How do you respond to someone asking you to end an auction early ?

wolfbear

Does everyone else get e-mails from registy folks,
saying that they really need a card you have up for auction for their set,
and would you please consider ending your auction early and selling them the card ?

If so, what's a nice way to say 'no', without sounding like an unsympathetic jerk,

even if you are one ?

acowa

You can simply state that you have a policy to not end auctions early because other buyers have been alienated in the past. I usually ask what they have in mind...before shutting the door in their face. Give us a link to the auction.

Regards,


Alan

GoSoxBoSox

If there aren't any bids I don't think there's anything wrong with ending an auction early...unless you just don't want too.

I always thank them for the offer, and nicely state that once a bid is placed (assuming they'aren't the high bidder at the time) I never end my auctions early. I don't like when people end them early when I bid, so I try not to do it to others.

FB

Wolfbear,

Been there many times...

I agree with Tom's advice. The only difference is that I don't care who is leading at the moment - because so many people use sniping services. If someone else besides the person requesting the auction be shut down has bid, then I apologize and tell them "Maybe I'll be sorry... its possible that this auction will close lower than what you're offering... But, to be fair to all those that have already bid - I need to let my auctions run to conclusion".

If no one else has bid - and the offer is a real solid one - and the customer is someone that I've dealt with many times before - then I'll consider it.

helionaut

If they don't make an offer in their initial contact, or they do but the offer is too low, I just say thanks for the interest but I'll let the auction play out, and you may end up winning it anyway for less.

SKINSFAN

TELL them if i do that all skinsfans snips will go to waste,he will get made and start collecting everything i do

dude

I get these e-mails regularly and there's usually a creative story that goes with it such as "I'm leaving town for 3 weeks the day before the auctions ends..." or "I need these for my father's birthday which is 2 days before the auction ends..." or "these are the last 3 cards I need for my set that I've been working on for 8 years....".

I always reply back and say, "Sorry, if I do that, I'll alienate dozens of other customers" - which I believe to be a true statement.

I know a friend of mine who used to reply back to these types of messages and say "Sorry you are too late, someone else asked me to end the auction early and I honored their request". He says the bidder typically replies back mad and in a panic and wants to know how much the item sold for and if there is anyway he would reconsider not selling it to the other person. Then my friend replies back and says "I actually made that all up. There wasn't another offer for the card, but I wanted to let you know how it feels to get bushwacked out of a card. The auction will end as scheduled."

Robby

Dude , Your friend is a very wise person ! What a perfect way to handle this situation ! Robby

Vargha

Wise -- yes. I'm sure he ticked off the e-mailer as well (not that it matters).

interchanges

If they make you name the price, as in "What would you want for it?"
Then forget it.

If they want to throw an offer out there, you can always accept or decline.

RobE

One night seemingly minutes after punching the Turbo Lister button,I get this email from a guy about 5 of my cards up for sale.At first,I replied that I just listed them and it's not fair to do this to my customers or any other potential bidders.It wasn't enough of an answer for this guy,he offered to pay listing fees,Paypal fees and a price worth tinking about which didn't take long to do.Since the auction was up for about 15 minutes and had no bidders I gave him until the next morning to send a payment and would not cancel it if someone bid by the next morning and just refund him if a payment was sent and someone else bid.

wolfbear

Thanks for the feedback from everyone.

Just seems to me like these folks are bargain hunting ... otherwise,
why wouldn't they just put in their best bid, or snipe, and let the chips fall where they may ?

Agree that if it's one of the folks you deal with, on a regular basis, making the request,
that exceptions to the rules could apply ...

FB

Wolf,

Occasionally... you get someone who gives you "an offer that you can't refuse". If you recognize it as such - take it... I had another board member list a cards that I was interested in and he was offered a sum to end it early. He emailed me asking how I would feel if he were to take it down... When he told me the price offered, I said "you've got to be kidding... thats 3 times what my final bid would be on a several hundred dollar card!!!", TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN!!! Just let me know when you load another one on eBay.

For some reason, peoples fear of losing the card makes some people go absolutely crazy.

Davalillo

Frank is right--nothing wrong with ending auctions early--happens all the time. Simply ask him to make a bid and if you like it say yes--if you do not say no--whats the big deal????

Davalillo