Sometimes I still can't believe the advice given to some buyers!

[fixnwear]

Just read advice given to the buyer on the  Answer Centre!

She has won a Dolls house for 99c - the seller wanted $20 - advice given was:

"leave a neg blah blah, blah..."

I defy anyone who wins a pick up item that is obviously woth much more (anything is worth much more as the single dollar is virtually worthless in itself) to go and front the owners and give them the dollar!

Easier said than done - as the saying goes.

Much better advice would be:

Don't bid (like me) on 99c items for the danger that you may be the only bidder - but if you do -  and you happen to win offer the owners more for Goodness sake - depending on the condition and age of the item whatever the average price is for similar item.

None of us really pay any mind to Ebay's rules - not when they are still dishing out the same old advice about starting auctions low - as they don't have nowhere near as many customers as in the years gone buy - and really should modify their advice re the 99c auctions.

But if and when anyone should still fall for that - and get burnt, we all ought to help them out - not crucify them.

[harley_babes_hoard]

If the seller is silly enough to list her item at 99 cents and it sells then tough ti tties. I think a neutral is appropriate she backed out of a sale, will the seller continue to do this in future if not happy with the price?

[fixnwear]

harley, tough **bleep** huh?

Sellers are not silly as a general rule - they mostly do not repeat the same thing - as this one didn't either.

When they realize what happens when they take Ebay's advice - they list it again at the much more realistic price - as we see time & time again.

And it's easy for you to talk about it - and retain this totally unwarranted tough stance - but I really would love to see you fronting up to someon'es front door , looking them in the eye and handing ove a dollar!

Huge difference from just mouthing off in an impersonal electronic comunique.

[jensmanchester-australia]

fixnwear - I once had a local buyer win an auction for 99c. She was a regular ebay buyer but only ever won auctions at bargain prices. She kept coming into my shop time telling me about the cruises she had been on, what she had bought etc. When she won the auction at 99c she sent her husband in with a $1.00 coin to pick up the item. He was so embarrassed about the whole thing. She has never been back in my shop since.

[horizon1907]

I still can't believe that ebay still says to start an Auction at 99c to grab more interest. What a load of "Bleeep" these days.

[fixnwear]

jensmanchester

When she won the auction at 99c she sent her husband in with a $1.00 coin to pick up the item. He was so embarrassed about the whole thing. She has never been back in my shop since

OMG, I'm not surprised!

Also gutless as well as greedy! To send a hubby because she couldn't face you.

This sort of thing amounts to having to face the seller and more or less tell them"

"I know this is daylight robbery but I don't CARE! I won this, and according to Ebay you HAVE to hand it over. Oh, and by the way, if you are stupid enough to start it at 99c - it serves you right!"

But that is exactly what I mean - about being near impossible to go and personally collect one's "winnings"

[i-love-my-sheep]

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@horizon1907 wrote:

I still can't believe that ebay still says to start an Auction at 99c to grab more interest. What a load of "Bleeep" these days.

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I think it depends on the item. When I was still using the quick listing tool (the advanced tool doesn't offer price suggestions), I listed a few, more costly items and it suggested I started at 99c to attract more buyers. Of course I ignored it. When I first started selling, I thought it was the done thing to start at 1 or 99c and everything was selling with only one bid.

Another time I listed a lab created (man made) gemstone and it suggested to start it between $44.99 and $150!!!!! It got listed for $9.99 and I think it ended up selling for around $15. 

[thecatspjs]

I have won and sold things for .99c worth much more than that.

I don't understand the hysteria over the whole issue.

My goodness it was how I started on eBay, looking for a bargain, as many do.

The goods I have listed for 99c were loss leaders or things I wanted OUT of my house and was happy to get NIL for them.  Don't do it much now as eBay wrecked the auction market here by excessive pricing.

I am not ashamed or embarrassed to collect something sold for 99c, if the seller wanted more they are the ones that should be embarrassed, not moi.

I have had a couple of people offer me more for .99c items that they won, but have refused to accept extra on the basis that I took the risk to list at that price.

Its a hard lesson for newbie sellers to learn, however it is one that is very important.

[i-once-was-bump]

I used to list items for $1.00 start because i actually had no way of giving away the items.

[digital*ghost]

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@fixnwear wrote:

This sort of thing amounts to having to face the seller and more or less tell them"

"I know this is daylight robbery but I don't CARE! I won this, and according to Ebay you HAVE to hand it over. Oh, and by the way, if you are stupid enough to start it at 99c - it serves you right!"

But that is exactly what I mean - about being near impossible to go and personally collect one's "winnings"

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I agree with cats, and think this is an unfair generalisation. Some sellers are fully aware that an item can sell for 99c when they list it, and have no problem whatsoever if an item sells for that. Who cares if a buyer/ seller are happy with the final arrangement? There's no need to suggest the seller is being ripped off or the buyer is rude or greedy if they expect the item for the price they won it. I tell you, I never went to an auction house and felt guilty about paying 50c or so for items I won. 

Now, in cases where a seller was expecting much more and doesn't want to part with an item for 99c, well... I would never personally advise a neg, even if the seller was experienced (as a general rule, I don't feel it's my place to tell anyone what to leave - pos, neut or neg - so in actual fact the surrounding circumstances are irrelevant).

The world is always so much bigger than the way one person looks at it. Not everyone is the same.