Thread: Interesting Attempted Deal

So a while back, I noticed at the bottom of an auction, in the box that displays questions that have been asked, that someone had contacted the seller and offered to buy the razor for an insultingly low price.

I have taken this idea, but I try to be as honest as possible and always offer something reasonable, essentially the price I would bid for the item anyway. I just hate to wait 7 days then see the item sniped away.

Today I stumbled across a very beautiful razor, it looked NOS and the description said "blade in almost flawless condition." So I contact the seller with my offer and he responds within a few minutes agreeing to my terms. (just a side note, this is only the second time a seller has agreed, usually people just want to see what will happen at auction)

So I go to the item page to purchase and I notice the same(?) razor is being shown but it now has pitting and oxidation all over and the gold wash is much more feint than originally shown, it looked pretty bad and would need a decent amount of work. The description had also been changed to say "blade is in used condition."

I re-contacted the seller and declined due to these reasons but I'm still wondering what happened. Was the first picture photo-shopped or does this guy have two of the same razor in different conditions and tried to pull a fast one on me?

Without pictures to illustrate what happened there's not much we can say about it.

Personally I don't like it when ebayers try to end auctions early. I don't think it's actually allowed by Ebay and sellers might report you. As a sniper it's frustrating to see that the item you've been patiently waiting for to end has already been sold. I'm not a seller but I can imagine they don't like to get hundreds of emails with offers, especially since most offers will be lower than what auctions will end for.

I'm not posting pictures, I don't want to bring any attention to a live auction and the description of what happened is all one really needs to give input if they would want.

Also, to the best of my knowledge, ebay only prohibits deals outside of the site. If I simply ask a seller to institute a buy it now option, I don't see any harm. I also don't see how a sniper could disagree with another buying tactic, you technically aren't "patiently waiting" for the auction to end.

Technically, you are only supposed to end an auction early for just a few specific reasons and selling early isn't one of them. They involve things like item found defective, or "not available anymore" meaning sold in another venue. I think there are one or two other circumstances.

I don't know if it is technically allowable according to eBay rules or not. Regardless, if the thing is put up in the AUCTION part of eBay, not as a Buy It Now item, then it just seems wrong on both the part of the buyer an seller to skirt that and cut it short. Allowable or not, it doesn't feel "fair" to me.

It sounds about as fair as snipers... if you were offered a different item while trying to get a better deal the seller probably had to offer something different due to eBay's TOS.

Originally Posted by bharner

It sounds about as fair as snipers... if you were offered a different item while trying to get a better deal the seller probably had to offer something different due to eBay's TOS.

I agree with the unfairness of sniping, though I am forced to use it to have a chance. Some guy is patiently waiting for an auction to wind down to seconds, believing he has a shot based on current bids, and WHAM! Out of nowhere comes a whole new level of bidding. And basically, if you see something you "just have to own", you put an unreasonably large amount of money into a snipe, and you will end up buying it.
I have attempted to have sellers change their ads to read 'buy it now' for years, offering fair to generous amounts for the item. Never to rip them off. Success use to be 40%. Now, it is nearer 10%, due to greed, and to the great amount of consignment sellers.
The ebay rules allow changing an ads heading prior to the first bid. Is that fair? Is it really an auction when most of the bids lay hidden in a sniper program, and are not seen to be challenged by another interested bidder?
I am pretty much done with the 'bay, for buying, but will use it to rid myself of many unnecessary razors I own. They are getting greedy too. And they now read the emails between buyer and seller. Me, and Orwell, will be parting company with them this year.
Ed
quicknicker

Originally Posted by quicknicker

Is that fair? Is it really an auction when most of the bids lay hidden in a sniper program, and are not seen to be challenged by another interested bidder?

I hadn't originally thought of it this way but you're right. It is "technically" an auction but really it comes down to more of a best offer type deal at the end.

Secondly, this thread hasn't really even addressed the original post yet haha. I think I like this topic better, though. I didn't realize making offers was so taboo is some people's mind.

I don't agree. Sniping gives each person the opportunity to enter a bid as to what they feel the item is worth and all get to compete equally. Keep in mind that you can enter your highest bid at any point and eBay will automatically bid up to your maximum at any time the high bid is challenged. It is irrelevant whether that bid comes in in two days, or two seconds, before the end. Contrast this with asking a seller to terminate the offer early, which takes away everyone else's opportunity to bid.

I understand your point as well and to be honest, I think everyone is right, it just comes down to what you personally feel is fair. I don't have much respect for ebay anymore, it's more of an infinite antique store to me than an auction service. I would say #1, everyone has the opportunity to make an offer, although I understand this isn't something everyone would feel right doing. #2, the fact that people leave a sniping program to do their work at the last second can be detrimental as it makes some sellers wary. If not many bids have been placed and it is approaching the end of the auction and there is a reasonable offer... why not take it? In my mind it's business sense.