Seller Cancels Auction Sale For No Good Reason or Notification

[buzzy_kerbox]

I just had a seller randomly cancel a purchase I had won through an auction, an antique vase, likely at the realisation that the sale price was quite undervalued, but I was just amazed that ebay allows this without any notification or acceptance on my behalf.

Of course I still want the item, over 10 years of buying through auctions on ebay and this is a first, feel quite cheated, but it seems I have no recourse whatsoever. Whatever happened to the binding contract of ebay auctions and sellers having to complete their sale based on the guidelines they themselves put in place?

[padi*0409]

Neither eBay nor anyone else can force a seller to sell their item if they don't get the price they're after - eBay is somewhat complicit in this by advising sellers to start their auctions at 99cents.

If a seller cancels then they run the risk of getting bad feedback and possibly lose their FVF's if they aren't careful.

[buzzy_kerbox]

Well I do not even have the option of leaving bad feedback it seems, since the purchase just cleared completely out of account on cancellation. 

The worst part here is it seems I lost $10 Australian on the currency conversion on the way back, I am pretty much over losing the item but now I get screwed by paypal? Funny stuff 🙂

[*tippy*toes*]

If it's a recent purchase, within the last 60 days, and it's gone from your purchase history, then it's likely eBay removed it rather than the seller. Is the seller still registered?

[padi*0409]

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@buzzy_kerbox wrote:

Well I do not even have the option of leaving bad feedback it seems, since the purchase just cleared completely out of account on cancellation. 

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If it was the seller that cancelled you can often find the feedback option if you go into "account" at the top of the page and click on "feedback", if it was cancelled by eBay as Tippy said then the option may not be there.

[padi*0409]

To add, you may also find the item here.

http://pages.ebay.com.au/services/forum/feedback.html

[go-tazz]

Welcome to the new eBay where a seller can now cancel a sale whenever they like,(even if it went through

to sold).

I had one last week on my other account which had to be cancelled and as I went through the process and

cancelled it there was no input from the buyer needed.

They even complemented me that as I had already refunded the buyer there was no further input needed

on my behalf with another thank you for cancelling the sale,(they even have shortcuts for cancelling bids

and end a listing to "streamline" it in the Seller Hub).

[lyndal1838]

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@buzzy_kerbox wrote:

Well I do not even have the option of leaving bad feedback it seems, since the purchase just cleared completely out of account on cancellation. 

The worst part here is it seems I lost $10 Australian on the currency conversion on the way back, I am pretty much over losing the item but now I get screwed by paypal? Funny stuff 🙂

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If the item has gone completely from your account then it means that ebay has removed the item, not the seller.

I suggest you ring paypal if the transaction was very recent.  You should be refunded at the same exchange rate that you paid....there should be no shortfall at all.

I doubt that you have been screwed by paypal.....more likely that the seller has "paid" you rather than refunded and the missing amount is the paypal fees.

[ford12ford]

Had this happen to me too. The leave feedback is still open if you go into your own feedback, and at the bottom it says feedback still to leave. It just does not appear on your ebay purchase page for some reason. I only found this out when I contacted ebay re the same situation

[lane-ends]

If a seller cancels a sale of their own accord they will get a defect. Too many defects and their ability to sell is restricted. Legitimate reasons could be out of stock, missing item, damaged item. But then they could use those excuses for simply change of mind. So they simply get a defect regardless if buyer doesn't request it.

Downside is if seller sees a flaw before shipping they get a defect if they metion it and cancel, if they just send a defective item and leave it to buyer to raise a dispute, then refund they dont. So it encourages shipping of damaged or wrong/alternative items, then resolving if and when a buyer complains.