Your opinion on Private vs Open Ebay auctions.
markglicker
Posts: 1,486 ✭
In the last week, I have had at least 4 underbidders, ask me if second chance offers that they received were fake. They all were. I am considering taking my auctions private, to protect bidders from these scams. I am concerned though, that potential bidders may be less likely to bid, on this type of listing. Your opinions, please.
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Comments
Not sure if someone is going to remember reading that, several days after the listing ended.
I don't want to get involved!
<< <i>My policy is to never bid in Private auctions, period. >>
It is this reason exactly why I love sellers with terrific feedback listing private auctions. So many potential bidders pass. The coins always sell cheaper than had the auction been listed open.
Edited to add: Couple the cheaper closing price with the fact I've never been burned on one (yet have a couple times on open auctions) and I'll seek them out each and everytime.
peacockcoins
There's simply too much room for "under the table" activity that no one has any way of seeing.
I'm glad you've had positive experiences with such auctions.
<< <i>Pat: There's simply too much room for "under the table" activity that no one has any way of seeing. I'm glad you've had positive experiences with such auctions. >>
I agree, but if the seller has terrific feedback and I buy the coin cheaper than what it would have cost me, what do I care what "under the table" shananigans is going (possibly) on?
I'll snipe my best (always low) bid and If I win, I win. It's the seller I believe that is loosing in the long wrong as generally less bidders means less of a closing price.
peacockcoins
Let ebay worry about the second chance offer problem.
You are correct, RYK. A good first step, might be eliminating their own legitimate second chance offer program (I know that it is giving in to the crooks, but probably not worth this much trouble).
As for private auctions. In general I avoid them like the plague even at the same time acknowledging that there MIGHT be no funny business going on AND that there are a few valid reasons for having them (such as to allow bidders to keep their bidding activity private if THEY so chose) - or at least there would be if the private auction format wasn't so abused by the scammers.
I dont accept second offers either.
I would , however, bid on private auctions of Forum
members that I know.
Camelot
<< <i>My policy is to never bid in Private auctions, period. >>
Me too.
<< <i>Private auctions seem to be reserved for scum... >>
I agree--they stink!
I certainly don't trust anyone who wont let you freely read there feedback comments. And don't know why anyone would.
(Priest) BLASPHEMY he said it again, did you hear him?
If I have doubts with a coin I am looking at, I usually email, or contact the seller. If there is no response, then I steer clear. If there are reasons they choose anonymity, far be it from me to assume they are bad... I mean, to think that Britney Spears is scum for privately selling her panties online in a charity auction for Gerber baby food, ...well, she or anyone has the right to privacy. ( that is just an example...no truth in the panties thing , I don't think... and it was probably a bad example, too)
I have often found with regards to Pricey coins (anything over a grand seems to draw out those emails offering me some AWESOME COIN I just happened to have bid on in recent times but was outbid on and lost) that; when an offer seems too good to be true, it usually is.
It is a disgrace and a slap on ebay's face, along with the "new" security of our country, that scams can continue to go on to the tune of millions of dollars per month on ebay, alone......... and there is no "authority" to stop it. Seems to me, if you pay off the gatekeeper... all is fair, even email scams.... it is hard to stop it and we can write an ad trying to educate the public with our listings, but then we lose focus on our coin with all the crap listed in the auction. I would recommend if you have a high dollar coin, you contact each bidder along the bid process and discuss your concerns through those channels. Your potential customers will feel at ease when they know after the auction if they get "Second Chance" crap... it is just that ........ CRAP!
It's a catch-22 when listing as "private''
I have a repeat customer who chooses "private" on feedback and I don't know why. They are nice in emails, they pay immediately, and they have left me nice feedback. I bought one time with an auction that was kept "private" and the coin was a fake. No more for me with those, but I don't care if someone with "private" feedback buys from me, so long as they pay.
Someone said : List in your ad that you do not do SECOND CHANCE OFFERS..... well, therein lies the problem with EBAY trying to suck blood. Second Chance Offers should be OFF LIMITS and EBAY should be liable for any fraudulent activity associated with them. I have gotten several second chance offers and I delete them as fast as I see them. For those who do not take heed.......... TAKE HEED.
If you lost fair and square in an auction............ YOU LOST.
You didn't just win a lottery because that ITEM is available AGAIN, through EMAIL of all places .... (that's a CLUE)
Ebay is a great place to buy and sell, but one must be so careful.... and it is all of us that need to be Gatekeepers....
Thanks for the post. It benefits many !
"Aren't you 110% sure of the validity of the 2nd chance offer if you just look at your "my eBay" buying page? If the REAL seller REALLY did send you one it will show up there. If not, it won't."
You CANNOT get scammed by a BOGUS 2nd chance offer you simply verify it's validity by seeing if it actually shows up in your "My eBay" buying page. Simply DO NOT respond to them via an e-mail link.
Of course, the real/genuine seller/2nd chance sender scamming you or a hijacked account are totally separate & different issues.