Ending Auctions Early

[Hidy Ho]

If the seller could see the max bid, they could easily get people to shill bid to just under that amount.

Good point .. I've seen this happen before. Email the seller, express in interest in the cue, request "buy it now" price for on or offline transaction, maybe put a starting bid on the cue and then ...

Out of nowhere, some uer_id with minimal feedback from WAY BACK, keeps bumping up the bid ... and bidding on the this particular cue or cues by the this particular seller

 

[runscott]

An Ebay auction is a two way street which requires both potential buyers and sellers to act in a transparent manner in order to work properly.

What frequently happens is that potential buyers wait until the end to place bids in the hopes of sniping a cue at a steal of a price. If they had simply made their intentions apparent and placed bids as the system expects, the auctions most likely would have run to completion.

It seems that the attitude here is the expectation that a seller should assume risk but that potential buyers should not. I do not agree with this simplistic attitude. So a seller is under an obligation to just give his away his cue when it doesn't bring a fair price or when potential buyers play games in an effort to gain at the seller's expense? I don't think so. A seller has the right to protect his investment.

One should not expect something for next to nothing. If a potential buyer wants a cue they should be ready to pay a fair price. If not, they have no cause for complaint.

Pot calling the kettle black. It sounds like what you would like is to sell a cue for a certain price, but you put in on ebay just in case you might get more. That's not an auction, that's a 'test'. Yes, buyers want a good deal. But if you run your auctions to completion you can expect on average to get about the same price you would get by selling using other methods, but you'll get the 'ebay benefit' of quick contact with a huge market and a quicker sell than if you left your items on a web-site for ages. It doesn't sound like you are interested in the auction system. That's fine, but as I posted earlier, sellers who cancel my bids and end their auctions early can sell to someone else - there is no shortage of nice cues out there.

 

[cuedoctor]

Good point .. I've seen this happen before. Email the seller, express in interest in the cue, request "buy it now" price for on or offline transaction, maybe put a starting bid on the cue and then ...

Out of nowhere, some uer_id with minimal feedback from WAY BACK, keeps bumping up the bid ... and bidding on the this particular cue or cues by the this particular seller

WHAT WOULD HELP MORE IS EBAY GOING BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS ORIGINALY AND CHARGING 1.00 FOR THE RESERVE FEE.NOW THEY CHARGE WAY TOO MUCH TO LIST A CUE.I DONT MIND PAYING FINAL AUCTION FEES AND EVEN PAYPAL FEE'S IF MY ITEM SELLS.THATS WHY IT SUCKS THERE NOW AND THEY JUST RAISED THERE FEES AGAIN! THEY WANT TO MAKE A KILLING EVEN IF THE ITEM DOESNT SELL NOW.

 

[UGOTDA7]

Pot calling the kettle black. It sounds like what you would like is to sell a cue for a certain price, but you put in on ebay just in case you might get more. That's not an auction, that's a 'test'. Yes, buyers want a good deal. But if you run your auctions to completion you can expect on average to get about the same price you would get by selling using other methods, but you'll get the 'ebay benefit' of quick contact with a huge market and a quicker sell than if you left your items on a web-site for ages. It doesn't sound like you are interested in the auction system. That's fine, but as I posted earlier, sellers who cancel my bids and end their auctions early can sell to someone else - there is no shortage of nice cues out there.

This all comes down to the basic conflict between buyer and seller. I'm sorry this simple concept is lost on you.

 

[ribdoner]

An Ebay auction is a two way street which requires both potential buyers and sellers to act in a transparent manner in order to work properly.

What frequently happens is that potential buyers wait until the end to place bids in the hopes of sniping a cue at a steal of a price. If they had simply made their intentions apparent and placed bids as the system expects, the auctions most likely would have run to completion.

It seems that the attitude here is the expectation that a seller should assume risk but that potential buyers should not. I do not agree with this simplistic attitude. So a seller is under an obligation to just give his away his cue when it doesn't bring a fair price or when potential buyers play games in an effort to gain at the seller's expense? I don't think so. A seller has the right to protect his investment.

