posted on August 17, 2004 12:38:51 PM
Listed an auction last night
Made mistake, inserted a BIN for $5 on a item worth $40 - thaught I was filling "Price field"
Since I filled out the BIN field instead of the "Price" field I had to backspace when ebay remeinded me about "Required field, PRICE"
Went back, filled in the price field, not knowing there was still a $5 BIN, by mistake.....$5 by the way was my opening bid...
Check my email hour later and see that someone purchased my antique red cross pin using BIN...??????????
I quickly realized my mistake, went to Paypal and refunded the lady and re-started the listing
Now she is PISSED and has already done an info request on me and is threatening to turn me in...
Here is our emails-
Dear retroplace,
I really don't want to file a non-selling seller
report with eBay, but would like to hear something
directly from you about the item that I bought using
BIN:
Antique National RED CROSS NURSE Pin Item number:
6113723346
The Paypal refund notice didn't arrive in my email
until about 11pm (PDT) last night, which was well
after I emailed you asking for clarification.
While I can understand mistakes, according to eBay
policies, once the auction ends, we have a contract
that requires BOTH parties to honor their respective
responsibilities. I honored mine by paying promptly,
and I feel you should honor yours as well.
Since this auction still shows on My eBay Summary as a
"Pay Now" item (switched from "Paid" when you refunded
my Paypal), it is a constant reminder of an open
transaction, and an ongoing frustration since you have
not responded to my previous email thru eBay.
Since this is the first time this kind of problem has
happened to me, I posted a question on the Answer
Center to see if I was being unreasonable. Here's the
link to the answers that were subsequently posted:
I would appreciate hearing from you directly. Please
do me the courtesy of responding to this email.
Thanks,
Sally
Sally here is what happened
First of all I NEVER use "Buy It Now"
When I launched this auction I mistakenley inserted my opening price of $5
in the "Buy it now" space. When I clicked on "Continue" the ebay prompt told
me to go back and fill out the required fields (The price space)
I then backspaced and looked for my error and realized I had not filled out
the price fiels ($5)
I completed this step not realizing that I also had $5 in the "Buy It Now"
field
When the listing started it started as a Buy It Now without my knowledge and
you opted for the Buy It Now. That is why I refunded your purchase. This was
an honest mistake and I hope you dont feel the need to "press charges" with
ebay
I have a stellar record and a sparkling feedback rating with speaks much
louder than this simple oversight on my end
Chris
Am I a bad guy here??
[ edited by micmic66 on Aug 17, 2004 07:24 PM ]
posted on August 17, 2004 01:10:32 PM
"Contract"? Ha, ha. That's good one. You made a mistake in your listing and this person is just angry because they aren't getting something for nothing. If it were me, I'd ignore her and block her from bidding. I'm not sure what else you can do. Obviously, she isn't going to agree to mutually cancel the transaction. Hopefully, someone else knows more about this than I do.
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
posted on August 17, 2004 01:21:34 PM
"Are you a bad guy here" No, but, you are going to have both the lady and ebay upset with you. In my humble opinion, you should have checked your auction before hitting the list button. That is your responsibility as the seller. I have done the same thing once, and only once, and went ahead and sent the item and called it an expensive lesson. Now I double check all of my auctions before sending them out on their way. The main reason that people get bent out of shape on this sort of thing is because there are way to many crooks out there selling on ebay, thinking that the rules don't apply to them, just the other guy. Oh well, off of my soap box. I hope that you take this as just one person's opinion and not a direct attack on you.
Kevin
posted on August 17, 2004 01:22:35 PM
I don't think you are wrong; however, if it were me I would have apologized profusely about the error.
I read the thread she posted on at the Answer Center; as Cheryl said she thought she was getting something for nothing and is bitter. " Granted, the BIN price was the same as the starting bid, and probably 20-25% of what similar items sell for..." - that to me says she knew it had to a mistake. I think she is bit miffed that you didn't do some butt-kissing on your apology - just my opinion.
I most definitely would NOT sell it to her for $5.00. Again, just my opinion.
__________________________________
"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." - Richard Bach
posted on August 17, 2004 01:32:16 PM
Tell her that although you are sorry she is upset about the error that once you realized it had been entered wrongly you had to end the auciton and refund her money. Tell her she can rebid at the starting price of 5.00 (you didnt have a reserve, right?) and you hope that sounds fair to her as that was your orignal opening bid you had planned on listing this item for. If she doesnt like that then screw her -- as she's definitely looking to take advantage of an mistake. Some might tell you to eat it, but for all the NPB's a seller withstands and moves on from, *I* dont think so. She'll get over it.
[Then hope if you do restart at 5.00 you get plenty of bids coming in on this, as she probably wont try to buy it then!! lol.]
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Each one sees what he carries in his heart - Goethe
posted on August 17, 2004 01:40:13 PM
neroter12, yes, she is welcome to bid again. The item is relisted with an opening bid of $5 with no reserve, I never use reserves......
posted on August 17, 2004 01:41:57 PM
Perhaps you could offer to give a discount if she wins the auction to appease her and to compensate for the aggravation you inadvertently have caused her.
