posted on September 16, 2005 12:23:44 PM new
In another thread I wrote about my frustrations dealing with a newbie seller. In a nutshell, he listed three car parts on eBay. I bid on and won those three auctions. I've asked him for two more items from that car. (it's an old and rare car he's parting out).
So, eBay gets their lisiting fees and FVF for those three items. No loss there. Now, I have already established contact with this person (well, that's debatable, if you read my other post you'll know why), but anyways, eBay is getting their money for the fees, and me and the seller are in contact with each other, albeit thanks to eBay.
So, now is it so bad if I ask him to sell me two more parts from that car? It's not like he scoped me out and lured me away from an auction to sell me something outside eBay, nor did I ask him to end the auction to sell to me outside eBay for those three items. Now that we know each other, so to speak, is it wrong to ask him for two other parts to go along with the three from the eBay auction? I have no problem with him listing those other items with a Buy It Now, which would actually benefit me more than him since I'd have some recourse through eBay should a problem arise. And he gets to pay more fees.
posted on September 16, 2005 12:26:30 PM new
FYI: about four years ago, I sold an item to someone on eBay. Through casual email correspondence, we found we had a lot of casual interests and have kept in touch throgh email since then. I've sold a couple more items to him, and he's sold me one item I needed. Although we're not close friends, and don't even live that close to each other, he actually invited me to his wedding!
So, should we have been listing these items on eBay, or would that be silly?
posted on September 16, 2005 12:33:11 PM new
Buying through eBay is like an insurance policy. If you go outside, you have no recourse if something goes wrong or he doesn't ship, etc. Ebay doesn't own his car parts - you can buy whatever you want from him or anyone else off eBay.
posted on September 16, 2005 12:48:34 PM new
Thank you! That's what I thought. Normally I wouldn't go outside eBay to buy something, but since those two other items would be shipped with items that went through eBay, I felt reassured. The seller is obligated to deliver (and I'm obligated to pay for), the items that did go through eBay, so that would hopefully be good for something. For all he knows, I could post negative feedback on the three items that went through eBay if anything went wrong.
posted on September 16, 2005 12:57:20 PM new
Powerwebmedia, eBay has eveyone in a trance thinking they HAVE to buy through them. I mean, what did we all do before eBay came along?
posted on September 16, 2005 01:00:14 PM new
As long as you don't solicitate transactions directly through the eBay sysem, you aren't violating eBay policy.
posted on September 16, 2005 01:01:00 PM new
That's right. We went to garage sales, thrift shops, bought through mail order, newspaper classifieds, etc. I wouldn't blantantly go and email a seller and ask them to end an auction and sell to me on the side. But, I think that when you're completing a real eBay transaction and you want to buy something else, it does seem kind of silly to list it on eBay. I wouldn't but if someone insisited on it (buyer or seller) I would give in.
posted on September 16, 2005 01:23:47 PM new
years ago ,before Ebay banned URL in item description,sellers would invite bidders to visit their websites to buy more,which the bidders merrily did.
When the transaction turned sour,they complained to Ebay,filed for Ebay insurance etc,it is hard for Ebay to sort out which item(s)were no good,and if they are bot on Ebay or outside Ebay.
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