agreeing a sale on ebay before the auction ends

[PaulWarning]

I'm selling some speakers on ebay and a guy contacted me using the ebay email service and we agreed a price, he's coming round to pick up the item. Should I do a quick buy it now price and let him win the auction and pay the fees or just end the auction early? or any other suggestions

[Muzz]

I had exactly this last week, just ended the auction early, he paid cash on collection, we both saved some money. Job done.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1352986265' post='1870149']
I had exactly this last week, just ended the auction early, he paid cash on collection, we both saved some money. Job done.
[/quote]
ebay don't check up then? we've used their email service so it wouldn't be hard

[Mr. Foxen]

Well, best is just to exchange emails and do it off ebay. Chances of them noticing and doing much is slim.

[Muzz]

Oh yeah, forgot to add this - we made the final arrangements via off-EBay email.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1352990711' post='1870239']
Well, best is just to exchange emails and do it off ebay. Chances of them noticing and doing much is slim.
[/quote]
[quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1352990949' post='1870243']
Oh yeah, forgot to add this - we made the final arrangements via off-EBay email.
[/quote]
[font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]that's what I should have done, I think I'll do a buy it know and put it down to experience[/color][/font]

[danhkr]

I'm fairly certain ebay doesn't actually have access to messages sent between members. I'm not sure it's ethically correct for them to be able to snoop on their users PM's, so I doubt they would find out from them unless one party 'grassed' and forwarded the message to ebay themselves.

Between them, ebay and paypal take nearly 15% these days, so rightly or wrongly it doesn't surprise me one bit that people cancel sales or end items early to sell them unofficially.

Edited November 16, 2012 by danhkr

[gjones]

Ebay charges have got so exorbitant these days it will end up with all deals carried out this way.

[spinynorman]

I'm sure there used to be a way you could end an auction and then set up a BIN just for one user, but can't find it now and eBay support are no help. You can end an auction and sell to the highest bidder, but that doesn't help much. So having tried to "do it right" I feel no guilt about going off eBay, and I agree with danhkr, so long as neither party complains, eBay just sees an early ending auction. If you did it a lot they might start to wonder, as it's supposed to be an exception.

I only do it if the other party has good feedback, otherwise you're asking for trouble.

[PaulWarning]

the guy came round this morning with his money but didn't have his password for ebay, so I finished up just ending the aution by selling instantly to the highest bidder which was him for £22, so I did try, I'll report back if I hear anything from ebay. Got to agree with giones, ebay charges are ridiculous when you factor in paypal as well but they've got a monopoly in effect because you reach so many more potential customers with them, so you get a higher price.
I did sell my Stingray on here though when I worked out how much it would cost on ebay, I got less money but gained when charges were factored in and a fellow bass player a cheaper Stingray, and I did ebay out of some money win, win, win.

[Ashborygirl]

If you raise a mutual cancellation for the auction you'll get your final value fee back & both of you can still leave feedback.

[Westie9]

eBay is no where near as good as it used to be. It now seems to be full of overseas business sellers! I think greed got to them....

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='danhkr' timestamp='1353073250' post='1871281']
I'm fairly certain ebay doesn't actually have access to messages sent between members.
[/quote]

I'm absolutely certain they do have access to them, because whenever I phone them up with a problem, directing them to read through the messages saves me having to explain the situation.

[spinynorman]

Based on the responses I've had from eBay support through email, I've never thought it would be worth phoning them.

[Ashborygirl]

eBay most definately do have access to all messages sent through their message system & will use them, so any off eBay malarky needs to be done via personal emails. If you ever need eBay support don't bother with eMail or live support, you need to speak to Dublin. Ring up, if you get the call centre place in Malasia (or wherever) just retry until you get Dublin. The folk in Dublin are actually very helpful.

It's well worth reading the eBay forums for buyers & sellers, loads of tips & advice there.

[Mr. Foxen]

Never been through to Malaysia when I've called. I've been sent £45 of ebay vouchers total since I started calling them.

[sixdegrees]

I've done it a few times where I've agreed to both buy and sell outside of ebay. But only when no bids have been placed. The last 3 things I've bidded on have been removed, and obviously sold privately, AFTER bids have been placed.
I find this totally unethical.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='sixdegrees' timestamp='1353622472' post='1876797']
I've done it a few times where I've agreed to both buy and sell outside of ebay. But only when no bids have been placed. The last 3 things I've bidded on have been removed, and obviously sold privately, AFTER bids have been placed.
I find this totally unethical.
[/quote]
I totally agree with what you say about items that have been removed after bids have been made on them. It's happened to me as a bidder and it's one of the most annoying things on auction sites.

As a seller i like to treat buyers the way i would like to be treated. I don't end listings early whatever a potential 'buyer' may offer.

Edited November 22, 2012 by BetaFunk

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='sixdegrees' timestamp='1353622472' post='1876797']
I've done it a few times where I've agreed to both buy and sell outside of ebay. But only when no bids have been placed. The last 3 things I've bidded on have been removed, and obviously sold privately, AFTER bids have been placed.
I find this totally unethical.
[/quote]
Just happened to me, I bid on some speaker stands, nobody else bidding looking forward to a bargain when they suddenly get withdrawn from sale and bid was cancelled, grrrr

[BetaFunk]

I've sold a lot of things on auction sites but have never ended a listing early even when i have had the opportunity to do so. I understand how annoying it is watching an item with no bids with a view to bid towards the end of the listing, only to see it ended early. Very frustrating.

Edited November 23, 2012 by BetaFunk

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1353686752' post='1877494']
I've sold a lot of things on auction sites but have never ended a listing early even when i have had the opportunity to do so. I understand how annoying it is watching an item with no bids with a view to bid towards the end of the listing, only to see it ended early. Very frustrating.
[/quote]
that's happened to me as well, that's why I put a bid in for the speaker stands, but as I've found out it doesn't make any difference.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1353688585' post='1877530']
that's happened to me as well, that's why I put a bid in for the speaker stands, but as I've found out it doesn't make any difference.
[/quote]
That's true and why i never end an auction early whether bids are made or not. Some people think it's fine to end an auction if no one is bidding on it.
I disagree with this and the only way an auction of mine would end early is if i put a 'buy it now' option on it.
As i said before, i try to treat people the way i would like to be treated myself.

Edited November 23, 2012 by BetaFunk

[spinynorman]

I really don't feel under any obligation to people who haven't bid yet, whether they're watching or not. I quite often watch things just to see whether it sells and how much for.

[the boy]

If I'm selling something on eBay it's because I need the money. If somebody offers me the price I want before the auction ends then I will end early(bids or not). It's my stuff I can do what I like and I'm not gonna sell myself short so somebody I don't know gets a bargain.
Am I a bad person for this? No.
Am I greedy? No
Does the mortgage need to be paid? Yes
Etc etc..........you get the picture.

[BetaFunk]

I sold a picture on ebay once.