posted on February 17, 2002 10:29:24 AM
I found this auction for a certain antique item on eBay. I wanted to add the item to my collection. The auction ended today.
Six days ago I sent an email to the seller, said I had logged a snipe bid with esnipe, that I planned on bidding on the auction but first, could I know how much shipping and insurance would be, and how the seller planned on packaging the item.
I did not hear back from the seller. A few days ago I sent the first email again, plus asked the seller to communicate with me. No response.
Yesterday I sent another email. No response.
Today, before the auction ended, I emailed the seller again, told the seller I had deleted my snipe bid of $588.00 because I was not going to bid on an auction of a seller who does not communicate.
The auction ended. Reserver was not met. High bid was $54.00.
I never heard from the seller.
I guess some sellers really don't want to sell anything. It makes me wonder why they bother; they do have to pay insertion fees and such.
posted on February 17, 2002 10:43:53 AM
Before passing judgment, check to see if the seller has been participating in any other ebay activities during this period. Were they posting more auctions, leaving feedback, etc? If they were, then you have a reason to be angry. But if all of their ebay activities suddenly ceased, there may have been an emergency of some sort. Not all sellers have the luxary of a back-up partner who can take over auction duties if something comes up - or that partner may have been involved in the same emergency. Though I don't blame you for not bidding - an unanswered question is an unanswered question, no matter what the reason.
posted on February 17, 2002 12:48:53 PM
The seller has less than 50 feedback and most of the feedback is for bidding. I concluded the seller is a collector who listed a few items, or perhaps an antique shop owner, and uses a secondary email address that isn't checked regularly. Whatever the reasons, I'm not going to spend a lot of money on an auction if the seller doesn't say how much shipping will be, or how packaging will be accomplished. I'm not angry, just amazed that an individual will go to the effort and cost to list an item and not stay on top of the auction.
I am a Power Seller within a specialized area. I'm not a volume Power Seller, just one of those sellers who lists less than 100 auctions a month and becomes a Power Seller because of the high dollar sales. I've been selling on eBay since 1998. There are a few things I've learned. One, don't put up auctions if you are travelling unless you can check your email and auction activity while being gone. Two, if your computer fails due to hardware or loss of electricity, know where you can go to get internet access, such as the public library or an internet cafe. And three, use an email service where you can gain access to your email on the net.
posted on February 17, 2002 01:02:05 PM
Your email was also "delivered" through eBay's system. The seller may have never gotten the email or all of them may arrive sometime next week.
posted on February 17, 2002 01:06:06 PM
With reserve auctions it takes a bidding war of at least two bidders to escalate the opening price to the reserve price. You'll never know if there was another bidder that would have helped you get the price to the reserve minimum price. I hate reserve auctions with a passion.
The seller may have not responded because he/she was a relative newbie and may have hard feelings against bid sniping ? They may have thought you were pestering them? There are a lot of scenarios that may apply and like the reserve auction thing, you will never know.
posted on February 17, 2002 01:09:59 PM
REAMOND, your assumption is incorrect. The seller's user id is the email address. I emailed directly to the email address; I did not go through eBay. I put a copy and paste of the auction title in the emails' subject headers.
It may be that eventually the seller is going to remember that auctions were listed, go to check email and find the emails from me.
Or maybe this is one of those rare instances when the seller died or is in a hospital. I doubt if I will ever find out.
I know others on this board always say if you are going to spend more than a few dollars, contact the seller first, particularly when the seller doesn't give any indication of shipping costs. This story illustrates why the contact is important.
posted on February 17, 2002 01:16:26 PM
bidsbids - it doesn't take a bidding war to reach the reserve, all it takes is one lone bid that happens to meet or exceed the reserve. I bid the same way when faced with a reserve - I snipe it by bidding my maximum like any other auction, then see if I win. Reserves really don't bother me at all. Besides, it seems like hotcup's question was regarding the shipping costs and methods rather than what the reserve is.
posted on February 17, 2002 03:11:45 PM
Holdenrex is correct. If a seller sets a reserve, just one bid is needed. Of course, the seller can encourage a bidding war by answering email questions from potential bidders.
With regards to my situation, I am confident my bid would have been several hundred dollars higher than the seller's reserve. It is the seller's loss.
Speaking of sellers who use reserves, there is a selling technique I've never understood. Perhaps someone can explain it to me.
