Since ebay sellers can essentially end auctions whenever they wish...

RYK · November 24, 2009 1:27PM

if you want to buy a coin, should ask them to sell it to you outside ebay? Should you negotiate a price with the seller and ask them for a BIN for it?

joz350 · November 24, 2009 10:25PM

I'll bite.

Sure, but be prepared to forfeit much of the buyer protection that is associated with E bay if you don't know the seller. That said, I wouldn't ask if there were bids on the item.

Hyperion · November 24, 2009 10:26PM

I dont think there's any issue with haggling a price and setting a BIN, but the sale would have to be done within the bounds of the 'bay by rule.

Res · November 24, 2009 10:28PM

<< I'll bite.

Sure, but be prepared to forfeit much of the buyer protection that is associated with E bay if you don't know the seller. That said, I wouldn't ask if there were bids on the item. >>

The buyer protection is associated with paypal (i.e. using your credit card.) If you use your credit card, you are covered. Paypal also covers transactions that happen off of ebay.

PrivateCoinCollector · November 24, 2009 10:40PM

Not sure how that would work. Auctions are cancelled generally because sellers get stage fright, becuase they think the coin is worth more than it probabaly is and loose faith in the snipe. So three days before the auction closes you come along and offer them X.XX. There first reponse is "this guy is trying to Low-Ball me" and there second one is "this coin will easily sell for double that." I say you bid your best and take solice in the fact that a significant majority do not end there auctions early. In other words it is not enough of a concern to start twittling your approach. But I get your point, because eBay allows this they are kind of shooting themselves in the foot by encouraging "off-line" transactions.

notwilight · November 24, 2009 11:01PM

<< I'll bite.

Sure, but be prepared to forfeit much of the buyer protection that is associated with E bay if you don't know the seller. That said, I wouldn't ask if there were bids on the item. >>

There is no buyer protection with ebay. It is with paypal. --Jerry

notwilight · November 24, 2009 11:10PM

<< if you want to buy a coin, should ask them to sell it to you outside ebay? Should you negotiate a price with the seller and ask them for a BIN for it? >>

I have that happen occasionally. However, if I set a BIN it will usually be above what I think the auction will end at. If I'm selling multiples of the same item then I usually am able to convince the prospective buyer that it is better to bid on my auctions. However, some buyers just don't bid on auctions, they want a BIN. (Just as some buyers don't do BIN, they want an auction). I don't sell the semi-unique classic coins like the question is designed for.

As a buyer I think I would only do it if I really really wanted something at any price and I wasn't will willing to take even the tiniest chance that it might get away. Otherwise, the chances of it not making it to the end are small. I did this one on a large cent when some one started a thread on the forum here about a cent I planned to buy. The thread was speculating that the cent may be an unattributed proof which would have increased it's value 5 to 10 times. I decided then to take matters into my own hands.

--Jerry

RYK · November 24, 2009 11:11PM

I am referring, of course, to the 100+ post thread from a few days ago in which the the high bidder and seller are both forum members. The seller set up a true auction but sold the item elsewhere (off ebay), ruffling the feathers of the high bidder. There was the sideshow of the problems that ebay was having and the twelve hour rule, but the fact of the matter is that the seller sold the item elsewhere, and this disappointed the bidder.

There is a coin on ebay that I (shockingly) really would like to buy, and I am afraid someone else will get it outside ebay. I fully expect to be high bidder if the auction is allowed to run to its conclusion. I am bidding Longacre money on it.

MacCrimmon · November 24, 2009 11:17PM

<< I fully expect to be high bidder if the auction is allowed to run to its conclusion. I am bidding Longacre money on it.

>>

Will your charge nurse be opening the package on arrival?

derryb · November 24, 2009 11:48PM

<< I am referring, of course, to the 100+ post thread from a few days ago in which the the high bidder and seller are both forum members. The seller set up a true auction but sold the item elsewhere (off ebay), ruffling the feathers of the high bidder. There was the sideshow of the problems that ebay was having and the twelve hour rule, but the fact of the matter is that the seller sold the item elsewhere, and this disappointed the bidder.

There is a coin on ebay that I (shockingly) really would like to buy, and I am afraid someone else will get it outside ebay. I fully expect to be high bidder if the auction is allowed to run to its conclusion. I am bidding Longacre money on it.

>>

This thread is useless without a link.

Classof67 · November 25, 2009 12:32AM

<< I am bidding Longacre money on it. >>

Ouch, that's gonna hurt!

RedHerring · November 25, 2009 12:50AM

<< Should you negotiate a price with the seller and ask them for a BIN for it? >>

----------------------------------------------------

A lot of that went on during the 30% Microsoft CashBack offers.

My brother was buying Presidential $1 rolls for $30/each ($21 w/CashBack) from a seller he knew. I think he's got hundreds of rolls now.

seanq · November 25, 2009 2:56AM

There's no perfect answer, you have to gauge each case on its own merits. You can ask for a BIN, but if the coin is an exceptional cherrypick the chances are you'll not be the only person asking, which will tip the seller off to the true value. But then if you sit back, you can be undercut by another offer. Even if you simply don't have patience or want cost certainty, making a high BIN offer will probably make the seller wonder if they're missing something.

I've thought about writing the seller during the auction and letting him know not to close early because there are significant bids coming late, but that could be seen as an invitation to get a buddy to shill. Most of the time now I'll just place a reasonable early bid, cross my fingers, wait for the auction to run its course and then snip with the big guns at the very end.

Sean Reynolds

Since ebay sellers can essentially end auctions whenever they wish...

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