Newbie eBay Seller Refuses to Honor Auction; Option Other than Neg. Feedback?

Ironmanfan · July 19, 2014 2:08AM

I won an eBay auction yesterday from a zero feedback seller for an item with a $25 min. bid and a $200 BIN. It was a standard seven day auction and I had set a snipe for like $32 and since I was the only bidder, I won the item at $25. I paid the seller with an hour of the auction ending and strangely enough this morning I see the SAME item listed on eBay with a $200 min bid.....I had rec'd no correspondence from the seller and in checking my PayPal account, I did note the money had been refunded. I emailed the seller this morning to ask what was up and was told that "they had no intention of selling the item @ $25 and since they refunded my money, I should have no problems with them."

Question is simply other than leaving negative feedback, is there such a thing a reporting a non responsive seller to eBay?

Thanks

IMF

bounce · July 19, 2014 2:13AM

bang 'em with the neg, you might also be able to open a case

if nothing else, you could report the newly listed item as well, but i've not had much luck in ebay doing anything about that

the neg will hurt for sure, though, so i would do that at a minimum

MULLINS5 · July 19, 2014 2:14AM

You can call eBay and report a non-responsive seller, but I don't what (if anything) they do with that.

This actually happens to me quite a bit, and now when I see auctions like this (new eBayer, low start price, high buy it now, no reserve) I just tell myself that there's a chance it's getting refunded back to me....and it usually is.

Sorry this happened.

Best and good luck!

Ironmanfan · July 19, 2014 2:19AM

I tried opening a case, but it wont allow me since it looks like I haven't paid for the item yet (which I have and it was refunded).

IMF

grote15 · July 19, 2014 2:22AM

Can you even leave a neg if they refunded you? If so, I'd certainly do that.

bounce · July 19, 2014 2:24AM

yeah, makes sense actually

i doubt you can drop the neg now either

only option is to report the item, but i doubt that gets you anything

Ironmanfan · July 19, 2014 2:28AM

I think I can leave a negative although all the newbie seller has to do is open another account.

If I was the only bidder at a $25 Min Bid, what makes them think they will see action at a $200 min bid?

IMF

JoeBanzai · July 19, 2014 2:35AM

PM me for another idea.

lawnmowerman · July 19, 2014 2:41AM

<< Can you even leave a neg if they refunded you? If so, I'd certainly do that. >>

Yep. I just left somebody a neg a few days ago even though I was refunded.

mlbfan2 · July 19, 2014 3:03AM

Someone should win the auction and say "I have no intention of buying the item @ $XXX, and since you can sell it to someone else, you should have no problem with me."

grote15 · July 19, 2014 3:04AM

<< Someone should buy it and say "I have no intention of buying the item @ $XXX, and since you can sell it to someone else, you should have no problem with me."

>>

LOL, I like this idea!

OAKESY25 · July 19, 2014 3:15AM

Someone should win the auction and say "I have no intention of buying the item @ $XXX, and since you can sell it to someone else, you should have no problem with me.

^^^^^^^
THIS IS THE ANSWER.. DING DING DING!!

lawnmowerman · July 19, 2014 3:17AM

<< Someone should win the auction and say "I have no intention of buying the item @ $XXX, and since you can sell it to someone else, you should have no problem with me.

^^^^^^^
THIS IS THE ANSWER.. DING DING DING!! >>

Well first we need to bid it up. I'll go first lol!

lawnmowerman · July 19, 2014 3:18AM

Ironmanfan, post a link to the new auction please.

Ironmanfan · July 19, 2014 3:39AM

<< Ironmanfan, post a link to the new auction please. >>

they have since pulled the re-listed auction unfortunately

IMF

mrmopar · July 19, 2014 3:39AM

That same thing basically happened to me on a Bobby Orr auto'd card. I won it for $15 and then the paid immediately. First the seller relisted it for a higher starting price and I found the listing. When I challenged them, the listing disappeared, and he said he'd send the item. After waiting a couple weeks I got the "I misplaced it" story. I challenged that and pushed and he then admitted having it and tried to reason with me, indicating the card is worth much more, he was new, blah, blah, blah and that he hoped that we could work something out (meaning he wanted me to let him off the hook). Finally after insisting that I receive the card, the guy ignored me. I left the negative and moved on, knowing there was nothing more I could do.

