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27 replies

Does this happen often?

S smeeMember
I had a snipe on an item, and it ended early (I must have an instinct for picking these guys! LOL) so I emailed the seller and asked if he was going to be relisting. He emailed me back and said he might, but he has 2 guys that have offered him over double what the bid was up to, and he was waiting for someone to pay him. To me this sounded really hinky in a few different ways... So I am just not interested, but my question is this...

Is it common for people to do this? To basically use ebay as a glorified free classified ad?
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bartelbybartelbyMember
Heya Smee,
It does happen quite a bit actually, which is not so pleasant.

It seems that its a bit of fee avoidance for the seller. I am currently selling some Mag Wheels and have had plenty of offers to end the auction early and they all *suggest* that its a great way to get out of paying ebay fees.

I sell quite a bit of stuff and have only ended 1 large auction early, it was a dead laptop and the fella offered me a ridiculous amount of money, it was way more than I expected to get so I jumped at the offer. Also, he couldnt leave me crap feedback if he got the laptop and couldnt fix it (which I carefully explained in the listing).

So, yes! it seems to happen heaps.

Lexie
S smeeMember
oh good grief... like the fees are soooo high!

I can understand it in some cases, really, and I have gone ahead before when it was a good enough deal to me, but this particular instance doesn't feel good to me. And if he isn't honest, then it falls through the cracks because of the lack of feedback too. Not that the whole feedback thing is foolproof.

It's all so addictive! LOL
bartelbybartelbyMember
quote:
So Lexie

...did the buyer of the dead laptop send you irate e-mails about the piece of junk you sold him at such an exorbitant price?


No - actually the lovely fella, who I shared many an email with, emailed me to say it arrived and he was toasting me with an expensive bottle of red as he dismantled it to fix his daughters laptop. He was really really happy. Smile

Lexie
L lvtosnipeMember
I've come across sellers ending early too on items that I've been watching, but I've gotten clever. Now if something that I want ends in say 6 days and starts at like 10.00 and I know it'll go much higher than that, I put in a bid of like 10.50 and wait to be outbid (which I usually am) and then put in my snipe.

Once there is a bid, they cannot cancel their listing....

I think this is becoming a common practice as well as sellers ending auctions early just because they don't think it's high enough. Kind of crazy actually since most bidders (not only snipers) wait until the last few hours to bid anyway!....

Oh well, live and learn. The best thing about ebay is if you lose one there will always be another!
M moryMember
Smee: I have had several cancels but they were individuals - I find that bigger dealers & auction houses & Pawn Shops let it run once it's listed. Recently got a $300 DVD VCR for $40 mixer for $60 and yesterday a $600 Wheelchair for $56. I can't be happier with Auction Sniper. I just sent them another $20 for fees.
My problem with E-Bay is they have no way to enforce a sale. If the seller wants to take your money & not ship then your just stuck. I just buy from sellers with high Positive Feedback numbers. They do a lot of repeat business & don't screw you over.
For them it's a business and they have too much to lose. ..... mory
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S smeeMember
I didn't sweat that guy... I know there will be more of the same eventually, but in the short run husband person says he's just going to go ahead and buy pistons retail. Ah well. I can't work miracles, my wand is broke. Wink

I'm having some fun, so thar ya go. I have a few things to sell, a few things to buy, and it's all good.
S supersqueakyMember
An interesting experience recently makes me butt in on this one....

I'm not sure that there always will be "another one along soon". I suppose it depends on what you are looking for.

There's a very, very rare Monopoly set based around the Iditarod that's now out of print. The only one I've ever seen on eBay turned up last week but I really had no idea of its worth because I've never seen one for sale before. I decided to "Watch" it and put in a bid once I had an idea where things were going.

Anyway...I went off to Crufts, got back to find the auction finished and was horrified and amazed to see that it had ended at over £50! Eek That's a lot of money for a Monopoly set, but on the other hand if you really want such a rare item (and can afford it!) the price is going to rocket when there are so few available.

