Ebay?? RE: Ending your auction early for someone??

[Desnik]

Anyone know anything about this? I have never done it before. I have 2 items up for auction now that I have been getting a ton of emails to end the auction so they can buy it at a certain price. I don't know about this. Can I do it without it "lookin bad" for me. I don't want buyers to think that I am that type of seller who will just end auctions early. The only reason I am even considering this is because one of this items I put up starting at $4.99 not having any idea their worth. Well I have gotten offers up to $200!!!! What should I do?
Ebay user name: rodeni26

 

[HaleyB]

I'm not sure. I never end an auction early, seems like if someone is willing to pay $200 they should just bid that way and take their chances with everyone else... still $200 is a nice chunk of change...

 

[mad4themouse]

I wouldn't do it. EBay doesn't like it when sellers end auctions early. If it happens often enough, you can be suspended. Ending an auction early and selling to someone outside of eBay cuts eBay out of their final value fee. That could wind up being a nice chunk of change for eBay.

If people are trying to get you to end the auction early and sell the item to them , it's because they suspect that you don't know the true value of the item and want to get it before the bidding takes off. I would let it stay on the auction block and see how it goes. Like HaleyB said, they should just bid $200 for it if they want it and just take their chances. If you wait it out, you'll probably get at least that amount.

 

[#1 DOUG Live Fan]

Sounds like you've got a hot item on your hands. I would not end the bidding. If they want it that bad, they can bid like everyone else.

Liz

 

[Mickey Moose]

If it's that Direct TV system that you are referring to, then the folks interested in it may not bid. They may not want to leave a paper trail leading to them if their intent is to modify that access card.

 

[Robinrs]

Here's a link to eBay's policy for ending auctions early.


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

I agree with the others that this may have a major bidding flurry at the end and you might just get MORE than that offer. It's a gamble but enjoy!

 

[mbelec]

This happened to me a week ago for an item I had up for bid. I ended up making $30 more than what the person offered in their email; to someone else in the end. As someone suggested, the person contacting you is probably worried that the item will go for more than they want to pay, and they hope to thrill you so much with such a high offer that you take them up on it.

Yes, you can end it early, giving "valid" reasons, like that it's no longer available (broken, etc.). However, you take a chance that the person might back out of the deal, not pay, etc., and then what do you do? It's not like you can relist it. At least not right away.

I'd say, see what happens. After all, you were originally willing to take much lower for the item, right?

But it is exciting when this happens . . .!

 

[ceecee]

I too have been asked to take less for items. I always tell them to bid it! They must have a reason for offering you that much and it may very well go for more.

 

[Desnik]

Well, last night me DH ended the auction early selling to the highest bidder. Aparently if you do it this way it doesn't look bad for either party involved and you can still leave feedback for eachother. What it says it sold for and what it actually sold for was very different! We worked out a deal with a great ebayer. The money went directly into my paypal account. The buyer used a credit card.
It wasn't the direct tv thing I was talking about. Believe it or not it was the Jordan 1991 sneakers!! DH thought they were worth no more than $40!!!LOL. We are just cleaning out the house and getting rid of the clutter. Not looking to get rich off of this ebay stuff but bot what a surprise!!!
Thanks for the advice. If it were me I would've waited to see what happened. DH doesn't like to take chances and felt he had a good offer and went with it.

 

[Buzz2001]

I've done it on a few occassions. It's not an issue

 

[jazznms]

Originally posted by Desnik
Well, last night me DH ended the auction early selling to the highest bidder. Aparently if you do it this way it doesn't look bad for either party involved and you can still leave feedback for eachother. What it says it sold for and what it actually sold for was very different! We worked out a deal with a great ebayer. The money went directly into my paypal account. The buyer used a credit card.
It wasn't the direct tv thing I was talking about. Believe it or not it was the Jordan 1991 sneakers!! DH thought they were worth no more than $40!!!LOL. We are just cleaning out the house and getting rid of the clutter. Not looking to get rich off of this ebay stuff but bot what a surprise!!!
Thanks for the advice. If it were me I would've waited to see what happened. DH doesn't like to take chances and felt he had a good offer and went with it.

hot market for things like this sports market is crazy right now
look what the guy paid to blow up the baseball
but i would have sold fast also i think

 

[BonnieA]

Am I the only one who thinks this wasn't a fair thing to do to other bidders? They weren't given a chance.

 

[Desnik]

I agree with you in that it wasn't fair to other bidders. However, in my case there were only a few bids and everyone who bid had contacted me to end it early to sell to them. They all had the same opportunity as the person I sold them to. The person we sold to was the person who contacted us first.

In other cases I do feel it isn't fair so that's why I don't think this is a normal practice on ebay. I wouldn't make a habit of doing this, I would think it might put potential buyers off.

 

[Lewisc]

It sounds like E-Bay was the one who screwed in this transaction.

By selling the item for more money than the final bid you (inadvertantly) paid E-Bay a lower fee than they are entitled to.

 

[Desnik]

Lewisc
Please explain why you think that. I don't understand

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by Desnik
Lewisc
Please explain why you think that. I don't understand

It sounded like the winning "bidder" paid you more than what was showed as the final bid. You gave the impression this was done to reduce the commission due E-Bay.

If I'm wrong you should edit your post (and I'll edit mine) so people don't get the wrong idea.

 

[Desnik]

Please tell me if I'm getting this right. Do you mean that Ebay gets screwed because if the auction would've just ended and not have been closed they would've gotten more money? Now I'm really confused. I thought that when you put an item up for auction you pay a listing fee and that fee is based on the initial amount you put it up for auction. Is that not right?

The auction was ended and given to the highest bidder. It had no reserve or buy it now. It wasn't ended to reduce commission to Ebay. I wasn't even aware it would affect them. I ended it, sold it to the highest bidder and ebay gets their money too.

Am I missing something?

 

[Lewisc]

I may be the one missing something. I'm not an expert with E-Bay. I thought with E-Bay you paid a "final value fee" based on the winning bid. I thought the winning bidder paid you more money than the final bid.

What it says it sold for and what it actually sold for was very different![/B]

Not sure if I'm the one thats confused.

Originally posted by Desnik
Please tell me if I'm getting this right. Do you mean that Ebay gets screwed because if the auction would've just ended and not have been closed they would've gotten more money? Now I'm really confused. I thought that when you put an item up for auction you pay a listing fee and that fee is based on the initial amount you put it up for auction. Is that not right?

The auction was ended and given to the highest bidder. It had no reserve or buy it now. It wasn't ended to reduce commission to Ebay. I wasn't even aware it would affect them. I ended it, sold it to the highest bidder and ebay gets their money too.

Am I missing something?

 

[DemonLlama]

Ebay gets you coming and going: you pay a listing fee AND a final auction value fee, based on the amount of the winning bid at close of auction.

 

[poohbear8]

I've been lurking on all of the Ebay threads...thanks to everyone for all of the advice.

I used to sell and am getting back in soon...

I believe what's at issue here is that Ebay makes $$ off of the final listing value. (translation: final selling price)

For example, if the auction ended at $60.00, because that was the highest bid when you ended it, they would make a % (5.25% I think, but am not sure) of that price.

If you sold it really for $200.00, then Ebay should have received more of a final listing value.

So yes, I think Ebay lost money on this.

HTH!

Peg