Buyers screwed by unscrupulous sellers

[mrbsa96]

I bid on something and get told it's no longer available (interestingly because no one else is bidding), but if I tried to do the same thing I'm bound by legal contract. This is what I got told (explains nothing)

Please note that this is a system generated email; please do not reply to this email because it won't reach us. You can contact the Customer support using the help section from the navbar.

eBay Bid Cancellation Notice - Item

Dear eBay Community Member,
  The bid that you entered for the   item (261315965941)   has been cancelled. You can view the reason provided for the cancellation by   selecting the (bid history) link from the individual item page.
 
  Please be cautious if you are contacted about   purchasing this item after the bid has been cancelled and as always avoid paying for your eBay item using   instant wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram as these   payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.
 
  Regards,
  eBay

[*crikey*mate*]

no, an offer (your bid) can be withdrawn (by you) or rejected (by the seller) at any time prior to acceptance, which is usually at the end of the auction (fall of the hammer) but I think eBay brings that into it can't happen if there is less than 12 hours to go.

so assuming there was more than 12 hours to go on the auction before your bid (offer) was cancelled (and thus rejected) it's all kosher and law abiding.

[zelly888]

I hate that 12hr deadline as all the bidding happens in the last minute so sellers should sweat it out until the end of auction otherwise start the bid at the price they are happy to receive at end of auction 

[lyndal1838]

The seller actually cancelled 2 bids so you were not the only bidder.

I would say the seller had second thoughts about the starting price, or thought that the BIN price was a reserve.  I would not be at all surprised to see it relisted with a higher start price.

[jameshouseofstyle]

I hate that 12hr deadline as all the bidding happens in the last minute so sellers should sweat it out until the end of auction otherwise start the bid at the price they are happy to receive at end of auction 

Zelly,  don't know about sweatting it out!

Why should they - one can become very nervy and jittery after a while - and for what?

Just to accommodate buyers with the miserable prices they are hoping to pay at the end?

Even Ebay recognises the fact that the item belongs to the seller - to do with as they please and try to get any amount of money they want - and if first time around doesn't look promising - try again.

And bidders should be prepared for that - nothing is set in concrete at any auction.

Very different from waiting til the auction finishes and then renegening on the sale - although I always understand that as well, for many reasons - actually, I'm always almost embarrased and scared to win something ultra cheap - that bears no ralation whatsoever to the value of the item!

[*crikey*mate*]

---

@lyndal1838 wrote:

The seller actually cancelled 2 bids so you were not the only bidder.

I would say the seller had second thoughts about the starting price, or thought that the BIN price was a reserve.  I would not be at all surprised to see it relisted with a higher start price.

---

Yeah, they're a newbie by the looks.

I hope that they fix their COD, as I think they really only intend the item for local pick up, not Cash On Delivery.

[zelly888]

Like I said either sweat it out or don't start an auction at 99c it's as simple as that.A seller shouldn't list an item at 99c thinking that because their item is valuable to them it will be valuable to a buyer because as you said the buyer is in it for a bargain.

[jameshouseofstyle]

zelly, you are right - they shouldn't start it from 99c - and they also shouldn't listen to Ebay advising them to start it from 99c - mostly newbies, mind you - like sitting ducks - ste up for failure in most cases!

Only every now & again, rarer these days, will the auction reach some decent money from this low start.

[jameshouseofstyle]

another computer failure - right in the middle of typing!

Maybe it's me - got a bad flu, sitting at home last couple of days bored to death,,, now it's just a matter of time what will get me first - flu or boredom!

Anyway, to continue - buyers and sellears are actually mutually exclusive - with opposing goals.

Unless they reach a middle ground, or buyer can't live without the item.

Speaking of Middle Ground... that guy who sings it in the coffee commercial has magic woice!

[zelly888]

It's funny how when I list an item at a higher price (only because that's what it is worth),I then get a message from Ebay telling me that if I list it at a lower price I might then have a better chance of selling the item,well I know that,but why should I sell something at a loss?