lawnmowerman · July 19, 2014 3:59AM

<< 

<< Ironmanfan, post a link to the new auction please. >>

they have since pulled the re-listed auction unfortunately

IMF >>

Otay Spanky!

mtcards · July 19, 2014 4:51AM

Had this happen to me a while back.......won an auction for $90, seller messaged me to say that the item was no longer available, then about an hour after I agreed to cancel the transaction,
the seller relisted the item claiming that he now found another, but this time he listed it as a BIN $20 higher. I messaged him to say he should honor the previous bid, to which he ignored. I therefore gave
him a neg and he was no longer a registered seller less than two weeks later.

That being said....beginner ebayers believe that some of their stuff is worth more than it should be. I dont know what the OP's item was, but my guess it, it isnt worth $200. Also have found that
some BIN's or BO listings, are listed for a high amount and then after a few weeks are now BINS/BO for less than what I offered originally

swartz1 · July 19, 2014 10:14AM

can you post the eBay link to the auction you won?

bobbyw8469 · July 19, 2014 10:18AM

<< That being said....beginner ebayers believe that some of their stuff is worth more than it should be. I dont know what the OP's item was, but my guess it, it isnt worth $200. Also have found that
some BIN's or BO listings, are listed for a high amount and then after a few weeks are now BINS/BO for less than what I offered originally >>

+1...this^^

Meatloaf · July 19, 2014 12:08PM

IMF: that sucks, man. I think the answer is "no" to your question.

brendanb438 · July 19, 2014 12:24PM

Go all Italian Mafia on him and have a face to face??? Other than that I got nothing.

MULLINS5 · July 19, 2014 12:33PM

<< Had this happen to me a while back.......won an auction for $90, seller messaged me to say that the item was no longer available, then about an hour after I agreed to cancel the transaction,
the seller relisted the item claiming that he now found another, but this time he listed it as a BIN $20 higher. I messaged him to say he should honor the previous bid, to which he ignored. I therefore gave
him a neg and he was no longer a registered seller less than two weeks later.

That being said....beginner ebayers believe that some of their stuff is worth more than it should be. I dont know what the OP's item was, but my guess it, it isnt worth $200. Also have found that
some BIN's or BO listings, are listed for a high amount and then after a few weeks are now BINS/BO for less than what I offered originally >>

$20 more?!

I sold a book last year for $500 and immediately received a message from another eBay member offering me $1,000 for the book. I told him I had to honor the original bidder (which was VERY hard to do with a baby on the way) and then he offered me $1,500. I contacted the winner and proposed that I give them a refund and give them, for free, the same book but in a lower grade. They were OK with this and it was an all around win for everyone.

brendanb438 · July 19, 2014 12:39PM

<< 

<< Had this happen to me a while back.......won an auction for $90, seller messaged me to say that the item was no longer available, then about an hour after I agreed to cancel the transaction,
the seller relisted the item claiming that he now found another, but this time he listed it as a BIN $20 higher. I messaged him to say he should honor the previous bid, to which he ignored. I therefore gave
him a neg and he was no longer a registered seller less than two weeks later.

That being said....beginner ebayers believe that some of their stuff is worth more than it should be. I dont know what the OP's item was, but my guess it, it isnt worth $200. Also have found that
some BIN's or BO listings, are listed for a high amount and then after a few weeks are now BINS/BO for less than what I offered originally >>

$20 more?!

I sold a book last year for $500 and immediately received a message from another eBay member offering me $1,000 for the book. I told him I had to honor the original bidder (which was VERY hard to do with a baby on the way) and then he offered me $1,500. I contacted the winner and proposed that I give them a refund and give them, for free, the same book but in a lower grade. They were OK with this and it was an all around win for everyone. >>

Was your $500 BIN or best offer way below FMV for the book or was this just something super rare and almost impossible to put a value to?

MULLINS5 · July 19, 2014 1:06PM

<< 

<< 

<< Had this happen to me a while back.......won an auction for $90, seller messaged me to say that the item was no longer available, then about an hour after I agreed to cancel the transaction,
the seller relisted the item claiming that he now found another, but this time he listed it as a BIN $20 higher. I messaged him to say he should honor the previous bid, to which he ignored. I therefore gave
him a neg and he was no longer a registered seller less than two weeks later.

