posted on August 27, 2001 05:29:37 AM
First off, 95% of my transactions on eBay are as a seller, NOT a buyer!
Now for my vent, when a seller isn't getting what they want for an item, they shouldn't be able to cancel an auction before it's over. Period! If the item broke, fine, but come on everybody, how often does that REALLY happen to anything?
I was high bidder on an item I need to complete a collection, that just happens to be quite difficult to find and guess what? It was at about half the value and the person closes the auction because the "item is no longer for sale". What kind of crap is that? I'll tell ya what kind, they didn't like our high bid, that's what kind. That just stinks!!!
I emailed safe harbor, for all the good it will do. I liken them to the emergency room. You could bleed to death before anyone helps ya.
That's all, I don't feel better, but hopefully there are some sellers who will take to heart what I've said. If you HAVE to have a specific price, use a reserve and don't be so damned cheap as to not pay the $1.00 reserve listing fee.
I have NEVER EVER done this and will NEVER EVER do it, because if I have an item I'm not willing to give away, it gets a reserve.
posted on August 27, 2001 05:45:02 AM
Well why not make them a good offer if you have to own it? Put your anger aside and see if you can buy it. Or don't, and continue to have a hole in your collection.
I just sold something way too cheap yesterday and was just about to close the auction on the next to last day (with no bids on it yet), then all of a sudden it had a bid, so I let it ride. It ended at about half of what I was expecting.
Hope for a deadbeat?
Oh, and "difficult to find" means there will be another one on ebay next week that you can bid on.
[ edited by loosecannon on Aug 27, 2001 05:51 AM ]
But not every cancellation for "item is no longer available" is because they aren't getting the price for it.
I started a thread yesterday outlining my woes w/a previous deadbeat bidder w/more ebay reincarnations than Shirley McClain. I could have just cancelled his bid, but there's no way to keep up w/all his IDs, so I just ended up cancelling the whole thing.
Unfortunately, ebay doesn't have "I cancelled this auction due to unscrupulous bidders involved" as a reason, so I had to use the "no longer available" excuse.
I hated to do it, but just had no choice. So, please, don't think that every cancellation is just because some seller isn't getting the price they wanted!
posted on August 27, 2001 06:01:50 AM
I agree with you, flynn.
I've seen sellers post messages (not necessarily here at AW) saying "What should I do? I was expecting to get $XXX for this widget, and it's only at $XX with x hours left?! Should I cancel the bids and cancel the auction? etc.etc.etc."
It's an AUCTION. You as the seller have the discretion to choose any opening bid you want, as well as the option to pay a reserve listing fee to ensure a minimum amount otherwise no obligation to sell. If it's that valuable to you, then either start the bidding higher or pay for the reserve. Otherwise - you're taking the risk that you JUST MAY NOT get what you wanted for it!
I'm sure that almost every seller is or was once a BUYER. Look at it from the other's point of view... as a buyer, you go to eBay to get a GREAT DEAL on something you collect, need or want. If you get this widget - that you probably KNOW is worth $XXX, but you manage to snap it for only $XX - you're THRILLED, aren't you? As a Seller - sure - you may be disappointed, but you've probably experienced that same thing as a buyer as your bidder just did. And it will even out in the past. Just as every seller has probably parted with something for WAY LESS than they wanted to, I'm sure they've also sold something for WAY, WAY MORE than they ever expected.
Unless the item is truly broken or some major flaw was discovered after the listing, I don't think it's right for the seller to cancel listings just because they expected to get sooo much more for the item. It's especially not fair if bids have already been received and those bidders are looking forward to possibly winning this great widget.
It's like the opposite of "Buyer's Remorse". And how many sellers give total refunds for THAT? Not many, I'll bet.
posted on August 27, 2001 06:19:16 AMFlynn:
Hopefully, you are suffering from "I've been burned before" paranoia.
I'd hate to think that a reputable seller would cancel their auction for their own mistake of starting the bid too low or not placing a reserve.
I'm not sure about the category you are bidding in, but I can tell you that the clothing listings have almost been overtaken by snipers. The seller could very well have cut off their nose to spite their face, so to speak.
Another reason to cancel a listing:
I recently had to cancel an auction because *somehow* it was listed as highlighted ~ an option I have never chosen. Fortunately, there were no bids on the item yet!