I bid a lot. I have searches saved under my two bidding ids in My Ebay, search techniques which I've fine tuned over the years. I use my searches to find my auctions and I go through my searches at least every other day.
My point is that because I use the same search criteria, week after week, month after month, the auctions of relisted reserve items keep popping up in my searches. I am referring to items that are considered antiques. The seller lists an auction, puts up a reserve, reserve is not met, the auction ends. The seller relists, reserve is not met, the auction ends. And again, and again, and again, and again .... and again.
It is a year later, the sellers are still relisting the same auctions. Can someone explain to me why they do this? Doesn't the cost of the listing fee from relisting the auction dozens of time eventually remove any profit the seller might make if someone eventually bids and makes reserve?
posted on February 17, 2002 04:28:33 PM
I always delete emails that ask about shipping before or during an auction ends. Through experience I know none ever bid even if I stated $1 shipping. Plus it's a warning sign that the buyer has a few screws loose because they can't figure an average amount plus a lttle padding to come up with their own total, and figure it into the bid. I wonder if they can't do that much, they are nazi cosumers who may cause many problems if one doesn't be careful.
Think about it this way, you pulled your bid because the seller didn't get back to you- my point is proven!
posted on February 17, 2002 04:47:20 PM
Quickdraw29, your comments don't make any sense to me.
If I am going to make a bid of over $500 on a fragile antique item that is over 150 years old, I want to communicate with the seller first. Asking how much shipping will be and how packaging will be accomplished are good reasons to contact the seller and get a feel for who the person is. No response from the seller means I will withdraw my bid.
If it is a normal $50 item, I will not contact the seller. But when an antique item of rarity is listed in an auction without shipping or payment terms being stated, then I want to engage in dialogue with the seller before I am committed to sending a stranger a lot of money.
If eBay users are sending you emails to inquire about shipping or having other questions and you don't answer, I imagine you do lose their bids. In my situation I gave the seller the courtesy of sending him one final email telling him why he would not be seeing my bid.
In my auctions, I give shipping costs for each item. If a bidder emails me with a question that is about anything, even the shipping costs, I understand that many times the questions are motivated by a need to contact the seller and establish a rapport before making the bid. I engage in dialogue with the user and in return I get the bids.
posted on February 17, 2002 05:09:22 PM
I've bought something on ebay for over $500, plus many in the $100-$400 range, I've never emailed the seller to ask anything and yet the items arrived as stated. I buy insurance for $1.10, pay the delivery conf fee, and rest easy. I look at the sellers feedback, read and reread the listing a dozen times looking for anything in peculiar.
There are many legitimate questions that should be answered before you bid, but shipping is not one of them. Perhaps as a power seller you know how much this item should cost to ship, or could figure it out, tack on some cushion to cover inflated shipping and you're covered against anything except against the complete con in which case I wouldn't pay anyway.
Beides, as a person who has been personally scammed by cons (not on ebay) I can tell you, you will never be able to detect how good or bad a person is by conversation. You won't be able to determine if they are lying, exaggerating or telling the truth. The good cons are undetectable. There are signs, or red flags though, but may be detectable from the listing. Non communication from a seller tends to be a good sign because that is not how cons act.
I presume you are more concerned with professionalism than a con though. Again, after bying from countless Power Sellers and large corprations, who all tend to act professional, yet ship half hazzardly, you will gain nothing through communication. Perhaps I am wrong, maybe you can extract the right info from a seller, it's just a rare ability that most can not do.
posted on February 17, 2002 05:21:17 PM
So a person who asks how much shipping will be is a "nazi cosumers who may cause many problems"?????
My items vary in weight from less than 1 lb to over 15 lbs. Are you saying that if a potential bidder emailed me asking how much their item would cost to ship (anywhere from $4.00 to $16.00), they are a "nazi cosumers who may cause many problems"?
posted on February 17, 2002 05:27:18 PM
I guess I have a screw loose. I like to buy things I don't really need off ebay. Usually just fun little things but sometimes pricey large items. I never email ahead about shipping on the large items because I know oversized boxes and extra bubble wrap adds up. I just figure it is worth a few extra bucks to get it to me in one piece. BUT, when it comes to small items like earrings, charms, butter pats, souvenir spoons, etc., I want to know up front what the shipping will be. Recently a seller wanted $6.50 to ship me a single butter pat! On an early transferware platter auction, I emailed the seller asking him to be more precise about condition. I emailed him from my Outlook Express, through Ebay, and had my sister-in-law email him through her ISP. No response. I could only conclude that the condition wasn't something he was proud of. Even though I really wanted it, I didn't bid.
posted on February 17, 2002 05:54:35 PM
People who don't do a little thinking for themselves tend to cause problems. They are in desperate need of an education. Not insulting anyone here, I've been guilty of it myslef on occasion. Who wants to go through life doing things the worst way? Not me and I hope not most people.
