Can you do this with an auction?

ruemode

ruemode

Ridin' and Stylin'
Dec 10, 2006
607
0
#1
Okay, so I took a different tact with one of my current auctions. I have a Fendi I've been hanging on to for MONTHS, and I'd never carry it myself, so I got gutsy: I tried starting real low to generate interest, following suit with a lot of others on eBay, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Authentic-FENDI...4QQihZ009QQcategoryZ63852QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

However, I noticed an auction (and forgive me - this auction ended over 30 days ago, so I can't pull it up in the completed listings anymore) in the "completed listings" that started at $49.00, but the seller stated, "I reserve the right to cancel this auction if bidder doesn't reach what I need it to." I was like, HUH?!?!?! It was a no reserve auction - isn't that what reserve prices are for?? Ultimately, her auction made it to $1,425, and so far I've got 4 bids on my bag and over 1 day left, but is this even a legit tactic in selling? It seems downright unfair to me....The fact of the matter is, I may take a HUGE loss on this bag, but that's a risk you take with auctions that start low, right??

Has anyone else seen this?
 
#3
Ebay's help section states you can only end an auction early if:
Reasons for ending listings early include:
  • <LI style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px">The item is no longer available for sale. <LI style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px">There was an error in the starting price or reserve amount. <LI style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px">There was an error in the listing.
  • The item was lost or broken.
Then, they state:
Timing Matters
When there are 12 hours or less remaining and the item has a winning bid, including a reserve met bid, sellers cannot make any changes to the listing, including:
  • <LI style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px">Ending the item early. Sellers may cancel bids, but not end the item unless the item is being sold to the high bidder.
  • Adding to or changing the item description.
It doesn't seem to make sense that she claimed to have the right to cancel if she "didn't get what she needed," does it?
 
#5
I guess no one was harmed in this respect, because she ultimately sold it for a good price to the highest bidder, but SHEESH! It's just kind of nervy!
 
#6
While you are able to end a listing early, sellers are not to supposed to do that due to their item not reaching the price they want.

Note: Sellers are not permitted to cancel bids and end listings early in order to avoid selling an item that did not meet the desired sale price. This is considered to be reserve fee circumvention. Although there are legitimate reasons for ending a listing early, abuse of this option will be investigated.
Click to expand...
 
#7
If you see that written in a listing you can report it as technically it's against ebay rules and basically circumventing ebay fees.
Why would anyone put that in the listing anyway? It would turn me off right away.
 
#8
Westiegirl said:
If you see that written in a listing you can report it as technically it's against ebay rules and basically circumventing ebay fees.
Why would anyone put that in the listing anyway? It would turn me off right away.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it would me, too! No one wants to bid thinking, "any minute now, she's going to cancel the whole auction!"
 
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