I got a bargain and the seller is ignoring me -_-

[danielreid1]

I won an auction for two large server cabinets (basically a cabinet that networking equipment is housed in).

I was lucky enough to win the listing for $1 a bargain! considering these sized cabinets including the gear inside would usually go for around $300-$500 "I assume the seller could've advertised them better".

This is where my luck ran out because I have sent multiple messages to the member and it's been 3 days without any form of response. Obviously i will continue to wait but I am curious of the "legal" bindings/requirements for buying or selling items on eBay.
Just because the seller listed it's starting price so low and it happened to sell for that amount does not seem like an adequate excuse to blatantly ignore me..

Any information would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance.

[kopenhagen5 · Accepted solution]

Many newish sellers list for 99 cents with a Buy it now price thinking the BIN is a reserve but actually disappears when a bid is placed.

I wouldn't expect a new seller to honour such a transaction if they had made a genuine error and not knowing how the eBay site works yet. It's different if the seller just wants them out of there without getting anything for them.

We always tell members to list an item at a price they are happy to sell at in case they only get one bid.

[lyndal1838 · Accepted solution]

I think you are correct that the seller wants more money for the item and should have started the listings at a price he would be happy to sell the items for,

However, there is nothing you can do to force the seller to sell to you.

I would just assume you will never see the items and look elsewhere.....and leave feedback to the effect that the seller does not complete transactions.

[*tippy*toes* · Accepted solution]

If you took eBay's advice and listed a car for $1 and that's what it sold for, would you hand it over to the "lucky" buyer? I thought so.

[go-tazz · Accepted solution]

Maybe ask them what price they were looking for and see whether it's still a bargain.

You may be able to negotiate a price that's acceptable to you,(if not then you haven't "lost" anything as a

the seller can simply refuse to sell it to you).).

When you placed the bid did you put in that single bid or put in a maximum bid?

[danielreid1]

Thank you to everybody for your quick reply.

I am pleased to say that i did just finally get a response from the seller and we are now arranging a time to finalize the transaction.

my only frustration was that it took some time to establish communication with the buyer but I think we're all guilty of that at some point in time.

kopenhagen5 " It's different if the seller just wants them out of there without getting anything for them."
I think that may be the case here and I guess i was lucky to find a real bargain.

"We always tell members to list an item at a price they are happy to sell at in case they only get one bid."

That how I sell my items. Often a low starting price will attract a lot of attention but I'm aware it's a gamble and will list accordingly.

*tippy*toes*  "If you took eBay's advice and listed a car for $1 and that's what it sold for, would you hand it over to the "lucky" buyer? I thought so."

I appreciate where you're coming from but I believe the expression "buyer beware" is interchangeable to "seller beware". You make a fair point though, if it was for a Ferrari in immaculate condition and sold for a dollar because it was badly advertised then it would seem very unfair.

lyndal1838  "However, there is nothing you can do to force the seller to sell to you."

Yes if I was unable to establish communication then i would have left the appropriate feedback and forgotten about it.

go-tazz  "Maybe ask them what price they were looking for and see whether it's still a bargain."

Great suggestion and if I was in that situation again i would definitely contact them and ask that..

"When you placed the bid did you put in that single bid or put in a maximum bid?"

I put in a maximum bid moments before the listing ended but I was the only bidder so I got it for just $1

I appreciate everybody who commented and I hope the advice here may help someone in the future.

Thank so much guys and girls

[danielreid1]

Thank you to everybody for your quick reply.

I am pleased to say that i did just finally get a response from the seller and we are now arranging a time to finalize the transaction.

my only frustration was that it took some time to establish communication with the buyer but I think we're all guilty of that at some point in time.

kopenhagen5 " It's different if the seller just wants them out of there without getting anything for them."
I think that may be the case here and I guess i was lucky to find a real bargain.

"We always tell members to list an item at a price they are happy to sell at in case they only get one bid."

That how I sell my items. Often a low starting price will attract a lot of attention but I'm aware it's a gamble and will list accordingly.

*tippy*toes*  "If you took eBay's advice and listed a car for $1 and that's what it sold for, would you hand it over to the "lucky" buyer? I thought so."

I appreciate where you're coming from but I believe the expression "buyer beware" is interchangeable to "seller beware". You make a fair point though, if it was for a Ferrari in immaculate condition and sold for a dollar because it was badly advertised then it would seem very unfair.

lyndal1838  "However, there is nothing you can do to force the seller to sell to you."

Yes if I was unable to establish communication then i would have left the appropriate feedback and forgotten about it.

go-tazz  "Maybe ask them what price they were looking for and see whether it's still a bargain."

Great suggestion and if I was in that situation again i would definitely contact them and ask that..

"When you placed the bid did you put in that single bid or put in a maximum bid?"

I put in a maximum bid moments before the listing ended but I was the only bidder so I got it for just $1

I appreciate everybody who commented and I hope the advice here may help someone in the future.

Thank so much guys and girls

[danielreid1]

Thank you to everybody for your quick reply.

I am pleased to say that i did just finally get a response from the seller and we are now arranging a time to finalize the transaction.
my only frustration was that it took some time to establish communication with the buyer but I think we're all guilty of that at some point in time.

kopenhagen5 " It's different if the seller just wants them out of there without getting anything for them."
I think that may be the case here and I guess i was lucky to find a real bargain.
"We always tell members to list an item at a price they are happy to sell at in case they only get one bid."
That how I sell my items. Often a low starting price will attract a lot of attention but I'm aware it's a gamble and will list accordingly.

*tippy*toes* "If you took eBay's advice and listed a car for $1 and that's what it sold for, would you hand it over to the "lucky" buyer? I thought so."
I appreciate where you're coming from but I believe the expression "buyer beware" is interchangeable to "seller beware". You make a fair point though, if it was for a Ferrari in immaculate condition and sold for a dollar because it was badly advertised then it would seem very unfair.

lyndal1838 "However, there is nothing you can do to force the seller to sell to you."
Yes if I was unable to establish communication then i would have left the appropriate feedback and forgotten about it.

go-tazz "Maybe ask them what price they were looking for and see whether it's still a bargain."
Great suggestion and if I was in that situation again i would definitely contact them and ask that..
"When you placed the bid did you put in that single bid or put in a maximum bid?"
I put in a maximum bid moments before the listing ended but I was the only bidder so I got it for just $1

I appreciate everybody who commented and I hope the advice here may help someone in the future.
Thank so much guys and girls

[duff_in_oz]

What about the rule thats states that a bid is a binding contract? How unfair is it that sellers can cancel a sale for no reason other than greed, yet buyers are made to feel like it's a criminal offence to want to back out of a sale?

[duff_in_oz]

What fool would advertise a car for a dollar? unless they were dead certain it was going to go for more, or they wanted it removed for free?