After one does thousands of auctions, one can detect patterns, and problem buyers tend to zone in on shipping costs.
posted on February 17, 2002 06:12:26 PM
I resent that remark.
I have purchased hundreds of items on eBay, and always email to ask what shipping is prior to bidding (if it isn't listed).
On many items, that is the deciding factor on who gets my business. If seller A is selling an item for $5.00 plus $5.00 shipping, and seller B is selling the exact same item for $4.00 plus $7.00 shipping, seller A is getting my business.
posted on February 17, 2002 06:18:59 PM
revessaggo, I'm with you! I resent that. I have over 800 feedback with two negs. Both negs were given to me as a seller, not a buyer.
posted on February 17, 2002 06:35:39 PM
Since the first rule of buying is "caveat emptor" (let the buyer beware) it is the buyer who must ask questions when in doubt.
As a buyer I ask the seller about shipping when the amount is unclear, or if they state shipping is $4.50 for what fits in a 34 cent stamped envelope, and have not specified Priority Mail. When I ask questions, usually I bid on the item about half of the time. When I don't bid it is often because the answer revealed excessive shipping costs, or the "fine linen" was poly/cotton, not cotton as I hoped etc.
As a seller I always answer questions from buyers, and as promptly as I can. Sure, not every person ends up bidding, but perhaps my answer clarified whether the person wanted the item or not. And that is part of doing business.
I certainly do not bid on auctions with unanswered emails. Every ebay discussion board has had numerous "shipping ripoff" threads posted by burned bidders. The invariable response is "You should have asked first".
Each person can conduct their business relationships the way they see fit, but I am with the majority to counsel buyers that "when in doubt, ask first."
And if the seller doesn't care enough to respond, take a pass, they don't deserve your hard earned money.
[ edited by litlux on Feb 17, 2002 06:39 PM ]
posted on February 17, 2002 06:37:21 PM
Hey, I've got an even BETTER idea. Let's send the seller a signed, blank check after EOA. OK? Because if we don't pay the mystery amount, he'll NPB and NEG us.
I always send blanks checks to everyone I do business with. Don't you?
posted on February 17, 2002 06:58:44 PM
It's always best to stay in your comfort zone. If you like to talk a bit before you bid thats fine - and shipping / packing info would be a reasonable concern too. Who knows what happened with the Seller - I really wouldnt worry much or curse his ancestors either as you did what you felt best. I sometimes go out of town for a week with 40 - 60 auctions up- timed to end at or near my return date. Ive missed a few questions because of it - I do send a courtesy email to the sender even if the auction has ended. Its not the best choice to leave unattended listings but the bills come even when im away.
Take care
OK4
posted on February 17, 2002 07:00:39 PM
If a seller doesn't respond to a question, regardless of what it is about, it's a tipoff that the seller doesn't care about the bidder and definitely should not receive any bidding whatsoever.
I absolutely want to know what the shipping price is because some sellers do charge a high enough shipping charge that makes the overall price too high for what might be my high bid. And those that do often don't package very well either in my experience.
Agree or not, I spend lots of money. If I'm not worth an email response, you're not going to get my money.
posted on February 17, 2002 10:56:04 PM
People who resent little things cause big problems because of their insecurity.
"As a buyer I ask the seller about shipping when the amount is unclear, or if they state shipping is $4.50 for what fits in a 34 cent stamped envelope, and have not specified Priority Mail."
This is what I mean, a buyer who needs to be educated. A buyer who thinks sellers package for free. And, this buyer also emails the seller to ask about shipping. This is a perfect example of the buyer I wouldn't want bidding on my auction, so absoltely no loss if a loser doesn't bid on my auction. If all loser buyers sent me their username I would blacklist them. Not all sellers are insecure that they have to stoop so low to please losers.