That being said....beginner ebayers believe that some of their stuff is worth more than it should be. I dont know what the OP's item was, but my guess it, it isnt worth $200. Also have found that
some BIN's or BO listings, are listed for a high amount and then after a few weeks are now BINS/BO for less than what I offered originally >>

$20 more?!

I sold a book last year for $500 and immediately received a message from another eBay member offering me $1,000 for the book. I told him I had to honor the original bidder (which was VERY hard to do with a baby on the way) and then he offered me $1,500. I contacted the winner and proposed that I give them a refund and give them, for free, the same book but in a lower grade. They were OK with this and it was an all around win for everyone. >>

Was your $500 BIN or best offer way below FMV for the book or was this just something super rare and almost impossible to put a value to? >>

It ran as an auction and I started it at $499 with only two bids (both from the winner). It is a super rare book to find in the condition it was in (a mint overseas armed services edition paperback book...these were sent to soldiers during wartime). I felt $500 was on the lowend and was the lowest I'd accept...which is why I started it there.

MULLINS5 · July 19, 2014 1:09PM

....there are a few of these "armed services" books that are sports related. Here's one:

Lou Gehrig

Ironmanfan · July 19, 2014 11:01PM

<< Ironmanfan, post a link to the new auction please. >>

Here is the new auction (I couldn't find it temporarily yesterday)

Re-Listed Auction

IMF

lawnmowerman · July 20, 2014 3:11AM

<< 

<< Ironmanfan, post a link to the new auction please. >>

Here is the new auction (I couldn't find it temporarily yesterday)

Re-Listed Auction

IMF >>

He has it as a bin or obo so we obviously can't drive up the auction to a crazy price. But, we can flood his ebay messages with .99 cent offers haha.

Hopefully being new he doesn't know how to set a minimum offer price. There's one way to find out.

lawnmowerman · July 20, 2014 3:19AM

Lmao!! He didn't set a minimum. Everybody start sending him offers. I offered .99 cents. Somebody offer him a $1.00 and the next guy offer $1.01 and so on lol!

cardsfan73 · July 20, 2014 10:28AM

I made him an offer

MrSnuffleupagus · July 20, 2014 10:51AM

<< Someone should win the auction and say "I have no intention of buying the item @ $XXX, and since you can sell it to someone else, you should have no problem with me."

>>

^^ This ^^

jfkheat · July 20, 2014 10:52AM

The listing has ended.
James

Edit to add:
I sent the seller an email yesterday asking why the ball was relisted when it sold a couple days ago for $25. They just responded.

I refunded the money to the person who tried to buy it for $25.00. I didn't realize that I had to set my lowest asking price, and it was a misunderstanding. This is my first ebay listing, so I wasn't really sure on how it all worked.. I thought that If you start the bidding low and set a "buy now" price that was all I needed to do.. I never had accepted the offer of $25.00.. which I thought I had to in order for them to buy it.

PMKAY · July 20, 2014 11:25AM

<< The listing has ended.
James

Edit to add:
I sent the seller an email yesterday asking why the ball was relisted when it sold a couple days ago for $25. They just responded.

I refunded the money to the person who tried to buy it for $25.00. I didn't realize that I had to set my lowest asking price, and it was a misunderstanding. This is my first ebay listing, so I wasn't really sure on how it all worked.. I thought that If you start the bidding low and set a "buy now" price that was all I needed to do.. I never had accepted the offer of $25.00.. which I thought I had to in order for them to buy it. >>

He sent me the exact same answer. I responded by saying that he should have followed through with the sale and I got this gem of a response. I'll tidy up the language a bit

Yeah well thats probably because someone didn't get what they wanted. It was an honest mistake, and I refunded the money. So I don't see what the XXX XXXX big deal is. Obviously, this ball is drawing some interest.. but none of you jews want to spend any money on it.

lawnmowerman · July 20, 2014 11:33AM

So how do we find out what the best offer accepted was?

miwlvrn · July 20, 2014 11:45AM

<< So how do we find out what the best offer accepted was? >>

The listing was ended. It did not sell as a best offer.

In case you don't know but want to know, in order to see the best offer accepted price of a sold bin/bo item, all you have to do is go to the url and change the www.ebay.com to instead be item.ebay and then pick another nation's ebay site other than the US, such as item.ebay.de and you're good to go.

lawnmowerman · July 20, 2014 11:47AM

Great. Thanks!!

