posted on August 8, 2001 01:01:49 PM
Can you please help be sure I have a clear understanding of eBay's policy regarding sales outside of an auction. I find this in Safe Harbor:
<i>Using member <b>contact information obtained from eBay or using any eBay feature to offer to sell any listed item outside of eBay </b></i>
Sometimes a buyer misses the end of the auction, doesn't get to bid, and the item goes unsold. Then they email me asking if I will sell it to tehm for the opening bid.
Can I do this without violating an ebay policy, since they emailed me, the item was unsold, and technically by then it is no longer listed?
posted on August 8, 2001 01:23:59 PM
There's no way to be sure how eBay would view this, and if three different people asked them, they'd likely get three different answers.
That being the case... what I do is sell the item to the buyer (assuming I'm satisfied getting the opening bid, and don't want to bother relisting).
The way I see it, I made a good faith effort to sell it through eBay. I paid for what I received (the opportunity to have people bid on it), and didn't try to avoid their fees in any way. It didn't sell, so it's still mine, and I'm free to do with it as I wish.
posted on August 8, 2001 01:33:42 PM
Yes I sell to buyers this way there is no problem with it at all, in fact this is not concider fee avoidance becuase ebay already got there listing fee and you can contact ebay and let them know the item sold they usually forgive the FVF charge for the Item when you let them know of the after auction sale.... http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
Email [email protected]
posted on August 8, 2001 01:40:32 PM
Once the auction is over, your transaction with eBay is over. The only downside is that you might end up selling for less than the item is worth and you can't exchange feedback.
posted on August 8, 2001 01:44:36 PM
What you can do is relist the item and put a BIN for the agreed upon price for the buyer to buy. If your relisting an item that was only listed once, the 2nd listing fee is refunded, Ebay gets their FVFs and you can leave feedback for each other.
posted on August 8, 2001 02:38:03 PM
I don't really see this as a Fee Avoidance. After all, you don't have to sell you item on E-bay. That is optional to you. And there is nothing that forbids you to sell something to someone privately.
After all, it is not like you have been sending out advertisements to people to please buy from you outside of E-bay. When it comes down it, E-bay can't really claim anything sellers want to sell when they don't list it.
posted on August 8, 2001 03:53:19 PM
And with feedback return rates the way they are, why bother? I left 1453 feedback comments, and only received 934 total. About 35% of my buyers did not leave feedback. I suggest using BIN if the buyer insists on it.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * http://techgems.net
posted on August 8, 2001 04:29:03 PMI don't know- unless you really want to get that feedback comment, I don't see why you should go through this hassle
I use the BIN method because it offers both the bidder and seller the ebay umbrella (tongue firmly in cheek here). It also doesn't waste my time..if the buyer is serious, they can BIN it. If not, I'm not sitting around w/the item waiting for a check that might never arrive.
In the dozen or so times I've used it in the past few months, all but one has turned out to be a serious buyer and that one has now joined by blocked list.
posted on August 8, 2001 04:56:40 PMoffers both the bidder and seller the ebay umbrella (tongue firmly in cheek here).
ROFLMAO
Seriously, if anyone is breaking a rule by doing this, it's the buyer. I get these all the time. Mostly sent thru ebays mail system. (God help the buyers if/when eBay starts reading this mail). As long as they don't try to low ball me, I sell.
posted on August 8, 2001 10:34:59 PM
Sorry, eventer- I've got to disagree with you on this one.
The last time this situation occurred was the other day. I sent out my winning bidder notices, and received a reply that said "I have put my payment in the mail for item XXX. I see that your auction for YYY closed without a bidder- if it is still available, I'd like to buy it."
The email was from a repeat customer- I accepted their offer to buy the item, and I will ship it with their winning bid. Although it is likely the payment for YYY will not arrive until after the item is shipped, I know they are good for it.
Considering that I have paid to list the item twice (it was relisted, and didn't get a bid the second time around) I don't see any reason why I should pay eBay any more money.
I'm just trying to sell stuff, and if people email me asking to buy, I'm not going to make it any harder for them than it has to be.
posted on August 8, 2001 10:44:02 PM
I agree with mrpotatoheadd, but I will put it more simply:
Screw what eBay wants. We are not their sock puppets. Period.
posted on August 8, 2001 11:12:54 PM
This is a very timely thread......I bid on and won a small inexpensive trinket today for $6.00. I didn't get an outrageously good deal. This is what these trinkets sell for on eBay and the real world.
The EOA I got from the seller is a first for me in almost 4 years of selling and buying on eBay. The first line of the messages reads go to my web site and buy more stuff. If you spend more than $25.00 in total, including the auction you won today we will give you $5.00 off the total. They also included a list of "Recommendations" of what to buy at their web site.
I had to hunt around to find the actual auction information. I won an auction for $6.00. I want the EOA for the auction not a come on to go spend $25.00 on their site. I too think ebay has gotten really carried away with "fee avoidance" but you gotta draw the line somewhere and this seller crossed it.
We're not that far off. I do have repeat customers who come to me directly (including some who buy from me quite frequently). In those cases, I'll sell directly to them or direct them to my website.
But for anyone else who shows up w/the "I see your auction closed w/o a bidder" reason, I send them back on the BIN route the first time.
Call me a nervous nellie, but it falls in my "better safe than sorry" category until they establish a track record with me.
