eBay Advice Please!

[mrkawasaki]

I have an item running on eBay currently (not bike-related) that I genuinely have no idea of worth. I set a reserve of £275. Before that number was hit, I received an email offering a BIN to £800 cash. I declined this. 12 hours later a zero-rated bidder joined the auction and 'revealed' the reserve in three successive bids and therefore 'leads' the bidding.

Firstly I'm frustrated that it looks to other bidders that I have a shill bidder working on my behalf to pump the price - I don't! I really want the others to continue to bid normally.

Secondly I'm uncomfortable agreeing to sell to a zero rated bidder - do I have any rights to condition the sale at this stage?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[KDM]

Re:

Isn't their an option to not only remove that persons bid but also put them on your banned list?

 

[mrkawasaki]

^ They may of course be genuine. I amended ad to read:

* Please note: I will be very uncomfortable/reluctant completing a sale with a zero or very low rated feedback buyer! If this applies please make every effort to make contact prior to sale end. I reserve the right to cancel the auction should such circumstances arise.

If I don't get a response within say 24 hours then do I have reason to cancel their bids?

 

[KDM]

Re:

I think with that added then if they do not reply then you have every right to remove. If they are genuine they will contact you if removed.

 

[Midlife]

Can't help with your question but just curious how you can sell something without having a clue how much it is worth ..... How did you arrive at a reserve?

Shaun

 

[02gf74]

Reserve at 275 usually means the minimum you want to sell for, so why did reject the 800 IN CASH???

 

[mrkawasaki]

^^ Simply the figure that it would take for me to let the item go/what it's worth to me/what I would pay for them myself. As it happens, I then got a substantially higher offer, presumably from someone that knows better...?

^ Because I have dumb-ass values and treat others as I'd like to be treated! Also, I don't know 'the rules' as they apply to eBay/don't know the proposer from Adam.

 

[02gf74]

I understand that. Dont undsrstand why you said no to another 500 quid extra.

 

[KDM]

Re:

It's ebay, how many of us have had people offer us money to cancel the deal and then not go through with it?

Generally if it is a collect item I say sure we can do a deal but I will leave it up for sale till you turn up with the notes in your hand and only remove it when I have those notes in my hand. This is harder of course when it comes to a posted item unless they send paypal but even then they can ask for it back which is risky.

As to valuations, most will do a little research and then ask/expect a price. Sometimes we sell at a price to spend that money on something else so that's all we need. As to an extra £500 quid, if the person was really interested in buying it they would have chased it further and just might have been someone not offering that amount but just trying to find the reserve? Ebay is full of very funny people.

 

[The History Man]

Lots of listings stipulate no bids from or right to cancel bids from low feedback buyers and usually give a minimum feedback number.

Everybody has to start somewhere though.