PMKAY · July 20, 2014 11:48AM

<< 

<< So how do we find out what the best offer accepted was? >>

The listing was ended. It did not sell as a best offer.

In case you don't know but want to know, in order to see the best offer accepted price of a sold bin/bo item, all you have to do is go to the url and change the www.ebay.com to instead be item.ebay and then pick another nation's ebay site other than the US, such as item.ebay.de and you're good to go. >>

or just hit the print link at bottom of item description

MrSnuffleupagus · July 20, 2014 11:55AM

<< So how do we find out what the best offer accepted was? >>

It closed at the $200.00 BIN price

lawnmowerman · July 20, 2014 11:56AM

<< 

<< 

<< So how do we find out what the best offer accepted was? >>

The listing was ended. It did not sell as a best offer.

In case you don't know but want to know, in order to see the best offer accepted price of a sold bin/bo item, all you have to do is go to the url and change the www.ebay.com to instead be item.ebay and then pick another nation's ebay site other than the US, such as item.ebay.de and you're good to go. >>

or just hit the print link at bottom of item description >>

Awesome! Just tried this and it works great. Alot easier as well. Thanks

grote15 · July 20, 2014 12:29PM

<< 

<< So how do we find out what the best offer accepted was? >>

It closed at the $200.00 BIN price >>

Snuffy, are you being a bad Snuffleupagus again?? LOL..

MrSnuffleupagus · July 20, 2014 12:45PM

Steelernation · July 20, 2014 2:16PM

If it makes you feel better. I messed up as a seller/listing in an auction that cost me $500. It was going for over $1000. Very very liquid market. But I honored it and sent the item.

Then he emailed later that year asking if I had more for that price. That takes cajones. But couldn't fault him for trying...to take advantage of me again.

So I guess my word is worth at minimum $500. Oh well.

PMKAY · July 20, 2014 2:21PM

<< If it makes you feel better. I messed up as a seller/listing in an auction that cost me $500. It was going for over $1000. Very very liquid market. But I honored it and sent the item.

Then he emailed later that year asking if I had more for that price. That takes cajones. But couldn't fault him for trying...to take advantage of me again.

So I guess my word is worth at minimum $500. Oh well. >>

That's awesome. I've been caught twice but nothing like that. Both times I meant to list an item for $20 BIN but listed it for $2 instead. I honored the deal both times.

JMDVM · July 20, 2014 3:17PM

I recently won a signed Steiner Eli Manning photo and a Mounted Memories Tom Brady photo for half of the market value. Each seller printed out an Ebay shipping label, then never mailed the items. There is no scanning record in the system according to my postmaster. One seller said he forgot to mail it, and is now on the way. The other selling says he doesn't care what the postmaster says, he mailed it. Sounds like excuses being made and a clever way to make it looked like they "tried".

telephoto1 · July 23, 2014 8:03AM

<< 

I sold a book last year for $500 and immediately received a message from another eBay member offering me $1,000 for the book. I told him I had to honor the original bidder (which was VERY hard to do with a baby on the way) and then he offered me $1,500. I contacted the winner and proposed that I give them a refund and give them, for free, the same book but in a lower grade. They were OK with this and it was an all around win for everyone. >>

I suppose on one level I'm glad this worked out for you financially, but that's as far as it goes.

I guess you and I have different ethical standards for following through with a transaction. You advertised book A for sale, you sold him book A for $500, and book A is what he should have gotten despite the higher offer.

I've turned down higher offers after having sold but not yet delivered something, and I won't lie; it hurt to do so... but it was the ethical thing to do. Case in point- I sold a coin on ebay that a guy emailed me about right after it sold...saying he wanted to bid $X more than the winning bid but he didn't snipe quickly enough, and if I could undo the deal he'd paypal me immediately. I said no-the winner had already paid me, making it technically his coin and not mine, but I said I'd let the winner know of his interest and give him his user ID. The winner thanked me for the info but said he had no intent of selling the piece as it was something he needed for a collection.

In your case, if I were to do any variant of what you did it would be to disclose about the higher offer and offer the first guy a profit split and the lower grade book in exchange for mutually cancelling the deal. THAT would have been a win-win for everyone; your way gives a guy a lower end book in exchange for $1000 extra profit for you. Not equitable IMO.

