eBay Seller "tinabuys"

[Popinjaysnamesir]

A Sooner State League ball was listed on eBay. My bid was cancelled. I asked why and Tina replies that they were offered $120 for the ball. I'll never understand why sellers are willing to avoid the bidding process. If that buyer is willing to offer $120, why wouldn't they be willing to bid that?

If eBay wasn't the only way to add some of these balls to my collection, I would have given up on it by now.

[GMEN92]

Because alot of people will make a direct deal outside of eBay and avoid the fees..

[bryzzo2016]

I agree with you ! Unfortunately Fleabay is necessary for us collectors. If it isn't the way some sellers welch on set deals, it's eBay's oppressive policies that change with the weather. And don't even get me started on PayPal.

I feel your pain my friend !

[Jags Fan Dan]

Yep. It is a land of squirrels. A while back there was a piece I wanted, offered the seller a good bit of money for it, he sent a paypal invoice which I immediately paid. A week went by, I hadn't heard anything. Checked my paypal, it had been refunded. Contacted the seller, no response. Guessing I got "outbid", but he never told me a thing.

[Jim65]

A Sooner State League ball was listed on eBay. My bid was cancelled. I asked why and Tina replies that they were offered $120 for the ball. I'll never understand why sellers are willing to avoid the bidding process. If that buyer is willing to offer $120, why wouldn't they be willing to bid that?

If eBay wasn't the only way to add some of these balls to my collection, I would have given up on it by now.

Send them a message saying you would have went higher than $120, then report them to EBay.

[memorabiliaunlimited]

Send them a message saying you would have went higher than $120, then report them to EBay.

report them to ebay? that seems completely unnecessary and childish simply because someone didnt get what they wanted. why hurt someones account because you didnt get what you want? it is a free market, and the seller did what they wanted to do, possibly even shorting themselves in the end. you are allowed to end an auction early on ebay, and you pay an ebay fee when you do so if there are bids placed. take the offers that are made before you lose them - many times i am offered to end items early that are being auctioned off and i dont, and then that person never even bids on the item. i see absolutely nothing wrong here.

[truvalue123]

If an eBay seller negotiates an off eBay sale through eBay, the seller can be punished by eBay up to and including loss of listing priveleges...for good reason they frown on this...

[memorabiliaunlimited]

If an eBay seller negotiates an off eBay sale through eBay, the seller can be punished by eBay up to and including loss of listing priveleges...for good reason they frown on this...

yes, but no one said this transaction was done off of ebay. seller simply said they were offered $120 for the ball - maybe it was through ebay.

and lets be honest - the only reason ebay frowns on it because they want their 9% fee lol.

[Popinjaysnamesir]

So, it's a free market when the seller does what they want, but not when the buyer brings the situation to the attention of eBay? It's not hurting their account if no rules have been violated. You are correct. eBay won't care.

It's doubtful I'll buy anything from you, but if I leave you negative feedback every time will that be another example of free market behavior? No. There are rules. When we bid, we have an expectation of good faith.

If there had been a "buy it now" for $120, I would have.

[truvalue123]

If the seller accepted a "best offer" on eBay for an auction listed item, that is their prerogative...sometimes it is better to have a bird in hand rather than two in the bush..
i had a customer once who didn't use pay pal..after a couple of notes I agreed to accept a postal Money order from him...but, before I could change the item from must pay at purchase to an invoice someone else came in and bought the item..boy, was the first guy ticked off at me..but, the other guy bought it fair and square..I could't pull it from him because he played by the rules..I was going to accommodate the first buyer, but, it just did not happen...
Selling on eBay is not a right is a privilege, and you best play by their rules..the expect their cut, and, why not? why wouldn't they expect their agreed upon fee for services performed? Ebay is a whole lot better than it was 5-10 years ago..responsibility for shipping was shared between buyer and seller, buyer had to buy insurance..now, it is solely the responsibility of the seller to make sure the buyer receives it..if the seller doesn't have insurance and the shipper loses the item, the seller is responsible..not the finger pointing it once was..

[memorabiliaunlimited]

So, it's a free market when the seller does what they want, but not when the buyer brings the situation to the attention of eBay? It's not hurting their account if no rules have been violated. You are correct. eBay won't care.

It's doubtful I'll buy anything from you, but if I leave you negative feedback every time will that be another example of free market behavior? No. There are rules. When we bid, we have an expectation of good faith.

If there had been a "buy it now" for $120, I would have.

yes, in both respects either individual is exercising their right in a free market, but there is a fundamental difference between a seller that owns an item doing what they want with it, and someone complaining after the fact because they didnt get what they want. no one stopped you from making an offer to purchase the item you wanted - if i want an item bad enough, i try and get it before the auction ends because i dont like to leave things to chance. get what you can while you can before its gone. further, when you auction an item on ebay and there are bids on it, if you end it early, you are charged the final value fee on the price it ends for, regardless of whether a transaction is consummated or not. buyer took what they thought was the best price and should not be knocked for it.

put yourself in the sellers position - if you are auctioning off an item, and someone offers you well above what you think the item is going to end for, you arent going to end the auction early and take it? i have to imagine that the overwhelming majority of people take the $ and run.