Can you withdraw a bid on an item?

[bertmcmahon10]

I have bid on an item that doesn't come to expiry of auction until tomorrow but i need something sooner and have sourced locally. Can I withdraw my bid?

[padi*0409]

This link will give you information on bid retractions.

http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/buy/bidding-overview.html

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

you can withdraw your bid, but eBay only have three reasons for retraction.  These are:

- Entered wrong amount . . . . in which case you are supposed to enter the correct amount once you have retracted

- Seller changed the description of the item . . . . . . this is only for use when the description changes significantly after you have bid

- Cannot contact the seller . . . . . . you are meant to have tried to contact the seller for whatever reason without success

http://offer.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?RetractBidShow

The number of bid retractions you have made will show on your bidding history.  Many members just lie and choose the "Entered wrong amount" reason and then do not bid again.  This can make the bidding on the item look suspicious and make some members suspect that the seller is shill bidding (bidding up their item and then retracting to help drive up the price).

The bid retraction page does say that "If you have a valid reason not listed above, you can: Contact the seller and ask the seller to cancel the bid"

[kopenhagen5]

To add, if a lie is chosen the seller can report the buyer and it is easy for eBay to see if any of the valid reasons occurred.

[the_pooze]

And some Sellers do not hesitate to report a false "Unable to contact"

[davewil1964]

Why not? eBay expect sellers to be perfect, even though that is an abstract aspiration for them. One which they are constitutionally unable to comply, and demonstrate daily their lack of understanding of the term.

All they do is promulgate an us and them attitude.

I have no idea why. I doubt eBay do. They come out with carp about the buying experience. People just want their stuff with no hassles. They don't need or want to jump through hoops to do simple things; they don't think eBay is Amazon lite (if they did they would buy through Amazon); they foolishly think eBay is the eBay of yesteryear where you could sell and buy stuff in niche categories.

[2*much*cute*stuff]

Every bid withdrawal I have ever had has used 'entered wrong amount' and not ONE has ever then re-bid!! I didn't even know that they were supposed to! eBay obviously never police that option!!

[*tippy*toes*]

I reported an entered wrong amount bidder once, just to see what happened. I think eBay must have slapped them because I got a nasty message from the buyer in regards to them being reported and it was their right to retract a bid if they wanted to. They also weren't allowed to buy for 3 months. I haven't had it happen that many times, but I chose that bidder as they had some obscene amount of retractions. I figured they bid to see what amount the current highest bidder has bid to, then retract when it's more than they want to pay.

I was expecting eBay to do nothing, so was surprised when a buyer of all things was suspended for 3 months. I always thought buyers could do no wrong! I promptly added them to my BBL because I thought a revenge buy may have been in order 3 months later.

[the_pooze]

Davewil, I agree, why shouldn't Sellers be super quick to report false statements about a Buyers ability to contact them.  I know I take exception to it when it happens and don't hesitate to report it.

[enigmabear]

Wow!!! must have been a newbie ebay rep I'd say. Unaware of how ebay sides with the bidder/buyer 99.99% of the time