posted on July 3, 2001 03:26:20 PM
I do a lot of selling of higher end bicycle parts (like the stuff you find on racing bicycles so it's not cheap).
I just sold a part that went for a lot less than it was worth. Normally I would say "c'est la vie" but this time I'm PO'd.
A day before the auction ended the price went up to an acceptable amount but an hour before the end of the auction the high bidder retracted his bid stating "doesn't fit my bicycle specifications" and the price halved to what it eventually sold for. I've lost about $150 because of it.
I described the item exactly and what bikes it would work with. I think what was done is an abuse of bid retraction. This bidder should of found out if he was unsure if the item would fit on his bike before bidding - he didn't even ask any questions of me to make sure.
I've blocked this person from bidding on any future auctions but was wondering how seriously eBay takes bid retractions - can anything be done and this person be warned by eBay.
I'm sure it's not shill or bid-shielding as I checked their previous bidding history as well the winning bidder and the retraction bidder have godd feedback and are from different countries. Arggghhh!
posted on July 3, 2001 04:15:33 PM
This is going to happen from time to time and there isn't much you can do about it. If the bid retractor has several or numerous retractions that show on his feedback record, you could report him to Safeharbor. If they feel the case warrants action, they can issue a warning or suspension.
Will blocking this bidder from future auctions help you any? It may have been an honest mistake, and if you handle the situation well, he may be back to buy in the future. Just a thought.
posted on July 3, 2001 04:28:57 PM
Hi there,
I know how ya feel. After this happened to me MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE, I have finally taken to cancelling the auction if the retraction is close to the end, as the high bidder(s) managed to surely prevent other bidders from 1) watching the auction and 2) waiting to bid at the end. Knowing this, I go ahead and cancel the auction, which is our right to the very end. I figure if ebay can let these people get away with frivilous retractions, what can they do to me? In one case, the jerk bid to a reasonable amount on my auction, then retracted at the last minute stating: "I found another one, and it was cheaper to boot!"
I was enraged to say the least. This to me is completely unacceptable and it took 3 emails to be ebay to get them to understand what was ACTUALLY TYPED IN AS THE REASON FOR RETRACTION which stays with your auction. Anyway, I figure take advantage of what ebay does allow you to do, and that's to cancel your auction. You know you'll make it up the next time around.
posted on July 3, 2001 06:18:10 PM
the way I look at it I would rather have them retract and the auction be won by someone who will pay then have them win and never pay
It is a real bummer though I had it happen last week auctions ready to close checking the total bid amount them BAM 50 less
bidder retracted.
posted on July 3, 2001 06:29:14 PM
I had eBay wait until 3 hours before my auction ended on something to do an admin. cancellation of a bid and felt the same way. The price had gone high enough on my small but often sold on eBay item that others weren't looking at it anymore. I honored the bid because it was a small enough item that I wasn't going to hassle it.
If you really feel like bid shielding happened here, risk the neg and don't go through with the deal. If you get the neg, don't retaliate, just explain as an answer that you suspected bid shielding and ask potential bidders to email you for the facts.
As far as rather having someone who paid than a nonpaying bidder, I'd rather lose my listing fee due to a deadbeat than to lose $150 (in this situation) to eBay's lax rules on bid retractions.
posted on July 3, 2001 06:58:58 PM
What you can do is cancel the auction.
An auction with a late cancelled bid is a tainted auction, and a lot of bidders will shun them. If you see it in time, it's often worth it to just cancel and start over again. Reason, "retracted bid too close to end".
posted on July 3, 2001 07:11:53 PM
If the retrator had not bid to begin with then the current high bidder would also be the winner at the current price, correct? That is assuming that the retractor did not drive the price way oot of proportion, which it sounds like he did not by you saying it was at an acceptable amt......All that being said i fail to see how you lost 150 bucks you would not have lost anyway if the 2nd place bidder never wasoutbid.........besides you knew the 2nd place bidders max and you could have shilled it back up to that amount........
[ edited by BusterVein on Jul 3, 2001 07:12 PM ]
posted on July 3, 2001 09:49:18 PM
While I have no evidence that the item would of been bid on if the retractors bid had never been made I feel it would of been bid on as anybody watching it would have seen that it was going for a good price. As for "shilling" because I knew what the max bid was on the 2nd highest bidder - that could have been done but I don't shill so it wasn't.
posted on July 5, 2001 03:04:03 PM
If you are selling an item for more than what it is worth or what you paid for it, then you are not losing any $. If you really are losing $, then your min bid should be higher.
posted on July 5, 2001 03:10:26 PM
I once had a bidder retract a bid 10 minutes before the auction ended, knocking the price down about $100. I was livid. His reason? The widget had a flaw and he "didn't notice" it at first, even though it was clearly stated in the description in several places.
Who knows how many potential bidders had passed my widget by because the price was higher, but who would have bid at the lower amount. 10 minutes doesn't give people much time to find your auction! I lost major money on that one, and it still bugs me.
