Ebay bull?

[Greg Downard]

Just to let everyone know, I missed a Ebay auction for a item by a few hours because I was not able to get on the computer to bid on it because of business. No one had placed a bid on a 1/8" sight glass. I figured I would emailed the seller through Ebay and asked him if it was still for sale. I never made any offers on how much he was willing to sell it for or anything. A few hours later I received an email from Ebay telling me he had reported me to them for fraudulently emailing him to buy the item from him without going through the ebay process. This can cause me to loose my account with Ebay according to them. I responded to their complaint stating I was honest with the offer and the facts of the offer. I have a 100% rating and was not out to screw anyone and he should have had the courage to email me telling me he would relist it or he couldn'nt sell it according to ebay rules.

After responding to ebay, he emails me and offers it to me for double the price he listed it for. Who is he kidding?

Beware of Ebay. Sooner or later Ebay will get you.

I will never use Ebay again. I didn't need the sight glass bad enough to defraud anyone.

Just po'ed and wondering if anyone else has had this problem?

[Keith Smigle]

Beware of Ebay. Sooner or later Ebay will get you.

Greg~

You talk like eBay is some big evil cyber industry. Fact is you were dealing with a jerk! Case closed! But I don't mind if you don't shop eBay any more, one less person I have bidding against me!

~Keith in Delaware, oHIo

[Tom Cwach]

You could have placed a bid at any time before the end of the sale. If he had sold it through Ebays' e-mail system to you after the sale he could have gotten in trouble too.

[Junkologist]

Greg,
Don't be afraid of eBay. Like Keith said, you were trying to deal with an idiot. The only reason eBay has these rules is to keep the fees pouring in to them. They try to scare you with "It's dangerous to buy outside of ebay". If you're really gullible, maybe. I work eBay related deals outside of eBay all the time. Most sellers want to sell their item any way they can, and if they can sell it without relisting, it's that much easier and cheaper.

Mike

[Kevin Weis]

Greg, A few years ago after being high bidder on an item on ebay I didn't get the item because it didn't make the reserve. The seller emailed me next day to offer it to me at my last price posted. I acepted and didn't think it was any big deal. Don't see why it can't work both ways. Doubling the price of the starting bid does seem a bit much though. I agree all he had to do was say no. Guess he's making a statement? Just don't deal with him anymore. My two cents worth. kw

[Steve Barr]

Originally Posted by Greg Downard

After responding to ebay, he emails me and offers it to me for double the price he listed it for. Who is he kidding?

Right there is your proof to ebay about who is not following the rules.

When I ask about an item after an auction ends, I phrase the question, "Is the item still available and when will it be relisted". That way you are safe if they try to turn you in for asking if they are going to relist it... Sometimes, you can work it out with the seller to relist the item (I offer to pay the $.05 buy it now fee) ...The seller doesn't get charged for relisting if it sells and every thing is above board.

About not being able to get to a computer to bid...If you plan ahead and know that you will not be able to bid, subscribe to one of the automatic bid services and place your bid that way or bid early. I bid this way on many item and sit there and watch the auction end knowing if my connection drops, The automatic bid will hit and hopefully, I will end up with the item. I have been talking on the phone, driving down the road, or engine shows when I "bid" on an item in the last 20 seconds of a particular auction... ebay user since 1998. Good Luck

[Bill Decker]

If he didn't offer you the item through eBay, maybe you should return the favor and report him.

[Joe Cook]

I agree with Bill, Report him to e-bay! If he wants to play by the "rule" He should live by the rules! E-bay was only doing what they feel is best (and will make them the most money). E-bay is still a great source for parts and collectables, don't let some jerk ruin it for you!
Have a GREAT holiday and forget the jerk.
Joe

[Jon Rozevink]

He must have reported you to eBay. I don't think there is an automatic system for picking up on the start of an outside transaction.

[Andrew Albrecht]

I wouldn't take crap from Ebay either. A friend of mine got into a argument with a seller of fake _____ watches that he was selling as real ones. My friend use to email the bidders and let them know. Every one of them thanked him for that. The two got into an email ____ing match and yeah my friend used a few forbidden words. But guess who ebay kicked off? and guess who is still selling fake _____ watches. My friend was a power seller and had a positive feedback rating of something in the order of 2900. That didn't matter. So he just opened up a new account with ebay and started all over.

Steve Barr------

While delivering newspapers as a 9-13 year old, I developed an early appreciation for strangers, human nature, and reading books by looking only at their covers. In short, caution and suspicion---

Recently we bid on two different EBay auctions, only to be outbid by the minimum amounts in the last few seconds. These were for collector type autos, where the competition appears to be somewhat fierce.

I understand software is available, to be incorporated with the bidding process of EBay, where the user has almost a 100% chance of being the last and successful bidder an the item. Am I correct? I always wait to show my hand, for fear some jerko is willing/wanting to engage in a bid war. Hopefully, if I bid in the last few seconds, competition will not have the time to rethink his offer and go one up on me.

On my last EBay venture, I was notified that I was high bidder after raising the top bid by like 250 bucks. And there was 6 seconds to final bid time. When the smoke cleared, I was outbid by the minimum 100 bucks, with 3 seconds to go. Is someone's luck/bid timing THAT good? The winner had four positive feedbacks, appearing to be only a casual EBayer.

I would appreciate your thoughts, or anyone elses thoughts concerning my paranoia regards bidding EBay.

JMcD

[BobRR]

Hi Joe. Its called sniping! It a program? that you enter the highest amount your willing to pay and it bids for you at the last moment.It saves on bidding wars cause it stays hidden till last second.Highest bidder still wins regardless of which system you use.(E-bay or snipe) BobRR

[Don C. Wiley]

If I see an item I want I just decide I'll only pay $XX.00 and leave a Maximum bid and go to bed, if some one "snipes" or "out bids" in the last second, then I just go on and forget it. If I'm the high bidder I notify the seller by email the next day and Pay for it via PayPal or send a check.

HEY! it works for me. Don't loose any sleep over a object you probably didn't really need in the first place. Don't get caught up in that bidding addrenaline thing.

"DELCO DON" Southern Illinois