Changing an auction in progress to BIN? Fair?

thebaseballcardkid · February 22, 2016 8:24AM

Interested what you guys think. We've been putting a small set together with limited print runs of each card. Say only 25, 50 or 100 numbered cards of each player. What keeps happening is that a rare limited card comes up for auction, about 5-10 different bidders place bids, then several days later its taken down and sold to someone that contacted the seller. We, or I, know the seller ends up selling it for less than what I would have bid.

I know all is fair. I lose. No problem. But it gets aggravating after awhile by playing by the auction rules and losing out on cards that may not surface for years if at all. At first I was neutral now I can see how some have posted that its not fair. Not a huge deal but frustrating.I guess Ill have to start emailing sellers also. Seems times are a changing on ebay from real auctions to all BINs in one form or another.

It's a fair market Im told. Whatever that means.

ugaskidawg · February 22, 2016 8:31AM

The number of times I have been contacted by individuals wanting me to take down my auction, so they can buy it is high. What I have told them is that I they can bid on the item like everyone else. who knows - they might get it for cheaper than what they were going to pay for it - however, that is unlikely. Other sellers are much more okay with it. To each his/her own I guess.

thebaseballcardkid · February 22, 2016 8:38AM

You're correct. It is to each his own. Just venting. But I do know that for this particular set the auction would have resulted in more money than what has been offered. Because the guy has told us what he bought it for. So the seller loses to. But I guess a bird in hand etc.

And it is probably fair. I personally didnt think it was or was neutral when others posted the same predicament. But now we'll have to start playing that game.

Im back and forth. I agree that once there are bids placed in a bid only style auction that its not cool. There are usually 5-10 of us that submit bids the first day or two.
Interested in what the prevailing thought is here.

Is there a "poll" feature here?

DanBessette · February 22, 2016 8:38AM

Not ok to switch it to BIN if it already has bids.

steel75 · February 22, 2016 8:46AM

After losing out on some items, I was forced to "play the game". A lot of sellers will do it if the price is fair to them. Just gotta be first.

grote15 · February 22, 2016 10:22AM

Originally posted by: DanBessette

Not ok to switch it to BIN if it already has bids.

Agree 100%. If there are no bids, I would not have a problem with it, but once bids are placed, the auction should run its course, IMO.

ugaskidawg · February 22, 2016 10:28AM

Originally posted by: grote15

Originally posted by: DanBessette

Not ok to switch it to BIN if it already has bids.

Agree 100%. If there are no bids, I would not have a problem with it, but once bids are placed, the auction should run its course, IMO.

I probably wouldn't do it, but maybe the only other ok time to do it is if there is only one bidder and that bidder is the one that is contacting to BIN.

brendanb438 · February 22, 2016 12:42PM

Since we are talking eBay it is all a matter of what does eBay think about it. If the auction has bidders already on it but it is still within the timeframe/window in which eBay will allow them to cancel the auction without any repercussions AND eBay is involved with the change to a BIN then it is 100% legit according to the screwed up game that is called eBay.

Now if eBay doesn't get their share of the sale then they are more than happy to lock and close accounts for everyone involved in the process.

eBay fees of 10% to 12% along with PP being 3% I personally say screw them and if you can move the sale off eBay without throwing up a million red flags then go for it. As someone who has sold over $250,000 in collectibles on eBay over the years and have watched it become nothing more than a big F YOU sellers the buyer is ALWAYS right and can pick and choose the way in which they will screw you over I could care less if eBay eventually fails. Sadly it is too big to fail and since no one has yet to come up with a solid site to truly compete against it we will always have feeBay there to try and buy items we want or to sell items in which we do not mind getting screwed out of.

Meatloaf · February 22, 2016 2:11PM

As someone who has sold over $250,000 in collectibles on eBay over the years and have watched it become nothing more than a big F YOU sellers the buyer is ALWAYS right and can pick and choose the way in which they will screw you over I could care less if eBay eventually fails. Sadly it is too big to fail and since no one has yet to come up with a solid site to truly compete against it we will always have feeBay there to try and buy items we want or to sell items in which we do not mind getting screwed out of.

+1

mrmopar · February 22, 2016 2:51PM

If the item is popular enough, it should be sold via auction for the best results. Otherwise BIN/BO is fine. That gives the seller a chance to get full asking, but more often than not, will have to take a BO instead. I have seen many BINs where I would have paid more, but if I am the only one willing to pay more, maybe the seller shorts themselves. I have also asked sellers if I can buy outright and some have agreed where others have not. The funny part is, when I have been told no, more often than not I got the item for less than my offer.

LarkinCollector · February 23, 2016 2:24AM

Originally posted by: ugaskidawg

Originally posted by: grote15

Originally posted by: DanBessette
Not ok to switch it to BIN if it already has bids.

