Buying another member's ebay inquiry

[Jenny1]

How do members handle a situation like I have right now? I inquired about a bag that I wanted to buy on ebay. I didn't want to mention the sale because I was afraid some one would see it and bid before I could. I wanted some final information before I bid. Another member posted the sale on my thread before I bid. Then another purse forum member bought the bag right before I did.
Because of this, I don't want to ever inquire about a purse that is on ebay. It will only call attention to it. I had hoped this would be a fair and honest forum. Instead it has turned out to be too competitive for me. I'm really devastated about losing this purse. I would have bought it anyway, but just wanted confirmation right before I did. I literally lost it by a minute or two.

 

[jag]

This is a tough situation.

First, any issues with other members must be handled privately through PM and not openly in the forum.

Second, while I would hope that we would each hold back if we know another member is bidding on something (rather than compete) it is ebay and anything on there is fair game. It sucks, I agree, but unfortunately that is just the way it is. I don't blame you for not wanting to post threads, as we cannot really do anything to stop or prevent other members from bidding on the same item. I wish this hadn't happen to you- and I do really hope that you find another bag that you fall in love with!

 

[Swanky]

I'm not sure what you're asking{?}
If it's on eBay, it's fair game, yes?

 

[coco-nut]

I feel as if I'm in this situation frequently. Instead of posting an authetication query on the board, I generally PM a knowledgeable fellow member or group of members that I think are unlikely to compete with me.

Plenty of people on my subforum have declared themselves to be on shopping moratoriums, and others already own exactly what I'm considering bidding on. Those are the people I turn to when I need unbiased and non-competitive advice.

However, ebay is open to all and many of us end up bidding on exactly the same item. Yesterday I ended up bidding against at least four other members for an item. I lost. But the winner overpaid

 

[siworae]

Honestly, I understand the frustration (happened to me before too), and I know ebay can be rather competitive. Whether you mention the auction (posting in an authentication thread, for example) or not, it doesn't really matter or make it unfair because someone else on this forum may already be looking at the same bag anyway.

 

[elle]

I agree, it's fair game since it's on ebay. Once you post the auction you're looking at (or just one you describe!), you're taking the risk that someone else might bid on it.

I just read your thread and it's rather obvious that the buyer didn't know you were looking at that auction. Someone wanted to know what a market bag looked like, someone else showed them an example (that just so happens to be the auction you're looking at), then someone bought it. I don't think there's anything unfair or dishonest about that. Maybe if you had posted the auction first and told everyone you wanted it, the buyer would've been respectful and not have bought it

 

[siworae]

^ i agree with elle. i don't think the buyer knew you were interested in the very same auction. i just went back and read your thread about it. you didn't post the auction, but another member did. and the buyer saw it, and decided she wanted it. i don't think the buyer was being inconsiderate.

 

[BQueenGirl]

if you want to authentcate a bag and not worry about this, just copy the pics and post in the forum, that way you are not showing anyone the link.

 

[amamxr]

You have to look at it in another perspective. If it was meant to be it would have been yours. There must be something better out there waiting for you to call it your own.

 

[Becca4277]

You have to look at it in another perspective. If it was meant to be it would have been yours. There must be something better out there waiting for you to call it your own.

Could not have said that better myself!

 

[susan-eric]

I don't buy too many bags on ebay--largely because of the fakes issue, but also because I like my bags to be very pristine. Occasionally, I will, usually because I know the seller. Mostly I buy clothes and sell my occasional bags and clothes there, but I wanted to add something that hasn't yet been mentioned here. Sometimes when (and I know Becca didn't do this, but I have seen it done and sometimes implied) someone posts and basically says or implies "hands off, I'm going for it", it's not fair to the person selling the bag who may also be a PF member and whose auction is now the victim of a form of what's effectively bid collusion. I have a friend who collects the same thing I do--and items come up at auction. Her position is "there are no friends at an auction" and she's right. The person who is willing to pay more buys it--that's what an auction is. A buy-it-now situation is a little more complicated though.

 

[leanbeanee]

Sorry you lost your dream bag. It sounded to me, from the other thread, like the other person already intended to buy the bag before you had asked the question. Ebay is fair game. Unfortunately, if you snooze, you lose. Someone else said this bag comes up quite often on ebay, so you never know you might just see it again - possibly at a better price! Hope you do find another!

 

[photoobsessive]

I know everything is fair game, but If i really want something, I will state it and beg for authentication with out competition. (it will be happening very soon with a blk epi speedy......please)

the other night i backed off an auction i thought someone was going to bid on, thought they wanted it more. (turns out, neither of us bid). go fig. \

your bag will come along.

 

[Lvbabydoll]

I agree...I mostly try to stay away from things I see that known TPF members are bidding on because I guess I'd feel bad posting pics of my newest purchase if it was something someone else REALLY wanted.
But if I don't know they're TPFers then I'll bid on the item, no problem. I just try to stay away from pieces I KNOW I've seen other people say they want desperately.

 

[Prada Psycho]

It's not just tPF members that can take away an item from you, either by outbidding or hitting the Buy It Now before you do. Any eBay member can. eBay is a worldwide site so anything for sale is fair game. It's not fair to blame this forum if you lost an item because you either underbid or didn't purchase it outright.