I'm thinking of making my Ebay auctions private....

kalch23 · May 11, 2006 2:24PM

I've been getting emails from underbidders asking me if their bogus second chance offer was legit....

I just know that some NEWB is going to get burned as an underbidder on one of my auctions because he thought he had a real second chance offer.

What do you guys think... should I make my auctions private?

Fletcher · May 11, 2006 2:29PM

i have decided that I will no longer open mine up to bidders

flaminio · May 11, 2006 2:46PM

To me, private auctions mean either scams or pr0n. Which is yours?

RW · May 11, 2006 2:48PM

I don't bid on private auctions. They always look like scams.

kalch23 · May 11, 2006 2:49PM

Thats the thing, either I look like the scammer or I expose my buyers to the scammers.

RedTiger · May 11, 2006 2:52PM

Just add a disclaimer on all your auctions about the second chance offers. This is enough for any eBay veterans. Private auctions lose a lot of bids. If a person is pricing at retail to start, then it may not matter much. If a person is running true auctions, it will cost a lot of money.

Rob9874 · May 11, 2006 3:03PM

<< <i>I don't bid on private auctions. They always look like scams. >>

Exactly. I questioned a board member's decision to make their bidders private, and was told the same reason, to avoid bogus second chance offers. The dean of eBay University, Jim "Griff" Griffith, tells users that making your feedback or your bidders private just hurts your sales, and he says he doesn't bid and advises that users pass on those items as well. I agree. I'm sure that some of the people who "privatize" their auctions have good intentions, but there are too many scams out there for me to take a risk on something that looks fishy. It's ironic that some are doing it to prevent scams, yet they're being accused of the very thing they're trying to prevent. I just think that eBay scams are everywhere, and people just have to be very dilligent. It's unfortunate, but some people are going to have to learn the hard way, and hopefully eBay can do something to deter these scams. I usually go out of my way to stop a scammer (usually reporting their auction or forwarding phishing emails), but I stop at altering my auctions that may turn potential customers away.

wjd283 · May 11, 2006 3:09PM

<< <i>I don't bid on private auctions. They always look like scams. >>

I agree.Don't matter how good the feedback is,it looks like you have smoething to hide.

<< <i>Just add a disclaimer on all your auctions about the second chance offers. This is enough for any eBay veterans. Private auctions lose a lot of bids. If a person is pricing at retail to start, then it may not matter much. If a person is running true auctions, it will cost a lot of money. >>

I think this would be a better idea.

flaminio · May 12, 2006 5:05AM

<< <i>Thats the thing, either I look like the scammer or I expose my buyers to the scammers. >>

Take care of your own house. Let the buyers deal with theirs.

lathmach · May 12, 2006 5:30AM

Go ahead, make your auctions private.
You'll just be one more Ebay seller I won't be buying from.
I dislike private auctions, and won't bid on them under any circumstance.
Better you just put in your descriptions that you don't do second chance offers, and bidders should consider any solicitation to be a scam.

Ray

afinch99 · May 12, 2006 5:58AM

OP, it's your decision. I think people overstate their sense of importance with comments like, "you'll lose me as a bidder w/private auctions" etc... If you offer a quality product, good price, and stellar feedback- you will sell regardless if it's public or private. jmho

SamByrd · May 12, 2006 12:38PM

i would advise that you do not make your auctions private, I for one never ever bid on a private auction its a red flag to many buyers.

LindeDad · May 12, 2006 12:47PM

I agree that if you make them private you will lose bids.
And sorry to say, but it is not your fault if somebody is stupid enouph to fall for a scam.
MY eBay has channels and email to make sure you are getting liget offers if people will just use them.

KoinDawg · May 12, 2006 12:50PM

When auctions are private, you can't see either seller or buyer feedback. You can't detect shill bidding and you won't know if the seller is just a scumbag and makes auctions private so the coin police won't tell bidders their coin is a fake.

Go private, you lose alot of potential bidders. Facts are Facts.

robertpr · May 12, 2006 12:53PM

I would advise you to instead consider placing prominently in your auction description that you do not do second chance offers and any that may be recieved is a scam. You should also add some advice to check "my ebay" when recieving messages via eBay as legitimate messages duplicate there, many people do not know that.

RYK · May 12, 2006 1:01PM

I would advise you to instead consider placing prominently in your auction description that you do not do second chance offers and any that may be recieved is a scam.

I agree with the genius.

KentuckyJ · May 12, 2006 1:36PM

I'm another who will not bid on a private ebay auction. It doesn't matter how desirable the item. You won't get my bid.

KJ

numonebuyer · May 12, 2006 1:44PM

I don't like private auctions.

BobaFett72 · May 12, 2006 2:14PM

looks like you got an overwhelming response.... so whats your move? It was stated that you should make your bidders aware that you don't offer second chance offers. Clearly that should be the direction you take. Personally it wouldnt matter to me if it were a private auction...if it was something I wanted and I got it for a fair price and it was known to me that you were a reputable seller, a board member here....etc. then the details of the auction have less importance. good luck!

bhartman35 · May 12, 2006 10:26PM

I agree with the people who say not to take the auction private. Why lose the bids if you don't have to? I don't think you need to throw the baby out with the bathwater and reject the idea of second chance offers, though. What I'd do is put in a disclaimer like the following:

In the event that the winning bidder is unable or unwilling to complete the transaction, that bidder will get a non-paying bidder strike, and a second chance offer will go out to the next highest bidder. PLEASE NOTE: The "My Messages" section of your "My Ebay" will contain any second chance offers you get for this item. Please ignore any second chance offers you receive in your registered e-mail regarding this item, because it may not be legitimate, and I would not want anyone to be victimized trying to win this item. Thanks for your bid!

Hyperion · May 12, 2006 10:44PM

kalch, dont do it. I puchased a few coins from you and was extremely pleased, however, if your auctions were private, that's an easy indication of a potential scam (since I dont know you from Adam) and I 100% would have looked elsewhere if you were set up like that.... just MHO

I'm thinking of making my Ebay auctions private....

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