It's your call - but I can see both sides of the issue - you made an honest mistake and she probably got that adreneline rush we all get when we pay less than full value for something, only to have it go away.
**********************************
Sig files are too much trouble! http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
posted on August 17, 2004 01:48:20 PM
neglus, she is certianly bent out of shape because of the very reason you just mentioned. She knew dam well the pin is worth for more than $5
It wont make or break me but it's just bad business to accidently let something that scarce go for pennies on the dollar...
posted on August 17, 2004 02:19:16 PM
Neglus, that is a good idea. Maybe offer free shipping in the ...sorry about your trouble email..if she wins?
Toasted, you are so easy going!!! I dont mind giving it up if its something dumb like I listed way too low, or the shipping was wrong -- but within one hour of listing this gets found and bought? Seems highly coincidental unless they've been waiting for this particular pin and had a search emailer send to them? micmic, do they buy other pins or redcross stuff?
That would be interesting to know if its a true collector or just a scavenger hunter on your tail!
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Each one sees what he carries in his heart - Goethe
posted on August 17, 2004 02:32:25 PM
If it was listed as 40 bin, and she bought it, and then claimed she clicked "by mistake" what would you do?
I'd let her have it. It's not the end of the world; who knows, bidding might not have gone as high as you expected anyway. (And with all the incredible finds you tell us about, you can surely afford to eat the cost on this one).
posted on August 17, 2004 02:34:41 PM
lol neroter12 I know !! but to me it's just not worth the hassle of the bidder going to ebay and the ill feels that are going to come out of this. Maybe if it was more than 100.00 then I would say oops sorry I listed this wrong
posted on August 17, 2004 02:52:26 PM
I'll have you know I am an above-average burned out, bitter eBayer.
She saw a good deal and jumped on it. Just as if someone went to a garage sale and did the same. And it doesn't seem likely that the item cost you any more than 5.00, so no real loss to you (other than potential).
posted on August 17, 2004 02:59:45 PM
It was your mistake not hers. I think you could have given her the courtesy of an email before you refunded her payment. You said nothing to her just refunded the money.
You didn't need to go through all the explination about why you listed it wrong. The buyer doesn't much care, but she did bid and win your auction. If you file for your fees back the buyer has to agree if not you won't get your fees. Also she can give you a negative as that feedback is in her system.
I am sure we all make mistakes I know I do but I will honor a bid even if I was wrong.
Micmic, A bad guy? No, of course not. I do think you were wrong. As others have said, your mistake, you take the loss.
I would have sent her the pin.
You can still do this and possibly avoid a non-seller report to eBay and the inevitable neg she has every right to leave.
As far as the speed with which it sold, I've picked up more than a few BIN's less than an hour after they were listed. One of my favorite searches is set to pick up BIN's.
posted on August 17, 2004 03:19:55 PM
Thank you Lucy...
I am about ready to say the heck with it and send her the pin after reading some of these posts. I will not kill me but it will smart!
posted on August 17, 2004 03:54:05 PM
...the answer to the question is: yes.
according to most here, and me.
---------------------------------
..maybe this wont matter to some..but if i had been the bidder; and been treated this arrogantly over your mistake-i would not like it, but would have listened to your excuses.
-----------
..and in the interest of full disclosure of your move[s].....
i gotta tell you, if i had been the bidder, and saw that you had also immediately relisted the item...wellll, you can fill in the blanks!!
---------------------
myoldtoy
posted on August 17, 2004 06:32:35 PM
You did fine. You sent an e-mail explaining. You refunded her money, so she is not out any thing. You have no obligation to her to respond to anymore e-mails and you should not. Just do not file for your listing fees. You should eat those for your mistake. If you do, then she will end up with an undeserved non-paying strike. We all make mistakes, and in this case, the buyer clearly knew it. I would bet that she surfs for newly listed items just waiting to pounce on mistakes like yours.
The just of it, keep your item relisted, DO NOT offer a damm thing to this buyer other than the opportunity to bid on the corrected listing.
posted on August 17, 2004 07:10:21 PM
You listed the pin for $5.00, she bought it for $5.00. The deal is done. Email her and tell her that as soon as you receive the $5.00 plus $35.00 for shipping and handling, you'll fire it right out to her via First Class mail. That should satisfy at least 50% of the participants in the transaction.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on August 17, 2004 07:29:51 PM
SPARKZ - LOL!!!!!!!!
Stonecold, I could not have said it better myself, at this point I am not kissing anyones ass and I will eat the fees. Its done its over and its relisted!
posted on August 17, 2004 07:32:08 PM
i just imagine someone new coming here for advice...
--------------
tell OP to charge $35? s/h/i?? yeah, right;; if bidder not upset to this point, then wont take long, if this follows.
------------------------
ask OP what original s/h/i on the auction was? 3-4 bucks, maybe?
i bet Op even stated s/h/i on the auction
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posted on August 17, 2004 08:17:35 PM
Gee what a surprise the seller going to take the advice of screwing the bidder...
and people wonder why eBay won't do anything against NPB's
