Seller retracted my bid/closed auction/no reason given

[rmillercwi]

I was a few days into a 5 day auction for a Tonka truck. I was the only bid up until recently when I got a message from ebay saying my bid was cancelled and the auction closed early.

Is this ok?

If so, is there a way to leave negative feedback somehow?

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

The last thing I will say (hopefully) about the meaning of the word "transaction" to me.  You, ( I think, not game to go back to check in case I lose this and have to start again) used the word 'process' and the word 'contract'.  We are both talking about the same thing, but you used two words to describe the situation while I only use the one word.  This is not the real topic of this thread.

I know that losing a post after typing it can be frustrating, but I have found recently that you can scroll back up through a thread while in the process of preparing a post.  I also advise to copy your post before hitting the 'Post' button in case it gets lost.

My use of commas in post #16 may have been confusing.  So, let's change

"the process begins when you place a bid . . . a bit like negotiating with a car salesman or real estate agent.  The transaction starts once a price is agreed and contracts are signed/finalised, or in the case of an eBay auction, the auction ends with a winning bidder thus creating a contract between the seller and buyer. The seller does not have a transaction with each of the bidders when they bid, only the winning bidder when the auction ends. If the vendor/seller removes the item from sale then no transaction takes place"

to

"the process begins when you place a bid.  The transaction starts, in the case of an eBay auction, when the auction ends with a winning bidder thus creating a contract between the seller and buyer. The seller does not have a transaction with each of the bidders when they bid, only the winning bidder when the auction ends. If the seller removes the item from sale then no transaction takes place".

We aren't talking about the same thing.  A transaction starts when the auction ends with a winning bidder.  The process of getting to that stage does not constitute a transaction.

[leader-of-the-band]

We all know that there are buyers out there who cause problems through their actions, but we also have sellers who cause problems for buyers or potential buyers.  Should not both sides have recourse to some action through Ebay.  Sellers at least have the BBL function, buyers don't have anything.

Buyers do have options.  As stated previously, if they bid and win an item and a seller changes their mind they can leave negative feedback to warn others and report the seller for non-performance (information which can be found in the site map). 

Buyers can also report listings.  If you notice that a seller cancels a listing and suspect it is because the price isn't going high enough, or some other invalid reason, then report them if they relist the item.  eBay will look into it and take action against the seller IF it is warranted.  Information on how to report a listing can also be found on the site map.

[banf15]

hello OP,

i actually both agree & sympathies with you, this is after all supposed to be an auction. If a seller lists an item without a reserve price and sells under it's value they should (and some do) wear the loss. If a seller receives a better offer by email it should be a case of bad luck. Once an item is listed for auction there should be no opportunity to cancel once the auction starts.

sellers on these forums will insult and attempt to bully us for our opinion. But my opinion comes from the fact that buyers are expected to pay for items won therefore sellers should be expected to sell items listed.

i've personally had to pay for items listed as genuine but found to be fake during the course of the auction

[***super_nova***]

hello OP,

i actually both agree & sympathies with you, this is after all supposed to be an auction. If a seller lists an item without a reserve price and sells under it's value they should (and some do) wear the loss. If a seller receives a better offer by email it should be a case of bad luck. Once an item is listed for auction there should be no opportunity to cancel once the auction starts.

sellers on these forums will insult and attempt to bully us for our opinion. But my opinion comes from the fact that buyers are expected to pay for items won therefore sellers should be expected to sell items listed.

i've personally had to pay for items listed as genuine but found to be fake during the course of the auction

You are comparing apples and oranges; IF the auction ends and somebody wins at low price then yes, the seller should wear the loss.  Also nobody is saying that it is OK for seller to accept outside eBay an offer  that came from that listing. 

But if you list something, and friend comes over, you mention that you are selling this item and they want it, there is absolutely nothing wrong to cancel the listing.  As has been explained ad nauseam above.  What you think should or should not be allowed is irrelevant, what matters is eBay policy, consumer laws etc..

if you found during auction item to be fake you should have withdrawn your bids.

[banf15]

Super-Nova,

If a friend was to come over and express interest on an item they should be told to open an eBay account and bid like everyone else, especially if bids on the item already exist.

Furthermore, bids cannot be withdrawn with 12hrs or less left to run on an auction. And once an auction finishes payment is enforced or you can receive a strike for non payment.

As for eBay policy this is one format of raising issues to have them addressed. In regards to morality, I won't go there Australian sellers listing "solid gold" items only to find the words gold filled or gold plated in the fine print of their description tells me more than enough about their morality. Which is why eBay will never be a primary source of acquisitions for me. At bricks and mortar auctions items aren't removed from sale once the auction starts

[davewil1964]

B&M auctions can also have reserves, so the seller has a right not to sell. And they are real auctions as opposed to the tender system that applies here.

[***super_nova***]

 At bricks and mortar auctions items aren't removed from sale once the auction starts

In B&M auction houses the actual auction lasts only few minutes, and items can most certainly be withdrawn right up to few moments before the auctioneer starts the auction for them.  Not to mention that the item is not sold unless it reaches the reserve.

On eBay the bidding can go on for  up to 10 days.  Lot can happen in 10 days; if the item gets broken, would you prefer that the seller would be forced to let the auction run, have to pay FVF and then negotiate with the very disappointed buyer whether they want bucket of broken china or would they agree to mutual cancellation?

In this regard eBay is not really an auction but more of a tender process.  There are millions of people who are pretty happy how this enormous site is working.  Of-course, nothing is perfect but any changes suggested here are unworkable.

To surmise; the item belongs to the seller rigth until it is won by somebody, then there is a contract (albeit not easily enforceable) valid for minimum of 8 days  (depending if seller chooses to give extension), within which the buyer needs to pay, if they do not, and the seller followed the correct route and opened case, the contract is null and void.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

If a friend was to come over and express interest on an item they should be told to open an eBay account and bid like everyone else, especially if bids on the item already exist.

this bit of your post is incorrect.  I'm not saying it can't or doesn't happen, only that it is against eBay rules for freinds and/or family to participate in auction listings.  They are allowed to avail themselves of Buy-Now listings, but not auctions.

[2011zorroman]

I tell you what's annoying: sellers who place items that they KNOW the approximate value of, because there are 20 others selling the SAME thing between, say $500 -$600 - and they start the bidding at 0.99 cents. Why not start the bidding at a REASONABLE estimate to deter the suckers who think they're going to get a genuine Rolex watch for $10 with 7 days to go? They might 'bait' a lot of people who are looking for a cheap item, but they run the risk of disappointing a lot of future customers, and also possibly getting caught out if the expected 'snipers' don't come in at the last minute with the high bids. I should know, I got outbid 20 times in a week on a certain camera model I was after worth $2,500, and I snapped one up for $138 because all the other bidders were asleep or their internet was offline at the critical moment when my bid on this one got up. Seller beware too...

[phorum_junkie*]

I can't believe a thread about a non event has gone on so long.

Who cares why the seller ended the auction early?

What difference would the reason make?

Why am I adding to the insanity :^O