posted on November 21, 2000 08:14:59 PM new
I need some advice. I listed an item and put a reserve price of 350. The auction ended with the high bidder at 250, and I have reconsidered and wish to sell the item. The high bidder just as eagerly wants to buy. My dilema, I do not wish to circumvent eBay rules. Need I relist the item and then close it after the individual bids, or simply sell the item apart from eBay. Again, I do not wish to decieve or defraud eBay in any way, I wish simply to follow the rules of proper conduct. I would much appreciate some input.
Happy Thanksgiving to all especially those I had and opportunity to interact with on this board last summer.
edited for very bad spelling. Which I am sure still is here.
posted on November 21, 2000 08:44:46 PM new
pastorleon~~
Once the auction is over, you may do whatever you wish with the item.
Just be aware, neither you nor the buyer will be able to leave feedback, nor will you be able to recoup listing/reserve fees if the deal goes bad.
If you want, you can re-list the auction with the reserve at the 250 you are willing to sell at, have the high bidder bid and then immediately close the auction.
posted on November 21, 2000 08:56:46 PM new
When you paid to list a reserve price auction, part of what you were paying for is the opportunity to sell to a bidder who does not meet the reserve. And you are under no obligation to pay final value fees on the sale. The downside is that they buyer is not obligated to complete the sale. But if the buyer is willing, you can certainly take them up on it.
posted on November 21, 2000 10:04:12 PM new
"When you paid to list a reserve price auction, part of what you were paying for is the opportunity to sell to a bidder who does not meet the reserve."
posted on November 22, 2000 03:00:05 AM new
Hello pastorleon,
Nice to see you back on the board!
In the EOA message received subsequent to a winning bid that failed to meet reserve, it is stated that "the seller does not have to sell the item at this price."
I infer from that statement that the seller does have the option of selling below reserve.
In the past I have been contacted by sellers and completed transactions after failing to meet the reserve. Feedback has been left with no problem. If you report the sale to eBay and pay applicable fees I believe you will have adhered to the rules and your pure white milk bottle shall remain unspotted.
Select Selling | other selling questions. At the end, click on "I have tried instant help and still want to contact support." and report your sale.
Now, unless eBay has changed the way it does things, the person who responds will tell you they appreciate your honesty and decline to assess a final value fee. But, reporting it covers your backside so you can't be accused of fee avoidance.
posted on November 22, 2000 10:00:15 PM new
Okay. I've been doing the eBay bit for about 18 months now. Would someone explain why anyone would want to use a reserve auction. In my mind, it is just a waste of the buyer's time trying to figure out what the seller wants as a minimum bid. Why not just make the minimum bid the lowest possible price you'll accept? I've participated in auctions in which the minimum bid was a dollar or so, yet the reserve was nearly a thousand?
I'm sure there's a logic to having a reserve price, but I haven't figured it out yet. Please someone, enlighten me.
posted on November 22, 2000 10:04:19 PM new
I emailed ebay the first time this situation occured in one of my auctions. They replied that 'once the auction ends, the seller is free to do whatever they wish' .. no equivocation! They got their listing fee which brought me the buyer. Done deal!
Edited to add: When I use a reserve, it's usually because it's a higher priced or unique item and I don't want to take a chance with site instability, bid retractions, etc. I still put the reserve below what I hope to get, but high enough that I'm not crying in my coffee at the end if there's a problem!
___________
I have a memory like a steel trap .. unfortunately it's rusted shut!
[ edited by tuition44years on Nov 22, 2000 10:07 PM ]
posted on November 23, 2000 12:34:34 AM new
This is why I do not use reserves. If you want to sell an item on ebay, why would you put a reserve on it ???
List your item for the absolute lowest price you will take for it, that way if it gets a bid, it is sold. PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
I see sellers list items left and right with reserves. I also see that less people bid on items with reserves.
Think about this : you list an item for $1.00 with a reserve of $250.00
You get all this bidders that bid and never make the reserve. 1 - your item did not sell because your reserve wasnt met, 2 - all the bidders who bid on your item were not serious about buying it (or they would have bit higher), 3 - you still have to pay ebay for listing the item whether it sells or not.
I have sold at least 2,000 items on ebay, and I have never (not even once) used a reserve. If I am going to pay ebay to list an item, I want that item to sell !
Reserves are the biggest waste of time and money !! DON'T USE THEM !
List your item for the least you will take for it and be donje with the non-essential bidders and focus on the real buyers.
