End auction early?
WinPitcher
Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
Recently I listed some early 50's commons.
!953 and 54 Topps to be precise.
A few moments after I had listed them I received an email
from a potential buyer asking me if I would end the auction early
for 75.00.
Knowing that the cards in question usually sell for between 50 and 100.00
I felt the offer was reasonable but at the same time I felt it was not fair to other
customers of mine. Needless to say the card is over 120.00 as of this writing
with 3 hours to go.
I emailed the potential buyer back and thanked him for his offer but that I must decline it.
Just something to think about if you think, you are, as a seller getting the best price by ending an auction early.
Besides the ill will it could create by regular customers you will almost always get that amount or more anyway.
I have yet to get less for a card by declining such offers.
Steve
!953 and 54 Topps to be precise.
A few moments after I had listed them I received an email
from a potential buyer asking me if I would end the auction early
for 75.00.
Knowing that the cards in question usually sell for between 50 and 100.00
I felt the offer was reasonable but at the same time I felt it was not fair to other
customers of mine. Needless to say the card is over 120.00 as of this writing
with 3 hours to go.
I emailed the potential buyer back and thanked him for his offer but that I must decline it.
Just something to think about if you think, you are, as a seller getting the best price by ending an auction early.
Besides the ill will it could create by regular customers you will almost always get that amount or more anyway.
I have yet to get less for a card by declining such offers.
Steve
Good for you.
0
Comments
As a seller, I tend to allow most auctions to run their route, but in the event of a significantly scarce, high end item, sometimes a bird in the hand is worth much more than two in the bush.
A while back, I was offered $150 (the VCP high at te time) for a card to end an auction early. I countered with twice that ammount, and the guy took it. The card doesn't even sell for over $100 now.
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
<< <i>sometimes a bird in the hand is worth much more than two in the bush. >>
agree, and like the analogy
Patrick
<< <i>Not to sound contradictory, but I've made offers on some items and eventually gotten them for significantly less than my original offer. On the other hand, I've seen an equal amount eclipse my offer.
As a seller, I tend to allow most auctions to run their route, but in the event of a significantly scarce, high end item, sometimes a bird in the hand is worth much more than two in the bush. >>
A while back I made a buy it now offer on a 1987 Fleer Jordan PSA 10 for $900, knowing that with a buy it now, I could take another $100+ off using live search cashback. The guy countered with $950 off paypal direct payment which I declined. I then went on to win the card for about 5% below my $900 offer. I felt like emailing the guy and saying "You netted less by not taking my offer, and I paid more by you not accepting my offer." Lose lose in this situation, though I did end up getting a card I wanted at a reasonable price, so I don't feel all that bad.
My only point is that it goes both ways. I have no problem with sellers that are willing to end auctions early as well as those who aren't. As a buyer, I won't write off a seller who does this, unless they do it repeatedly in which case it's not really worth my time watching the auction.
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
<< <i>I could take another $100+ off using live search cashback. >>
What is this?
136.12.
Again, his offer was fair.
I've yet to get less then the original offer.
Maybe I've been lucky.
Pat, Microsoft had a promotion through its live search function in conjunction with ebay.
You had to use live search and then in ebay buy an item that was listed with a buy it now.
Steve
But again it was only good for BIN's.
Some sellers used it as well.
They knew people would want to use it so they made more BIN's
They also raised prices on some items too.
I never used it.
Steve
Microsoft paid out the funds.
many folks here did it and all got paid.
Steve
Microsoft always pays their bills. Even better now, the rebate shows up in your paypal immediately rather than having to wait 60 days.
They're basically trying to bribe you to use their search engine as they have lost significant market share to Google over the past 3 years.
I sometimes will, try to make a counter-offer, plus the condition that I change the auction to a buy it now sale.
For example, let's say, I have an auction (item must have NO bids, otherwise I let the auction run!) and I'm offered $75 to "end it early". I counter with a price of $90, and, lets say the buyer says OK to my counter-offer.
I let the buyer know, that I'm going to change the auction to a "buy it now" auction for $90.
Ultimately, it is the seller's option, whether or not "to end early", but it is against ebay policy, if you are contacted by a buyer to do the transaction outside of ebay.
If you let a prospective buyer know that it is an ebay violation to do the transaction outside of ebay, and you both can agree on a price, just change it to "buy it know". Just let the buyer know, they must hurry and make the purchase, because another buyer out there, ALSO might be interested in "buying it now"!
Better hurry!
rd
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Smokestack Lightning (Live) 1968
Quicksilver Messenger Service - The Hat (Live) 1971
If it happens to regularly, as a buyer, you might not want to participate in your auctions because "hey, last time I got involved with this guy's auction i woke up the next morning to find it canceled--why bother?"
For example, a couple weeks ago I sold 700 card+ vintage baseball cards auction style and it ran to the end with a final sale of 1K. I may be running a similar auction in a week or so, and if I do, watchers and bidders who see that one will not fear an early cancellation...