Is this "anti-sniper" tactic withing eBay guidelines?

This auctionhas the following statement:

quote:
If this item does not recieve any bids within a reasonable time frame from the start of the auction, We reserve the right to revise the item or replace it with something else that we think will get a bid. If an item already has a bid, IT WILL NEVER be revised or changed. SO we advise you NOT to use a sniper program to bid on any of our auctions that dont have any previous bids, or your program may bid on a different item than you thought it was. Remember that ALL bids are legally binding regardless of how the bid was made. So DO-NOT trust your sniper program!

Can someone actually change the item being listed if there are no bids? I would think they would just list the new item with a new item number. Why are sellers like this so opposed to last minute bidding? IME, this is usually when the biggest run-up in price occurs. If I have a snipe set for this and he really does change the auction completely, do I have any recourse? I was thinking of saving a screen shot of this auction as it currently is and if he changes it, I have proof for eBay that it was something else. I sort of want to screw with him since he seems opposed to selling items to snipers.

9/26/058:16 PM

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Original Post

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rickMember

quote:
Can someone actually change the item being listed if there are no bids?

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/questions/revise-item.html

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/edit_listing.html

At least they warned you. Some other posters on this forum weren't as lucky. Doesn't sound like the seller wants to avoid snipers, but that they want to avoid problems/complaints.

9/27/055:04 AM

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chatterMember

The recourse is not to complete the purchase. Yes, the seller may file an NBP against you, but the worst that will likely happen is that you will get negative feedback, to which you may respond, anyway. If you are an honest eBayer, one neg should not matter.

But this scenario is so very rare, that in my mind it does not justify placing an early bid. The odds of attracting interest by placing an early bid are, IMHO, far greater than the auction ending early or the bizarre scenario described above.

9/27/057:34 AM

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snipersarabAuctionSniper Support

Maybe his items are never getting bids because he's always changing what they are. And even people that see that and plan on bidding might be afraid to bid thinking he may change it after they bid. Talk about shooting oneself in the foot.

9/30/052:31 AM

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carla0262Member

I've seen this many times.....just not so obvious. Many sellers if no bids are received will pull the item in the last 12 hours. I always bid at least the minimum bid so as to prevent them from pulling the item and then follow up with a snipe for the amount I really want to bid. I only place the minimum bid if NO bids at all have been placed. Every once in a while the seller will still pull the item claiming an error in listing or such because they know that the item is going to sell really low. I don't know if anyone can prevent that.
Happy snipping!

9/30/057:36 PM

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mrroundelMember

In this case it would seem as if the seller's tactic is designed to "test the water" on various products or avoid multiple Ebay fees for multiple items. I would think that if you prevailed in such an auction, and the seller left you a negative due to non follow-through, you'd be able to get Ebay to delete the email. While it might take some doing, Ebay knows that a valid contract has to have a meeting of the minds, which would be absent if the item were changed mid-auction. In my non-professional opinion, I don't believe that the seller would have an enforceable contract at all, that a judge would find that clause unconscionable, and would not enforce the contract.
That said, the best way I'd deal with that one is to contact Ebay about the seller. Ebay doesn't like to lose out on fees from "creative" sellers.

10/13/055:45 PM

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tiopedroMember

Going back to the opening statement in this thread.

The question should be asked. Is an auction a legal and binding contract? If it is too costly and or time consuming to enforce; then no; and they all are. If eBay closes the account; change ISP's, get another computer (different DSN), and register with eBay. There are rip-off artists out there that eBay isn't willing to do anything about; we have had first hand experience. We should be able to give feedback on eBay support. We wonder what that would look like.

11/2/0511:51 AM

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mrroundelMember

The comment regarding the rating of Ebay's bidder support is valid. I once was instrumental in having an Ebay PowerSeller temporarily suspened for what I saw were very valid reasons. Safeharbor gave the suspension, after looking carefully at the circumstances. It lasted one day before the seller was reinstated by PowerSeller Support.
This was a shilling case where the shills were working for the PowerSeller. This he admitted,but claimed that he knew nothing of it, he was just the lucky guy who was paid the ill-begotten spoils. This claim didn't pass anyone's laugh test except that of Ebay's PowerSeller Support.
Another thing that should be made available by Ebay is a way to consolidate a seller's negative feedback ratings on one page. As it is, a buyer doing diligence on seller's backround, is stuck sometimes going through many pages of feedback to get a real impression of the credibility of the seller. It's a simple matter to supply this service, yet nothing is done to make the buyer's job easier. Does this tell you anything?

11/4/0512:18 PM

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rickMember