eBay Frustrations!

[Drewk86a]

Was bidding on an auction for a 1999-00 UD MVP Eric Lindros Super Script #'d to 25. I was not the high bidder, but was biding my time until the auctions last hours. The bidding had only gone up to $7, so I felt condfident that i could get the card at a decent price.

Next thing I know I receive an e-mail stating that my bid had been cancelled by the seller. I go to eBay to check out the reason and find out that "The seller has cancelled the auction because the item is no longer for sale"

I'm thinking one of two things:
1) The seller wasn't getting high enough bids and didn't want to lose his card for such a low price. Or
2) The seller has sold the card, outside of eBay.

I find both of these reasons to be inappropriate. When you list an item on eBay, you are entering into a contract that you will sell the item to the highest bidder. If you don't want it to sell too low you can put a reserve on the auction. And selling outside of eBay? Once you've listed it, you should stick to your contract to sell.

This is the third auction in the past week that has been "ended early" and it is exceedingly frustrating!

[FFEMT840]

I agree. We are held as buyers to this contract so why doesnt the seller get held to it to. Sorry to hear about your frustrations.

[cardscardscards]

And that is why I list almost all of my items as BIN/BO. That way I have full control over the item, I can keep it for as long as I need and can still have it up for trade even while it's on Ebay and when I take it off of Ebay or trade site, nobody gets cheated.

[sjw241]

I understand your frustrations. But just to clarify, there is no contract until the item is sold. Just because I list it on ebay and take it off doesn't breach any contracts. That would be like saying Wal Mart is breaching a contract by taking stuff off their shelves that you wanted to buy.
There are legit reasons for removing items, for instance when my daughter colored one of the cards I had on auction, when my basement flooded and wrecked a bunch of cards, or like I have done many times, listed the same card twice by mistake when I only have 1 copy.

[Phoenix]

And that is why I list almost all of my items as BIN/BO. That way I have full control over the item, I can keep it for as long as I need and can still have it up for trade even while it's on Ebay and when I take it off of Ebay or trade site, nobody gets cheated.

Actually, eBay policy states you cannot, "List an item that you're simultaneously selling outside of eBay".

And so we're clear, there is a difference between a contract and a policy. It's eBay's policy (rule or guidline) that you can't sell outside of eBay. There is no contract (legally binding) with eBay as a seller.

[cardscardscards]

I wonder if it's an issue if I'm not selling it elsewhere?
Seriously, there's so many ways to interpret this that it could be difficult for them to enforce the policy.

[Habitforming]

I would say half of my listed auctions happen off of ebay when someone who wants the card bad enough emails me with offers so they don't have to wait, or just because they are the ones that want that card for sure.

It has happened to me that the auction has ended when I had intended to bid and it doesn't bother me after the first few minutes of disappointment. Don't forget you can always bid before the last few seconds.... it might even have enough action that the person selling the item doesn't cancel it

[87sluggo]

I had a 05/06 Parkhurst Rangers True Colors up for bids and got an offer from a Quebecois guy who sells beer at Islanders home games. How could I say no after a page of stories and free-beer offer??? I probably would have gotten more letting the auction run its course, but whateverrrrr.....

[Drewk86a]

There are legit reasons for removing items, for instance when my daughter colored one of the cards I had on auction, when my basement flooded and wrecked a bunch of cards, or like I have done many times, listed the same card twice by mistake when I only have 1 copy.

The reasons you cite for ending an auction early are all reasonable. That said, your reasons have nothing to do with selling outside of eBay and are probably infrequent occurances.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I understand your frustrations. But just to clarify, there is no contract until the item is sold. Just because I list it on ebay and take it off doesn't breach any contracts.

And so we're clear, there is a difference between a contract and a policy. There is no contract (legally binding) with eBay as a seller.

I must, respectfully, disagree with these statements. According to eBay customer support "A bid or commitment to buy on eBay is considered a contract and you're obligated to purchase the item." If the buyer is obligated to purchase then, logically, the seller is obligated to sell. Notice that it does not say "a winning bid" or "the highest bid"...it simply says a bid.

Even if we accept that these are eBay policies and not binding contracts there is still a reasonable expectation that the policies will be followed. When an item is posted for auction using the eBay site, it is reasonable for the bidders to assume that eBay policies will be administered. If someone violates eBay policies, buyer or seller, they should not be permitted to use eBay services.

How many, on this site, have vented frustrations at an eBay buyer who did not pay for an item, or tried to back out of a sale because they found a cheaper card elsewhere. How is that different than a seller listing an item, and actively selling it through other venues? Or an seller listing an item and then pulling it because the bids are too low?

Can't have it both ways!

[centrehice]

There are literally thousands of items on eBay that end this way.

Remember, when a seller cancels an auction, he circumvents eBay's ghastly commission and gets all the money he's entitled to.

It's really the only control sellers have on eBay at the moment, everything else has been taken from them by greedy eBay.

Next time send a seller a PM with a good firm price asking them to end the auction early. Nothing stopping you from doing that.