buyer requests 'buy it now' on an auction item

[madebyjude]

Hi, I have had a request from a buyer to accept a 'buy it now' offer on an item I have put up for auction, when there is already a bid on it.  I was replying by saying I could not do that when there is a bid on it as it would not be fair to that bidder and may put my reputation in question.  Am I correct to think this way?  Its only fair in my books but just want to be sure I am saying the right thing.  Any help would be appreciated.  Cheers

[thesoulyearns]

eBay allows you to end your listing if it is more than 12 hours away from the finish. If you've never ended a listing early before, you're waived of a fee. However, if it's not your first time ending a listing early, you will pay the Final Value Fee at whatever price the bidder has bid at. If it's the Casio calculator, you're looking at about $10 in fees to end the auction right now.

If you decide to end it early, you are more than entitled to re-list it on eBay as a Buy It Now so that the person who messaged you can buy it.

[madebyjude]

Cheer, thanks, I wasn't aware I could do that.  Thanks for setting me straight 🙂

[kopenhagen5]

If there are not many days left in the auction, I would perhaps message saying you would prefer to let the auction run it's course to be fair to the other bidder. And they are welcome to bid as they may win anyway.

Besides it is actually against ebay policy to offer on an active listing that doesn't have the make an offer option. (More to do with ethics than rulings).

But you have the choice to accept or not.

More often a buying will make an offer because they think the auction will go higher than their offer so it benefits the buyer not the seller.

[*new2vintage]

It's fairer to arrange that for a current bidder than a potential buyer who wants to be a cue jumper. The best way to maintain your reputation and do the right thing is to leave your auction how it is.

[peternt2001]

Have you considered, that if you cancel the auction. The person offering a buy it now deal, may turn around and change their mind, and then you may be left with the watch , a pissed off person who bid on the watch that will see it relisted again. And potential harm to your reputation,

I say let the auction run, if the person who wants it now, really wants it they will bid on it.

[nonny_muss]

Yes, I've had this lots of times, and it always makes me feel bad to knock them back.  But it is fairer to the bidder and if the potential buyer really wants it they will bid.  

A couple times I've had buyers ask for a Buy-it-now option because they 'need' the item quickly 

but in this case tell them that the auction will stay as is but if they are the winning bidder I'll  post it same day as cleared payment /send it express.  And if they're really nice I'll waive the express fee. 

Put politely it's been always been taken well . . .besides, when you say this the person who wants it now, they know that not only are you showing fairness to the person who has already bid but you are willing to go the extra mile for them too.  

It can be very good for your reputation all around! 

[thesoulyearns]

I disagree that it "damages your reputation as a seller." I have seen numerous sellers, very successful ones, list very rare items and end their auction early because they received an offer that was too good to miss. They're allowed to do that, aslong as they sell to the offer-maker on eBay.

It would most likely encourage more people to not wait around until the end of the auction and make an offer themselves in the future. Most buyers would probably understand this, especially since most sellers put the questions from buyers in the description, so that people viewing the page know that there is alot of interest to end it early.

[davewil1964]

It defeats the purpose of an auction, even an eBay tender one, to accept offers.

The common reasons have nothing to do with the offerer wanting it quickly, given there is very little that is unique, and everything to do with trying to get it for less than value, or being a rival who can take your item out of circulation for a week or so or a scammer.