One should not expect something for next to nothing. If a potential buyer wants a cue they should be ready to pay a fair price. If not, they have no cause for complaint.

Thank you for the candor in delineating your sales methods. Wouldn't you accomplish the same result by having a reserve auction? If there is a divergence in what the seller thinks a fair price is and what the current market is doesn't the reserve protect the seller's interest?

 

[PetreeCues]

Yup. I am a frequent seller and buyer, and agree completely. Those who know me and have bought from me are aware that many of my auctions are $1 no reserve auctions. Most times the item brings what it should that way and, if not, then it ain't worth having apparently.

Cues are usually the exception because obviously you cannot just take whatever comes on some of them. In that case, I say start it at what you are willing to take, and make it no reserve. Period. If you are willing to end the auction for some certain price, then list the item with a buy it now price so everyone can have the shot at getting it instead of just the first person that solicites you about it.

If you are going to sell out for a lesser price than the auction (which is usually what happens on ended auctions) then at least wait until the auction ends for cryin out loud. Otherwise, why the heck isn't it listed at that lower price to begin with?

 

[cueman]

One thing that might help would be if the seller could see the "max" bid the top bidder has imput into the auction.

As a couple of people have said, only the "leading" bid price at the time shows to the public AND to the seller.

This would be very unfair to the buyer as the seller could then get a friend to bump the bid up to just below the bidders high bid.

 

[classiccues]

Good point .. I've seen this happen before. Email the seller, express in interest in the cue, request "buy it now" price for on or offline transaction, maybe put a starting bid on the cue and then ...

Out of nowhere, some uer_id with minimal feedback from WAY BACK, keeps bumping up the bid ... and bidding on the this particular cue or cues by the this particular seller

Look, if you want to know what the current high bid is, bid high, get to be the high bidder. Then you will know what it is. Then cancel your bid, this goes on just as much as shilling. In fact someone here used to do it all the time.
Anyways here is the problem, buyers want to get it as cheap as possible. Sellers want to make buyers pay as much as possible. Everytime a seller gets caught, he blames it on Ebay and the system. Sellers more than buyers seem to forget what an auction is, and how they have been historically. But then cheating the system, like shilling, or posting a cue pic with 6 other cues (for exposure) and getting people to contact you on the other cues has been going on forever. Hell, someone you would never expect was caught with a shill and to this day, I pound him with that fact, cause he is such a tool. Anyways, ebay just keeps gouging and gouging, as much as I resent the sellers reasoning for cheating, I cannot blame them.

So the moral of the story is use cueauctions.com...

Joe

 

[runscott]

This all comes down to the basic conflict between buyer and seller. I'm sorry this simple concept is lost on you.

Sorry, didn't mean to touch a nerve.

 

[runscott]

This all comes down to the basic conflict between buyer and seller. I'm sorry this simple concept is lost on you.

Sounds like I touched a nerve. Also sounds like you're not too concerned with the opinions of your customers.

 

[UGOTDA7]

Sounds like I touched a nerve. Also sounds like you're not too concerned with the opinions of your customers.

Touched a nerve? I don't think so. If anything, I'm sad that basic common sense is lost on you.

I have been doing this for years with hundreds of transactions totaling approximately $100,000 and have yet to receive a complaint from an actual customer.

Thanks for your opinion though, even if you aren't a customer of mine. I'll be sure to give it the full consideration it deserves.

 

[UGOTDA7]

Thank you for the candor in delineating your sales methods. Wouldn't you accomplish the same result by having a reserve auction? If there is a divergence in what the seller thinks a fair price is and what the current market is doesn't the reserve protect the seller's interest?

My sales method is simple - I expect an involved transaction from both the buyer and seller that is mutually beneficial to both.

When one side expects from the other more than they themselves are willing to give and become unreasonable in expecting something for nothing, the transaction will most likely not be completed.