Agree 100%. If there are no bids, I would not have a problem with it, but once bids are placed, the auction should run its course, IMO.

I probably wouldn't do it, but maybe the only other ok time to do it is if there is only one bidder and that bidder is the one that is contacting to BIN.

I'm in the first camp, though I don't see anything wrong with the addendum other than I'm cheap and wouldn't want to pay eBay fees twice on the same item.

mtcards · February 23, 2016 2:32AM

Ebay has created this issue by screwing sellers, not only with the fees that keep going up, but with the policies of returns, stars and all the other goodies that does everything it can to make sure they get as much as they can by making it difficult for sellers. I honestly only use auctions for very hard to get items and very cheap items, in between I use the BIN/BO. So honestly, if I had an auction up it would stay up until the end, but I can see the issue from getting an item pulled out from auction and being sold off ebay

UncleTwoPillow · February 23, 2016 3:02AM

The "5-10" early bidders provide interesting and contradictory testimony in a world dominated by opinions from those who believe that sniping is the best way to score. But, what if everyone goes that direction and there's no early bids to show a genuine competitive interest?

The seller gets worried and pulls the item anyways, thereby turning it into an overpriced BIN.

On the other hand, if the same seller is just dangling an item to gauge competitive interest, someone willing to plop down a flat amount free of fees and hassles might look more attractive. The bidders are being played, because that was the seller's intention all along. So it was only a ghost.

mtcards · February 23, 2016 3:41AM

The comment about the sniping is spot on. So many people have gone to the sniping way of bidding that it makes it look like an item isnt going to draw any interest at all, making a fair offer seem great without the risk of it pulling less than it should. Ebay could address this by removing the sniping feature simply by adding a 30 minute clock to the last bid received.

I saw an item go from $60 to $90 in the last 2 hours and then $90 to $160 with four bidders in the last 15 seconds the other night. Had someone offered $100 off ebay, that offer might appeal to a seller going for the guaranteed money with less fees and hassle

mlbfan2 · February 23, 2016 4:04AM

Originally posted by: mtcards

The comment about the sniping is spot on. So many people have gone to the sniping way of bidding that it makes it look like an item isnt going to draw any interest at all, making a fair offer seem great without the risk of it pulling less than it should. Ebay could address this by removing the sniping feature simply by adding a 30 minute clock to the last bid received.

People have been saying that for ~20 years. If ebay hasn't changed it by now, I don't think it's going to happen.

thebaseballcardkid · February 23, 2016 4:21AM

I think most of the time after they agree to end the auction the seller quickly relists it with a BIN agreed upon price. Which the emailer hits the BIN button with his offered price. Im waiting to happen upon that 5 minute BIN window and can hit the BIN. Essentially sniping the BIN. Ha. I should be so lucky. Has anyone gotten lucky and happened upon this "buying window"? That would qualify as an alls fair. Or karma.

UncleTwoPillow · February 23, 2016 4:29AM

Originally posted by: thebaseballcardkid

I think most of the time after they agree to end the auction the seller quickly relists it with a BIN agreed upon price. Which the emailer hits the BIN button with his offered price. Im waiting to happen upon that 5 minute BIN window and can hit the BIN. Essentially sniping the BIN. Ha. I should be so lucky. Has anyone gotten lucky and happened upon this "buying window"? That would qualify as an alls fair. Or karma.

Good question. Yeah, it's happened a few times. Nice scores there, gotta pounce with no immediate forethought or you're doomed. It's a cat and mouse game of tailgating sellers to see what's next. A few guys I've found in the past unloading stuff in small portions, but their schedules conflicted with my bedtime and I missed some, too.

SOM · February 23, 2016 5:49AM

If you did get that lucky, baseballcardkid, and 'sniped' the BIN, they'd likely find a reason to not sell it to you anyway

fiveniner · February 23, 2016 7:00AM

Originally posted by: DanBessette

Not ok to switch it to BIN if it already has bids.

fiveniner · February 23, 2016 7:00AM

Originally posted by: DanBessette

Not ok to switch it to BIN if it already has bids.

I agree with you

swartz1 · February 23, 2016 8:19AM

it is your auction, run it how you wish...

UncleTwoPillow · February 26, 2016 2:14AM

...Ok.

In the spirit of the intentions brought on by this thread, I thought I'd mention:

A nice '69 Topps Ryan PSA 8 with plenty of interest and bids, which I'd assumed would pull a very sexy price at hammer, but no......seller pulled it like a perfectly thrown change-up.

And a couple of wax boxes, once again plenty of interest and bids, sexy hammer......but, oops. No. Those got pulled, too. Error in the listing. Gosh darn it. I was gonna bust those.

But, it is your auction (kooky sellers), run it how you wish...

Changing an auction in progress to BIN? Fair?

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