Ending an Auction on Ebay. Is it wrong?

[Doohickamabob]

I don't know if its wrong, but it would prevent me from bidding on most of your future auctions.

Me too. If the seller ends the auction early, I make a note that he did so and it usually prevents me from future participation in his auctions.

[Doohickamabob]

I collect some rare vintage toys and almost all of them I got through making offers to the seller. It's worked wonders for me in obtaining items I want. Now on many occasions the item didn't sell so I think it's fine. On others the seller ended the item early to sell to me. I believe the latter violates ebay policy. Oh well.

I don't think it's so bad when the seller doesn't have bids on his item. When the item has bids and the seller ends it early to sell to somebody directly, I find that objectionable.

[synch]

I've watched so many auctions waiting to bid at the last second only to have the jerk pull it because it had no bids or not enough ... I freaking hate that needless to say!

[Racer-X]

If the item is no longer for sale that is a legit reason to end the auction so end it.

 

As mentioned eBay is so stacked against the seller anymore that I say end the auction. It isn't a binding contract to sell until the auction is completed.

 

not always true - it's binding 12 hours before auction's end if there's a bid...

[USArmyParatrooper]

Its a bit of a sickener when, your just gearing up to bid and then all of a sudden, its game over.

I understand the reasons but a lot of the big bids can come in the last 10 seconds.

If its got bids, I think ya should takes ya chances and let it ride.

 

It's not because I'm worried about getting a good price. It's got 90 people watching and it's bid up well within where it should be at this point. It's just too painful to sell.

[comix4fun]

Its a bit of a sickener when, your just gearing up to bid and then all of a sudden, its game over.

I understand the reasons but a lot of the big bids can come in the last 10 seconds.

If its got bids, I think ya should takes ya chances and let it ride.

 

It's not because I'm worried about getting a good price. It's got 90 people watching and it's bid up well within where it should be at this point. It's just too painful to sell.

 

 

It's just a comic book. You can get another one. Is waffling to a degree that over 90 potential customers will take a negative view of you worth it?

[Doohickamabob]

It's not because I'm worried about getting a good price. It's got 90 people watching and it's bid up well within where it should be at this point. It's just too painful to sell.

It won't be quite so painful when you have a handful of cash.

[skypinkblu]

I recently had 5 Sensation Horror books listed and someone wanted me to pull them and sell them off eBay, I said no thank you, because they had watchers. One book sold at the bin price, the others went for less than the guy offered me for the total. I think I came out about even, except for the fees I paid. The winners of the Sensations, bid on my next auctions,so I'm sure it worked out.

 

My rule of thumb is not to do something that would annoy me if I were the bidder...and when I watch an item, and someone pulls it, it bothers me.

 

I don't bid on sellers items when the sellers end their auctions early, it's a waste of time and my time is valuable, so I figure other people's time is as well.

[skypinkblu]

Its a bit of a sickener when, your just gearing up to bid and then all of a sudden, its game over.

I understand the reasons but a lot of the big bids can come in the last 10 seconds.

If its got bids, I think ya should takes ya chances and let it ride.

 

It's not because I'm worried about getting a good price. It's got 90 people watching and it's bid up well within where it should be at this point. It's just too painful to sell.

 

Why did you list it? and do you plan on listing more stuff?

[USArmyParatrooper]

Its a bit of a sickener when, your just gearing up to bid and then all of a sudden, its game over.

I understand the reasons but a lot of the big bids can come in the last 10 seconds.

If its got bids, I think ya should takes ya chances and let it ride.

 

It's not because I'm worried about getting a good price. It's got 90 people watching and it's bid up well within where it should be at this point. It's just too painful to sell.

 

 

It's just a comic book. You can get another one. Is waffling to a degree that over 90 potential customers will take a negative view of you worth it?

 

I rarely sell comics so I'm not really concerned about a customer base. I'm primarily concerned with whether or not it's the right thing to do from a moral standpoint. For me when I'm shopping for comic I tend to have many different ones on my watch list. I've had some of them get pulled early because there were no longer available, but to me it isn't a big deal. If it was one of my top choices I might be slightly disappointed, but it's not like the person screwed me or cost me any money.

 

Still, enough people see it the other way that I'm strongly leaning towards just letting it run its course and selling it. It seems to be very much a grey area and I would rather err on the side of of caution when it comes to doing the right thing.

 

 

[Paratrooper]

I say no, it's your book to do what you want with it until it's sold.

[USArmyParatrooper]

Its a bit of a sickener when, your just gearing up to bid and then all of a sudden, its game over.

I understand the reasons but a lot of the big bids can come in the last 10 seconds.

If its got bids, I think ya should takes ya chances and let it ride.

 

It's not because I'm worried about getting a good price. It's got 90 people watching and it's bid up well within where it should be at this point. It's just too painful to sell.

 

Why did you list it? and do you plan on listing more stuff?

 

I guess to justify to myself spending so much on a recent purchase. The thing is I really didn't need to sell it. I guess I just didn't stop and think about it enough.

 

No, I don't plan on listing anything else.

[hockey&comicsguy]

I collect some rare vintage toys and almost all of them I got through making offers to the seller. It's worked wonders for me in obtaining items I want. Now on many occasions the item didn't sell so I think it's fine. On others the seller ended the item early to sell to me. I believe the latter violates ebay policy. Oh well.

I don't think it's so bad when the seller doesn't have bids on his item. When the item has bids and the seller ends it early to sell to somebody directly, I find that objectionable.

 

I can see that. On the one hand I believe it violates ebay policy to accept offers and end your listing early, effectively skirting all ebay fees and using their platform for free advertising, so I get it that ebay would have a problem with it.

 

As a seller, I don't really have a problem ending my items early if I can get the price I want. First off, ebay hasn't exactly been seller friendly so the chances of me selling to someone direct, and having them pay via check or paypal personal or maybe money order, my odds of not getting railroaded by the buyer are probably better than simply dealing through ebay. Furthermore, ebay does allow you to end an item early. I can't remember what their stipulations are but I think (if memory serves) that some of it is rather ambiguous, such as "the item is not longer for sale". In that case, it's still my item to sell to whomever I choose, to keep it on or pull it from ebay, etc...Good luck making a case so far as the item isn't for sale anymore. I can say it's not for sale anymore, pull it from ebay, change my mind 5 minutes later and sell it direct to a buyer. Who is to stop me?

 

As a buyer, I only get miffed when I know the item was pulled and sold direct to a collector I am in direct competition with for items. In that case it's simply my own fault for not getting in their first with an offer or not making the best offer. Being as I know a seller could pull an item at literally any time, I go after items I want aggressively and always try to deal off ebay when I can.

 

I can understand people not liking that and wanting sellers to keep the items on ebay for the duration of the auction. But there's no way to police it so you play the cards you're dealt.

[Calamerica]

IMHO it is a practice that can only hurt a sellers credibility, no matter what the circumstances.

 

That said, some auctions disclaim that the seller reserves the right to end the auction early, cancel suspicous bids, etc, but they almost always mention reasons why.

 

I have also seen sellers disclaim that they are "accepting offers" on auction listings.

 

While a part of me appreciates when sellers disclaim this strictly because I can avoid bidding on their auctions and won't be frustrated over wasting my time, I don't think any approach which essentially bypasses an auction system is a good idea because it violates eBay policy, especially if its because they changed their minds about selling.

 

From what I can remember, ending an auction early is usually allowed for reasons like the item was damaged, it went missing, etc.