There are many opinions as to what is the best way to list something on Ebay - what works better, what is the most economical, what leaves the most flexibility, etc. We all approach this from different points of view so will never agree on how things "should" be done.

 

[runscott]

I have been doing this for years with hundreds of transactions totaling approximately $100,000 and have yet to receive a complaint from an actual customer.

Congratulations

 

[uptight]

to ugot da 7 /isnt that cheating e-bay out of the money owed and using the site as a unit to place a ad and then scamming them out of money owed.and as many times as youve done it that ads up to alot of coin.and we all have to pay for that in the long run!kinda of like if i steal these shoes from wall mart they are big and it wont hurt them. but it does and WE all pay , except for the ones commiting the CRIME!lets call it like it is!

 

[UGOTDA7]

Congratulations

Thanks.

That means a lot coming from you.

 

[UGOTDA7]

to ugot da 7 /isnt that cheating e-bay out of the money owed and using the site as a unit to place a ad and then scamming them out of money owed.and as many times as youve done it that ads up to alot of coin.and we all have to pay for that in the long run!kinda of like if i steal these shoes from wall mart they are big and it wont hurt them. but it does and WE all pay , except for the ones commiting the CRIME!lets call it like it is!

Do you think it is free to list an item on Ebay? Just to place an item on Ebay can possibly cost $30-$40 depending on how it is listed. Ebay is going to get their money one way or another, they have proven this fact over the years. In fact, there was almost a revolt against them last year when they raised their prices yet again.

I don't quite agree with your stealing shoes example. Ebay is not producing an inventory of auctions that they in turn must sell. Nobody, to include Ebay, has a stake in a transaction until something is listed by an outside source.

 

[shinobi]

to ugot da 7 /isnt that cheating e-bay out of the money owed and using the site as a unit to place a ad and then scamming them out of money owed.and as many times as youve done it that ads up to alot of coin.and we all have to pay for that in the long run!kinda of like if i steal these shoes from wall mart they are big and it wont hurt them. but it does and WE all pay , except for the ones commiting the CRIME!lets call it like it is!

Holy smokes, you *are* uptight, lol...

 

[runscott]

to ugot da 7 /isnt that cheating e-bay out of the money owed and using the site as a unit to place a ad and then scamming them out of money owed.and as many times as youve done it that ads up to alot of coin.and we all have to pay for that in the long run!kinda of like if i steal these shoes from wall mart they are big and it wont hurt them. but it does and WE all pay , except for the ones commiting the CRIME!lets call it like it is!

Tip of the day:

 

[krbsailing]

What's the BIG DEAL

Auctions are suppose to be a friendly transaction....don't you think

Personally, I've been on both sides of the fence here -- I've bid on auctions and got shot down by someone ending the auction early for whatever reason; conversely, I've ended auctions early to cater to a good friend/customer or, a better offer???

What's the BIG problem? Ebay charges a ton anymore....so, I feel you need to do whatever makes sense to you....no offense folks but, it is an imperfect world out here (don't you think!?!?)

Heck, it costs money to list an auction, change an auction, close an auction early, sell for less than an item is worth, buy stuff or whatever....and, why not try to have some fun during the process too

Let's all take a short break and have an "Ice Cold" beverage and relax!

"Always....and I do mean always.... try to keep your sense of humor"

 

[ribdoner]

My sales method is simple - I expect an involved transaction from both the buyer and seller that is mutually beneficial to both.

When one side expects from the other more than they themselves are willing to give and become unreasonable in expecting something for nothing, the transaction will most likely not be completed.

There are many opinions as to what is the best way to list something on Ebay - what works better, what is the most economical, what leaves the most flexibility, etc. We all approach this from different points of view so will never agree on how things "should" be done.

In my post I asked if a reserve auction protected a sellers interest. We havn't disagreed on anything. I'll ask the question again.... would a reserve auction address your concerns;1-yes, 2-no, 3-not sure.