posted on October 10, 2000 03:33:27 PM new
Just when you think you're doing good, something like this happens and cuts you back down to size.
I made a sort of drastic mistake in the description of an item I have on ebay now (I guess I was in too much of a hurry to get it listed and missed a couple of things). It's going for quite a bit, almost 300.00. I have added the details to the description and emailed all of the bidders, inviting them to retract their bids if they needed to.
The item is still valuable, but not as much as I thought it was. I can cancel bids and stop the auction, then restart with a more accurate description if y'all think that would be a better idea.
posted on October 10, 2000 03:40:39 PM new
I believe the safest course of action would be to cancel the bids, contact all the bidders with your explanation, and give THEM the choice of bidding on the relisted auction with the corrected description. This will remove any excuses that a bidder may have after the auction closes and will require the minimum effort on the part of your customers (the current bidders.)
Good luck with this one...
[ edited by corrdogg on Oct 10, 2000 03:42 PM ]
posted on October 10, 2000 03:41:26 PM newLC....you better quit monkey-ing around...who has time to help you all the time....{wink, wink}...
Seriously, my personal feeling is that if you have a reserve on it, and since there are alresady good bids, I would let it ride, and relist, with changes in description, if reserve not met.
If no reserve, and you run the risk of getting very little for it because the higher bids are being cancelled, then I would close auction early (after notifying all bidders), then list a new one.
******************** Shosh
posted on October 10, 2000 04:09:56 PM new
[b]corrdog[/g] is on the money. Any of your current bidders who still want the item when it's relisted, properly described, will thank you for your integrity.
posted on October 10, 2000 04:17:11 PM new
LC, do you remember the fountain pen you were gracious enough to help me with a while back?
I was in much the same predictament, although far less money and only one bidder. (This wasn't the only time I've had egg on my face during an auction.)
The only suggestion I have is, when you find yourself in this position, rather than contact your bidders and offer them a chance to retract, offer to CANCEL the bids for them - thus YOUR (or MY) mistake does not reflect on the bidders' history as a retraction.
A small courtesy, but bidders seem to appreciate it.
posted on October 10, 2000 04:51:01 PM new
Well, the unexpected has happened...the bid just went up 10.00! It's a brand new bidder and I'm pretty sure he must have seen the bold, red type addition to description that he had to scroll past to bid.
posted on October 10, 2000 05:07:13 PM new
CAREFULLY take down all of the bidders email addresses.
Go to the ADD TO YOUR AUCTION'S DESCRIPTION.
State clearly the reason why you are ending the auction, AND that you are re-listing the item ASAP.
Then cancel the bids.
END the auction.
RE-List the auction with the CORRECT description.
Email all of your bidders with an apology and the new auction number.
Then, take a cut-&-paste of your apology email, and go over to your new auction. From your new auction, use the MAIL THIS AUCTION TO A FRIEND feature, and mail it to each of the old bidders, including your apology-letter, and mention to them that you are re-mailing it via the eBay servers so that they all know precisely why you ended the auction, and can access the new auction easily.
posted on October 10, 2000 08:42:24 PM new
I still wouldn't cancel...especially if a new bidder has taken the high bid.
I would be sure I had emailed EVERY bidder from before, and then email this new one..."just wanted to be sure you had seen and read my description addition".
If the bidders do start pulling out, and the bid starts dropping, then you may want to cancel.
Of course, a lot depends on how much longer it has to run.
posted on October 11, 2000 04:14:06 AM new
Actually, the new blood bidder didn't get the high bid. High bidder is still the same one as when I discovered the problem.
Not one of these bidders has emailed back, and two of their emails have bounced back (two out of seven bidders).
The auction closes on Sunday.
It's hard to decide what to do, but I'm leaning toward cancellation.
[ edited by loosecannon on Oct 11, 2000 04:22 AM ]
posted on October 11, 2000 07:26:13 AM new
I like gc2's advice but if you don't hear back in a day from the high bidder I would cancel. The others are not as critical.
posted on October 11, 2000 12:24:01 PM new
Just a thought....this would be an ideal time to use the "email this auction to a friend" feature (especially with some emails bouncing back), particularly to your high bidder if s/he still has not responded.
posted on October 12, 2000 12:35:47 AM new
I think the safest thing would be to notify your bidders, cancel the bids, end the auction, and relist. There may be bidders who have this item on their watch list, and may not reread the description before bidding.
posted on October 12, 2000 03:13:02 AM new
I went ahead with cancelling bids and stopping the auction, early this morning. Not one of the bidders ever emailed back. Don't know what's up with that. Now I don't have to worry about that particular auction any longer. Thanks to all for your help and suggestions.
BTW, I'm not auctioning it again immediately. I'm going to get it repaired instead (it's a musical instrument-they frequently need repair of one kind or another) and start it again in a few weeks.
