posted on January 26, 2001 06:48:23 PM
A few weeks ago I posted a thread asking about what others thought about selling to people who contact the seller after the auction to buy an item. The response was mixed.
Yesterday I got an email from a "bidder" with an AOL email address saying "Saw your *** too late on E-bay -- do you have any more?" That was the entire message, cut and paste from the email.
Funny thing was, this was an hour into eBay's scheduled maintenace when the site is unavailable. I would think if someone saw an item, and got the seller's email, they would contact you right away, not later.
I responded immediatly, saying, "yes I have more" (because if you see my current and closed auctions it's obvious I sell these every once in a while). I also mentioned he could buy it at the same price as the last one sold for.
But, I said, it is against eBay's policy to sell directly to someone who obtains my address from eBay. I can list the item with the "Buy It Now" feature and email you to give you the item number so you can buy it before it becomes available in the general search.
I have received no reply. It seemed suspicious right from the start, so I went with my gut feeling, which is usually right.
Anyone else get a recent spot check? I think the suggestion to use BIN is good (I got that idea from the thread posted a few weeks ago).
posted on January 26, 2001 07:18:47 PM
You want to encourage their outrageous reach?
They are not my agent. I never granted them agency and I will not allow it. When the auction is over they don't own any part of any future transactions.
Repeat this mantra. "They are just a venue."
Believe it.
[ edited by gravid on Jan 26, 2001 07:19 PM ]
posted on January 26, 2001 07:32:32 PM
My concern was that if it really was eBay, they would shoot first and ask questions later. I didn't want to risk getting NARU'd.
It was, thanks to eBay, that the buyer and seller "met." Greedy as it may be, eBay wants a cut of the profits. Selling after an auction ends, is as far as I know, a violation of eBay's TOS (again, very selfish on the part of eBay).
Gravid, I agree with you that eBay is just a venue, but this was an unknown person. If it had been a person I sold to in the past, or at least had been a bidder who was outbid, I would have felt more comfortable.
I was just about to agree to sell to him, but my gut instinct told me not to. Much as I don't agree with eBay's policy on this, I don't want to risk my eBay account.
BTW: I have read in other threads here that some people have been "trapped" like this. But generally speaking, I'd have to agree I am a tad paranoid
[ edited by motive8 on Jan 26, 2001 07:35 PM ]
[ edited by motive8 on Jan 26, 2001 07:36 PM ]
posted on January 26, 2001 07:34:03 PM
How can it be LEGAL for eBay to tell people what they can and can not do with an item after the auction has closed????? I own my items eBay does not own them or me. When it gets to the point where you have to second guess email from people wanting to buy your items ask yourself is it worth it? Ebay is not the only place to sell on the internet.
I wish that more people would stand up and say enough is enough.
posted on January 26, 2001 07:45:11 PM
I had an item that did not meet reserve the other evening and I had several requests to purchase it after the auction closed, some from people who claimed to miss the auction. I wrote to ebay and this was their response:
Thank you for contacting eBay. I would be happy to address your inquiry regarding a reserve price auction you listed in which the reserve was not met.
If you go the page the item was listed on, now that it has ended with the reserve not being met you will find the following note:
Note: This is a Reserve Auction in which the reserve price was not met.
Therefore, there is no transaction between the seller and the high bidder. Since there is no transaction, this item is not eligible for eBay services that protect buyers and sellers, such as transactional feedback, escrow or insurance. Those services are available only for items listed, bought and sold on eBay in compliance with our guidelines and policies.
From this you can see that you can sell the item however, we will not recognize it as an official eBay transaction.
I appreciate the opportunity I've had to assist you! I hope that your experiences at eBay are pleasant and successful.
posted on January 26, 2001 08:06:15 PM
That sounds to me like, to be on the safe side, we can list things with high reserves and then sell them after the auction ends!
Ha ha, I know you are not supposed to do that either, been a long day, I am loopy.
posted on January 26, 2001 08:21:18 PM
That is what I thought when I got the e-mail, Reddeer. I figured I had better save it because my biggest fear is that perhaps the employees may not even know the correct policies anymore.
After reading this message board I don't know what to think anymore either except that each time I read an e-mail about someone wanting an item after the auction it does stir up a bit of paranoia I never had before. And I am receiving more e-mails than ever before when I listed items.
Here is the latest one I received tonight:
"I do not wish to participate in auction as my time is limited".
They did not e-mail from an address registered on ebay.
Edited to say that this was from someone wanting to buy some of my items that are on the auction and some other items that I may have that are not listed.
posted on January 26, 2001 08:28:55 PM
Shaani ....... Ya, I hear ya!
2 weeks ago I received an email very similar to the one you just posted. It read something along the lines of "Do you have more of these? I've had trouble on eBay and would rather not buy there"
Their email addy was not registered on eBay either. Hmmmmmmm.
oops, one too many n's.
[ edited by reddeer on Jan 26, 2001 08:31 PM ]
posted on January 26, 2001 08:34:28 PM
Maybe some of these people are not even registered (either never were, or got NARU'd).
In any case, I agree that often the employees don't know the policy that well themselves. I like to ask at least three people the same question, which ever answer I get the most often is usually the one I go with.
I don't know how many times I've had employees tell me incorrect information. I'd like to ask eBay, but I'll probably get some generic canned response that answers a question I didn't ask.
posted on January 26, 2001 08:40:18 PM
I recently got one too. Someone e-mailed me DURING a dutch auction and asked if I would be willing to sell her one off auction because she was in a hurry.
I told her that I would allow her to place a bid for what she wanted and pay for it before the auction ended, so that there would be no issue of fee avoidance.
She has not bid, nor has she contacted ne again. Big surprise.
It may, or may not be Ebay. Maybe it is the Ebay "police" looking to knock off competitors. I have no idea. But, better safe than sorry.
posted on January 26, 2001 10:48:51 PM
I looked around on the "site map" and where are ebay's policies about selling to someone who contacts you during or after an auction?
I rarely got the emails you described. I sell most of my auctions. In the last three weeks I had two auctions that did not sell. Now all of a sudden I am getting the same kind of inquiries.
A few people emailed on the last day, offered less for the item if I ended the auction. Others waited until the auctions ended then sent the offers.
I don't think the emails are from eBay. But if you are a good seller and you are in competition with other sellers, it could be someone trying to do you in. Or someone you negged. Or some other enemy in your life.
I find it suspicious too that all of a sudden I am getting these emails. I ignore most of them, don't respond at all. One I offered to put the item up as a BIN.
posted on January 26, 2001 11:30:08 PM
Thanks Reddeer, As I see it the buyers are in the wrong to come begging to us during or after the auction.
I don't see where it states what sellers should do or maybe I missed it.
Is it kind of a grey area for us? We are supposed to know better than to sell to them and if we do get caught we may be in trouble?
Or is this just a paranoia that someone started? Does anyone know?
