[soozieq]

The reason I'm asking is because someone asked me to end the auction early for my Denon AH-C751 and offered me the 'buy-it-now' price AFTER someone else had already bid - and the BIN had disappeared. He's asked me at least 3 times and also asked if I was selling 'fakes' which was a bit rude!!!

Anyway, I looked at the eBay help section which states this:

Quote:

Reasons for ending listings early include: [size=x-small] The item is no longer available for sale.[/size] * There was an error in the starting price or reserve amount. * There was an error in the listing. * The item was lost or broken

Well, if an item is listed - why would it suddenly no longer be available for sale? As it is, I haven't ended the listing early because I'm unsure how to interpret the rules, and I also thought it's not fair to end listings early and sell the item privately. But does the 'item no longer available' imply you sold it and that's why it's no longer available?

Can anyone else make more sense of the rules than me? The way I'm interpreting the above - is that you can end any listing early and just sell to anyone who e-mails you with a decent offer? Is there some kind of etiquette I'm missing here?? I thought the whole point of an auction was to select how many days you wanted to list it for - and then wait for it sell / not sell?

 

[003]

I have asked sellers to end an auction early for me. Once or twice, it has netted me an extremely good deal. Most other times though, they decline.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have asked sellers to end an auction early for me. Once or twice, it has netted me an extremely good deal. Most other times though, they decline.

I'm sure it's done regularly - I was just trying to figure out if it was legit or not.
Do they ever give a reason for declining?

 

[grawk]

you could just cancel all bids, then buy it now would appear, then he could click buy it now. I don't recommend doing deals off ebay, it's usually fraud.

 

[Rav]

Personally i find it to be rather bad form to end an auction early to sell outside of ebay, but people do it to get a better deal, and to avoid paying the fees.

A couple of times now auctions i'd been watching (i generally bid as late as i can) have been ended early, meaning i missed out.

 

[Hoppergrass]

i agree with the above post. the auction follows a certain format and i don't think it's exactly ethical to skirt around that format to close a deal outside of that format. if you want a certain price then start the bidding at that price. just my two cents.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rav /img/forum/go_quote.gif Personally i find it to be rather bad form to end an auction early to sell outside of ebay, but people do it to get a better deal, and to avoid paying the fees.

Listing fees still have to be paid but final value fees wouldn't. But I know what you mean about it being 'bad form' - it's hard to find out what's acceptable and what's not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rav /img/forum/go_quote.gif A couple of times now auctions i'd been watching (i generally bid as late as i can) have been ended early, meaning i missed out.

If there's less than 12 hours to go, eBay allegedly make it harder to end the auction - but the practice clearly still goes on. So what I've 'gleaned' from all this - is that there isn't a definitive answer!!

Anyway, I refused to end it, so I'll just wait it out. I was curious to know how other Head-Fiers operate.

 

[jsmithepa]

What's there to "interpret?" Aren't the reasons crystal clear? If yer asking us it's OK to lie, go ask your God instead.

Selling outside of eBay and yer no longer have any protection.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsmithepa /img/forum/go_quote.gif What's there to "interpret?" Aren't the reasons crystal clear? If yer asking us it's OK to lie, go ask your God instead.

Here's an idea. Why don't you ask YOUR God to read back what I wrote - since you evidently have issues understanding the written word. "What's there to interpret?" you asked. Ask your God to read back the bold red letters (those are the letters in RED) and maybe you'll see the light!

I was trying to 'interpret' the 'item is no longer for sale' wording - and wondering why an item would no longer be for sale if it had been listed. Is that clear enough for you?

As for 'lying' - what are you rambling on about?

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoppergrass /img/forum/go_quote.gif i agree with the above post. the auction follows a certain format and i don't think it's exactly ethical to skirt around that format to close a deal outside of that format. if you want a certain price then start the bidding at that price. just my two cents.

I agree. I've never ended an auction early and I wouldn't like it to be done to me. But the guy who was asking me to end it said it wasn't against eBay policy. That's why I checked the rules, but found them to be a bit ambiguous - especially 'item is no longer for sale'. I'm guessing now that it means you've decided not to sell it after all.

 

[tstarn06]

I've sold hundreds of items on ebay, and the phrase "no longer for sale" definitely should be clarified. I remember getting emails as a seller from ebay saing never to make deals with bidders off the books, so to speak. But the real risk is that ebay may have staff making false "off the books" offers, and it's clearly not worth being booted off ebay to sell something early. Probably not a big risk, but if the buyer wants it, he/she will make the top bid he/she is willing to make, and leave it at that, no? If the bid wins, great, if not, they wait for the next time the same item goes up for sale.

I say you are doing the right thing. Wait it out, you might get lucky and get more than the off- the-grid buyer is willing to pay (higher than the original buy it now price).

 

[jsmithepa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif But the real risk is that ebay may have staff making false "off the books" offers, and it's clearly not worth being booted off ebay to sell something early

8 yeas with eBay and I can almost guarantee u eBay doesn't have the time nor the inclination to trap u this way. eBay model is, they "stay out of the way" as much as possible (i.e.: child ****, human body parts exempted).

I guess eBay allows u to terminate the auction for any reason. "Not available for sales" can be "I threw it away" "I gift it away" "I just don't want to anymore." but don't be surprised if they don't refund your listing fee.

 

[dj_mocok]

Actually the final value fee is the one that's killing you. I really think it's too much.

 

[greydragon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually the final value fee is the one that's killing you. I really think it's too much.

I certainly agree on that one. They sure do rape you with their gratuitous charge. I mean common, it's our items--charge fairly on the listing fee and be done with it.

 

[infinitesymphony]

eBay's choices for ending an auction early seem pretty clear. If there is a major listing error, if the item is lost, stolen, or broken, or if you change your mind and don't plan to sell the item, it's okay to end the auction early.

But keep in mind, "The item is no longer for sale," means that it's not for sale to fellow eBay members outside of eBay. Most outside offers are scams, and even when they're not, you'll have no protection from eBay or PayPal in the event that something goes wrong, even after the deal (ex. chargeback).