posted on March 30, 2001 04:37:35 PM new
Twice in the past week, I have been the current high bidder on an item at Pageantworld's auction site. Both times, someone who had not even bid on the item e-mailed the seller and made and offer to end the auction early. Neither one of the sellers even had the common courtesy to ask if I would meet or beat the scumsucker's price. Why couldn't the little creep have made a legitimate bid on the item?
Thanks for letting me vent. I guess I'll stay with eBay, where the sleaze at least has to outbid me before the seller can close the auction.
posted on March 30, 2001 06:47:43 PM new
I hate to say this, but at ebay sellers can cheerfully cancel an auction and then sell to someone who emails them. In fact, ebay has made it easier to do so by putting in an easy-to-find "cancel this auction" button, which automatically cancels all the bids first.
"Bottom feeders", by the way, is typically used to refer to SELLERS who email BUYERS who are currently bidding on another auction and offer to sell them the same item for less.
posted on April 2, 2001 07:27:35 AM new
If I was a seller (can't be without a CC) I would happily end an auction to sell to someone. If it had bids, I would contact the bidders first. But this might seem to the bidders that I am playing a game!
posted on April 2, 2001 05:10:51 PM new
CaptainKirk,
Where oh where is that button? Not on any auction page I've seen yet.
To cancel an auction with bids is not considered wise. First, you're running an auction, not a storefront. The auction process involves selling to the highest bidder, not the person who emails you to buy it.
Secondly, and this can be really important if you like money - you never know how high your bidding will go. If you end the auction early to accept what you think is a great deal, think again. The person emailing you asking you to end it probably knows something you don't know and usually he/she is getting a price break. Chances are the item is worth more than their offer and if you let it ride with bids, you may get even more money than the offer.
I always write back that I never end auctions early and if they would like to place a bid, that would be fine. Either way, I thank them for their interest and let the auction run to completion. Most of the time, they don't even bid, which makes one wonder why they even wanted to buy it in the first place.
Juggheadd, read the original post and see what a bidder thinks of a seller who ends the auctions early.
I was told that it now gives you the option to automagically cancel bids, thus making it easier, but I don't have any auctions I want to cancel, so we'll leave it to someone else to report on the truth or falsity of that rumor.
In any case, its still pretty easy to cancel an ebay auction. (just had it happen to me on the last day)
posted on April 3, 2001 03:19:44 AM new
Oh well they've always had that link. I thought you said it was on the page itself. This is what the link says:
If you have bids on this listing, or if the Reserve Price has been met , you must cancel all bids or sell to the high bidder(s). You may choose on the next page.
I didn't go to the next page, but if they allow you to cancel bids without emailing everyone, it's great, because so many times sellers don't notify the bidders in advance and then according to the rules, the high bidder is still the winnner. However, the seller usually won't sell, leaving the bidder angry. If the seller abides by the rules and does sell to the high bidder, the seller isn't happy.
Sellers who end their auctions early are cheating themselves IMO. Sorry it's happened to you.
captainkirk is right. The "new" end your auction early page will have a way to automactically cancel the bids. I don't remember now where I read it though. I used to list auctions! Now I just read all the new, improved, and/or changing TOS on all the sites so that I make sure that I don't do or say the wrong thing, or wipe myself in the wrong direction, because I'm sure that would violate SOMEONE'S TOS! OH! It all used to be so easy!!!!
posted on April 3, 2001 11:37:14 PM new
Of Course everyone runs their auctions the way they see fit, however, I for one would not alienate buyers by cancelling a bid in preference for a private sale. A buyer is obligated morally to complete the terms of the sale if he wins and a seller is obligated morally to complete the auction they entered into. I have had potential buyers contact me and offer to buy "x" item outright without going through the process. I simply reply that the item is available in the auction format and I encourage them to bid.
OH! It all used to be so easy!!!!