Just my opinion.

Indy78 · July 23, 2014 8:52AM

THAT would have been a win-win for everyone; your way gives a guy a lower end book in exchange for $1000 extra profit for you. Not equitable IMO.

I'm not taking sides on this issue, but I'm pointing out that, "[his] way gives a guy a lower end book for free in exchange..." We should all agree on the facts, at least.

telephoto1 · July 24, 2014 3:10AM

<< THAT would have been a win-win for everyone; your way gives a guy a lower end book in exchange for $1000 extra profit for you. Not equitable IMO.

I'm not taking sides on this issue, but I'm pointing out that, "[his] way gives a guy a lower end book for free in exchange..." We should all agree on the facts, at least. >>

I thought the phrase "gives a guy a lower end book" pretty much acknowledges that it was free. Guess I'll have to spell it out better next time.

Indy78 · July 24, 2014 3:53AM

Actually, I should have been clearer. The auction winner was given a lower end book; however, it was in exchange for permission to cancel the auction. It was not in exchange for a "$1,000 profit (the $1,500 offer was not made to the auction winner; the offer was made to the seller). The auction winner could have declined the offer of a free lower end book, but did not. Those are the facts as I see it.

telephoto1 · July 24, 2014 4:23AM

<< Actually, I should have been clearer. The auction winner was given a lower end book; however, it was in exchange for permission to cancel the auction. It was not in exchange for a "$1,000 profit (the $1,500 offer was not made to the auction winner; the offer was made to the seller). The auction winner could have declined the offer of a free lower end book, but did not. Those are the facts as I see it. >>

You obviously misunderstood what I wrote. Yes, the buyer got a free book in exchange for cancelling the auction, but the $1500 offer was made after the book was already sold at $500. My humble opinion is that it became the buyer's book at that point and should not have been bargained for with anyone else. Laying that aside, the buyer accepted the free book offer unknowing of the higher offer. My contention is that ethically speaking, the right thing to do was offer the buyer a cut of the extra profit and the free book for agreeing to cancel, which he had no obligation to do.

Instead,by talking the buyer into cancelling the deal without divulging the higher offer, IMO the seller unethically made an extra $1000 at the expense of the original buyer who only got a free inferior book out of it for being a nice guy. This is about ethics.

Do you really think the seller told him..."Hey, I know you just lawfully purchased this for $500 but I just got a $1500 offer, so how about you just forget about it and I'll give you your money back plus this beat up used copy in exchange for letting me make an extra $1000"?

Indy78 · July 24, 2014 5:05AM

Do you really think the seller told him..."Hey, I know you just lawfully purchased this for $500 but I just got a $1500 offer, so how about you just forget about it and I'll give you your money back plus this beat up used copy in exchange for letting me make an extra $1000"?

I have no idea what was said between the seller and the auction winner. That's why I originally said I'm not taking sides on the matter. I simply wanted to point out what I viewed as a misstatement of the facts.

georgebailey2 · July 24, 2014 5:16AM

<< 

He sent me the exact same answer. I responded by saying that he should have followed through with the sale and I got this gem of a response. I'll tidy up the language a bit

Yeah well thats probably because someone didn't get what they wanted. It was an honest mistake, and I refunded the money. So I don't see what the XXX XXXX big deal is. Obviously, this ball is drawing some interest.. but none of you jews want to spend any money on it. >>

WOW! The guy sounds like a peach and a racist one at that.

<< You obviously misunderstood what I wrote. Yes, the buyer got a free book in exchange for cancelling the auction, but the $1500 offer was made after the book was already sold at $500. My humble opinion is that it became the buyer's book at that point and should not have been bargained for with anyone else. Laying that aside, the buyer accepted the free book offer unknowing of the higher offer. My contention is that ethically speaking, the right thing to do was offer the buyer a cut of the extra profit and the free book for agreeing to cancel, which he had no obligation to do. >>

Your inference (the bolded statement) may or may not be true. Mullins did not make it clear one way or another. However, based upon his phrasing, I would guess that he may have led off with the higher offer as an explanation for why he wanted to send the lower condition book for free.

Newbie eBay Seller Refuses to Honor Auction; Option Other than Neg. Feedback?

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