If you play the odds, this is nothing like writing a blank check. If you're grossly overcharged once every 150 times, and undercharged 10% of the time, it will even out. Any ditwit who has to email every seller about shipping is lacking brain cells. They do have adult math classes if you can't do the math.
posted on February 17, 2002 11:11:41 PM
"If a seller doesn't respond to a question, regardless of what it is about, it's a tipoff that the seller doesn't care about the bidder and definitely should not receive any bidding whatsoever."
Your generalizations are always entertaining. Obviously I have over 800 buyers who felt that I do care because they left me positive feedback. It's not that the seller doesn't care about the bidder, it's that they don't want to pay the high prce of pleasing a problem bidder.
posted on February 17, 2002 11:26:15 PM
There are some very wacky sellers out there that try to charge $20 for a $ 3.50 Priority Mail shipment. If there is no mention of shipping costs a bidder is a fool to gamble on possibly getting one of the wacky sellers. Some sellers must get a huge eBay invoice and try to recoup the fees with huge shipping fees.
I saw a nice wristwatch on Pricefire.com auctions the other day. No mention of s/h costs in description. Sent an email to seller and got back a $9 s/h quote. For a wristwatch? No wonder it wasn't in the auction description.
posted on February 17, 2002 11:28:32 PM
I find some of the comments in this thread to be rather naive and if they weren't so amusing I probably wouldn't say anything...
posted on February 17, 2002 11:29:31 PM
What a crock! "Nazi problem bidders" my ass.
I'm a seller with over 560 positives and no negatives. I answer every question that bidders have (no matter how stupid), but they don't have very many. My descriptions are detailed, my photos are good, and I always put the shipping cost in the auction description.
As a bidder, I will not bid on an auction that doesn't give a shipping cost or a way to calculate it. And if I email the seller and get no response on this point, I won't bid either.
posted on February 17, 2002 11:32:39 PM
QuickDraw, I have to disagree. It is the buyer's responsibility to ask questions. If they don't get the answer they need, they definitely should pass on the bid. "Seller ignored my emails, so this must be a good seller" just doesn't compute! And I say this as a seller who gets plenty of dumb before-the-sale emails.
With some practice, you should be able to discern the serious bidders from the ones just yanking your chain. At least, I'd like to think so.
posted on February 17, 2002 11:42:40 PM
So many bidders have been screwed with high shipping/handling fees that it is the first thing that they warn all their friends and associates about when they start bidding.
Word is out loud and clear to e-mail and ask questions before bidding if you aren't satisfied with the way the auction looks.
posted on February 18, 2002 06:28:27 AM
Imagine this scenario:
Bidder wins auction. Owes total $100.
Before payment he makes draws up an invoice:
labor costs:
(7 hrs of wk tracking auction @ $8/hr...$56
(2 hrs. travel to bank, PO,
office supply store).................16
cost of materials
(envelope, stamp, print paper,
ink, elect to run PC, maint).......... 5
cost of maint accounts
(fees for ebay, checking, CC,
money orders, elec MO)..................3
$100 auction total
- 80 exp.
$20 Total due seller
Seller gets payment, irately emails bidder "What's this??"
Bidder says "Only an uneducated person wouldn't be able to figure my expenses out."
Seller says "Why didn't you tell me before bidding so I could make my own decision?"
Bidder says "I did, but you deleted my e-mail"
posted on February 18, 2002 06:46:34 AM
I checked out Ebay and apparently quickdraw29 isn't your username there. I was wanting to see if anything in your auctions gave away the fact that you have a screw loose. I think if most buyers knew your philosophy they would hit the back button as fast as they could.
posted on February 18, 2002 07:19:52 AM
As much as I disagree with quickdraw's philosophy, my main contention is not so much that he:
a. doesn't believe in showing s/h $ in ads.
b. ignores bidders e-mails questions.
Even though I don't like it, he has the freedom to do it, and I have the freedom not to bid.
However, my real contention is that bidders who ask questions before "signing on the dotted line" of the contract (which is what you do when you bid, you are agreeing to all the terms or will stand in violation of contract)are considered "nazi's, insecure, or as having a "screw loose."
You can respect another person's differing opinion without disparaging their mental capacities.