Why not try contacting the seller to see if you can get more info?
Good Luck!
only ZOOMIN here
posted on August 27, 2001 06:19:27 AM
ebay is not the only venue many sellers use,it is not unusual they just sold the item at their landshop or other sites,worse they may just realise it was sold already before they list it on ebay.
posted on August 27, 2001 06:39:26 AM
Here's an idea, that is if you would still want to deal with the seller. And this way you would have the ability to leave feedback on the transaction, no circumvention of ebay fees, etc.
Ask the seller to relist it with a BIN price you can both live with, and ask them to contact you as soon as it's relisted.
posted on August 28, 2001 04:22:36 AM
Well I just took a look at this seller's previous auctions and NONE of them are old collectibles except that one item I wanted. Someone else mentioned that another will come along, yeah, in about another 5 years maybe! That's how long it took to have this one finally listed on ebay or seen anywhere else. It's value is about $800 and it wasn't even to $200. The guy was pissed off alright. I don't buy that it was already sold garbage.
As for trying to purchase it outright, I WILL wait, because according to ebay's rules (as stupid as it is), you're not supposed to do that.
Thanx for letting me vent and for the ideas, I sincerely do appreciate it.
posted on August 28, 2001 02:17:22 PM
There's also the possibility that the item was accidentally damaged or destroyed, and so could no longer be sold -- it could have been broken, the seller's dog could have decided to use it as a chewtoy, the seller's husband could have thrown it away... all of those things have at one point or another happened to merchandise I was selling or going to sell.
Mistakes happen, acidents happen, dogs eat merchandise, and spouses can be incredibly stupid at times. "Item is no longer available" can mean any number of things.
posted on August 28, 2001 02:29:58 PMI recently had to cancel an auction because *somehow* it was listed as highlighted ~ an option I have never chosen. Fortunately, there were no bids on the item yet!
zoomin,
does ebay refund you if you cancel an auction? maybe there's a time limit or something.
posted on August 28, 2001 02:41:33 PMdoes ebay refund you if you cancel an auction? maybe there's a time limit or something.
I accidentally listed an auction as dutch once. As soon as I realized what I'd done, I cancelled it and relisted. I sent an email to eBay telling them about it (giving them the item numbers involved), and they credited my account for the listing fee of the incorrect dutch auction.
posted on August 28, 2001 05:27:43 PM
Even if the item did break, highly unlikely in this case, but nonetheless, the least the seller could have done was email the high bidder, (me, in this case). I've had to cancel an auction because I had misinformation and instead of confusing everybody, I decided to relist. Prior to canceling everybody's bids I informed them of what I was going to be doing and exactly why, and every single one of them bid on the new auction. That's the right thing to do.
First of all people need to understand that ebay is an AUCTION, a subtlety that is often lost to most. Sellers need to also understand that they have the luxury of setting MINIMUM prices, and those prices need to be at the minimum the seller would be comfortable with. Dollar-no-reserve is for fools and gamblers. And if they lose that bet they need to eat it.
Setting a minimum IS a luxury. I was at a REAL auction tonight where there was an auction for an extensive collection of vintage movie memorabilia.
"5 Dollars?" He knows I want it.
I shake my head NO.
"2 Dollars? Listen folks, this is a large collection and certainly worth alot of money!"
I raise my hand. I've gained enough respect there from most of the other dealers to know that I will run them up to retail and bail at the last second.
A look of sheer disappointment and a scathing glare my way as he says "SOLD! $2"
Fortunately the auctioneer doesnt hold grudges. He knows that I am one of the few who will do him a favor now and then by purchasing a lot no one else wants. Of course he doesnt know that at these times I see something that no one else has seen...
posted on August 29, 2001 12:05:32 AM
People keep yelling that eBay is an AUCTION, but as a brick & mortar auction goer pointed out in a thread awhile back, REAL auctioneers can and do end bidding on auctions that aren't meeting expectations. eBay seems to be familiar with the concept and thus they allow it. No matter what attachment you may feel to the item in question it really isn't "yours" until you actually win and pay for it.
The item belongs to the seller until it is sold. Would you rather it becomes eBay's property once its listed? eBay knows that they could never (legally) get away with dictating what a seller can do with their property. As much as they like to cater to buyers don't you think they would if they could?
"Item is no longer available" can mean any number of things.