lot. The service is "mainstream," for sure. For the claim to be made that the 3rd party technology has been the issue every time is certainly suspect.
A truly professional auction company would have NEVER come onto a forum like this to "set the record straight" in a public setting. Buyer-Seller-Bidder issues should all get worked out behind the scenes, so *news flash* this makes the auction house look bad, not the bidder who was essentially 'talking' with friends here about what happened. The auction company is the outsider, not the bidder, who is a known entity to this community. Something for Freedom Auctions to think about the next time they feel the need to jump online to fight a war of words...resist the temptation and just don't do it.