posted on August 16, 2001 10:02:29 AM
I just found something very strange.
When you relist an item, a link is put on your old auction page, stating that the item has been relisted, and it gives you a link to the relisted item.... right?
So I thought.
I just found this message on the top of an ended auction: (not mine)
This auction has ended but the item, or one like it, has been relisted. Go to item now.
Or one like it? How can you RELIST a different item?
So let me get this straight.
I list an item.
If it doesn't sell, I RELIST it.
I can THEN edit my RELISTED auction and make it an entirely different auction.
If THAT item sells, I would get credited from ebay, therefore a free listing.
Did I miss something here? Doesn't this sound like ebay is allowing fee avoidance?
I just checked a few of my old relisted auctions and I get the message:
This auction has ended but the item has been relisted. Go to item now. Go to item now.
(Which looks like an error, since there are 2 "go to item now"'s).
posted on August 16, 2001 10:22:57 AM
Hi EG!
I use the relist often when listing a similar item, but not in the way that you mentioned!
I use it for SOLD items (I believe it was intended for this purpose ~ super easy to relist that way).
Not as paranoid as you (today, anyway!), it is a convenience for my bidders who lose out ~ it helps them find my similar items even though the one they had wanted is gone.
No coffee yet today ~ I hope this is making sense
As always, good to see you!
First, let me say I'm not paranoid about this at all. (I have no reason to be). I'm just trying to understand why Ebay would allow this. It seems like this would be too easy for someone to get away with free listings.
I can now understand why you would relist a sold item so your customers could easily find a similar product... but the item I found was on an unsold item.
posted on August 16, 2001 10:53:51 AM
I sell books, and if one doesn't sell the first time around, I sometimes bundle that one with some other ones and relist.
That's what happens in a real auction. You don't get a bid on 1 item, but when it gets put together with some more "like" items, it sells.
posted on August 16, 2001 11:02:28 AM
I think this is just a way to imply that the re-listed auction could have minor or major differences from the original. It just seems like a way for eBay to protect themselves in case a buyer bought the re-listed auction thinking it was the same as the original.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * http://techgems.net
posted on August 16, 2001 11:18:53 AM
I use the relist on a successful auction when I have multiple items of the exact same thing, or something very similar (original auction was for blue, now I'm selling red).
posted on August 16, 2001 12:42:02 PM
If an item doesn't have a winner and it sells the 2nd time on the relisting, you will receive a credit.
If the item has a winner and you relist, you will receive a credit only if a FVF was issued for that auction and it sells the 2nd time.
If no FVF was issued, you will not be credited the listing fees. The feature is there to facilitate the relisting of identical items, not to avoid fees. eBay has already taken care not to lose their money. In relisting a successfull auction that hasn't had FVF issued you will see this note in the preview page
Note: This listing does not qualify as a refundable relisted item. Please see the Seller FAQ for more details. $0.30
Edited cause kittykittykitty was right, thanks.
[ edited by AnonymousCoward on Aug 16, 2001 01:32 PM ]
posted on August 16, 2001 01:02:28 PM
probably also intended to help with the problem of buyers getting upset because they think sellers who have multiples of the same item are relisting their item. not that this would help if the buyer does a search and find same item/same seller.
If an item doesn't have a winner and you relist, you will receive a credit.
think you meant to add 'and it sells the 2nd time.'
If the item has a winner and you relist, you will receive a credit only if a FVF was issued for that auction.
this is good to know, since i've had a non-paying, non-responding buyer (who's still actively bidding, arrrg! i hate that) and was considering relisting her item yesterday. glad i didn't. this 17 days is a lonnng wait.
posted on August 16, 2001 01:06:08 PM
Yes, exactly. On the one item I have multiples of, I always use the relist...even though I've sold the item. Saves a lot of effort...they just inform me I don't qualify for a refund and charge me the usual fees. Very handy.
I've never seen the printout that EG mentions, though. Maybe it's a recent change? I rarely do a real relist.
I noticed a seller that did exactly that! I was looking at completed items, found the item I was looking for and clicked on it. The bar at top said it was relisted. So I clicked on the button and a completely different item showed up!!
BTW, the first item went unsold...So, it looks like a case of fee avoidance to me.
[ edited by AnonymousCoward on Aug 16, 2001 01:32 PM ]