I'll be watching with interest to see when another one appears for sale. Smile I suspect I'll be waiting for a while. Cool

SS

"Run, Squeaky, Run!"
S supersqueakyMember
Although I doubt that there are now thousands of you busily looking for Iditarod Monopoly, I've made myself look pretty stupid - somebody has obviously got several and has listed them all!

The answer to how long I'd have to wait is....no time at all! (I still can't justify paying that much for one, though.)

However....

Here's a REALLY rare item, as you can see by the current price. There simply aren't many in existence. I WISH I was rich!!! Frown

>What I want for Christmas!<

SS

"Run, Squeaky, Run!"
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annieannieMember
WOAH!! Eek That's expensive! Why is what we really want always soooooo expensive?

I've asked santa for new feet for years but no luck yet. I don't think I've been bad Confused If you find any of those let me know. My tread is shot!! Actually now I may ask for even more the way I've been "breaking down" Roll Eyes This year I'll just ask for a new body!! I'd like a newer model too!! Wink

The best things in life are furry....and flowers!
J jabbergahMember
SS,

The listing you posted that looks like nothing more than an ad is probably against ebay rules.

HOWEVER, (and this is a question for some more experienced ebayers on here) if the lister had basically said the same thing AND then said the auction is for a copy of their current catalog. They could even say the normal cost of the catalog is $2, etc. Tacky, maybe -- but against ebay rules? Confused Would THAT approach be OK per ebay?

Jabbergah                                                  
K kevanMember
I'm sick of this happening too, then the same auction reappears the next day as a fresh auction.

I presume its newbies who are scared because there seem to be no bids (when in fact there could be loads of snipes), so I am starting to do what Lvtosnipe! suggested and place a minimum bid, and a snipe.

"Truth is incontrovertible; malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it; but, in the end; there it is."
bartelbybartelbyMember
quote:
Jab Asked:
They could even say the normal cost of the catalog is $2, etc. Tacky, maybe -- but against ebay rules? Would THAT approach be OK per ebay?

That is allowable Jabber. I cant see anybody having anything against that. Its better than selling Links, Cracks and other bloody things.

Lexie
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L littlebitMember
I have placed a start bid on ebay to keep a seller from pulling an item off early. (The seller had prematurely ended the same listing due to no bids before, not knowing that I had a snipe bid ready, of course.)

I've also bid on ebay just to thwart a Buy It Now option. In fact, I did that just last night.

In both cases, my first bid seemed to send a message to other bidders, "Come! Bid Here!" Both auctions got bids soon after mine and ended up with lots of bids. (This after days and days without bids before I jumped in!)

I ended up losing the first item, but winning the second.

I guess I'll just snipe as usual and take my chance on an item being pulled unless it is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY important to me. If no one bids, I can always contact the seller and ask if he/she will relist the item at an acceptable BIN price, and let me know right away so I can snag it. I've done that several times with good success.

I have often seen people bid items up way over what the original BIN would have been. In fact, I tried to snipe an auction in which a bidder bid low to remove the BIN price, and then struck back against counter-bids every time, until she finally won the item at considerably over the price she had been unwilling to pay in the beginning.

I may still sometimes place a low-ball bid on items with great big BIN prices. The one I won today was still $100 under the BIN, so I'm glad I played it that way.

Anyway, hard to say.
J jabbergahMember
...I think we're mistaken! Roll Eyes

I asked:
quote:
...if the lister had basically said the same thing AND then said the auction is for a copy of their current catalog. They could even say the normal cost of the catalog is $2, etc. Tacky, maybe -- but against ebay rules? Would THAT approach be OK per ebay?


You thought (& so did I!) that approach may be OK. I was looking for something else in ebay help and found <<THIS>> Roll Eyes

Oh well, so much for my catalog! Wink

Jabbergah                                                  
M moryMember
SS WOW is that interesting - I should know the seller - but don't will have to get online and chat... Bet that will get sold to an Alaska Buyer. They are getting fiercely protective about Alaska History leaving the State. I had a Native carved Usuk for sale and had to pull it.
People were sending me very fierce e-mail not so veiled threats. Its absolutely amazing what you can find on e-bay.

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