Same Item at Auction House and Ebay
 

I was looking at the offerings from one of the big auction houses, and in an effort to see what one of their items should sell for, looked it up on ebay. Not only did I find a similar item, I found the SAME ITEM with the same SGC serial number. The ebay seller is "Top Rated Plus" and has 100% feedback. While the AH is one of the big ones with a nationally advertised auction. So what's going on? Is this just some sort of screw up by the ebay seller, or is this a common practice in case the AH doesn't sell the item for enough money? I really wondered, what happens if I win the auction?

um, details would be nice.

Could the ebay seller have consigned the item to the AH, ended the ebay listing when he sent the item off to the AH, then failed to delete the item from his unsold item list and then mistakenly relist the card? I would contact the ebay seller and see if this is the case.

I would, but I'm bidding on the item and I don't want to out an active listing. Plus, I hesitate to drag someone thru the mud when it could be an honest mistake. I just wanted to know if this was a common practice.

I was thinking it might be this type of situation. I would have to try to contact the seller.

Did you call the auction house?

There are some auction houses doing auctions through ebay. Perhaps it is the same auction?

Jeff

No, couldn't be. Ebay is a "buy it now", while the other is an auction.

I contacted them on their live chat. The following took place:

Question: You have an item in your auction, an xxx baseball card, that is also listed as a "buy it now" on ebay. Are you aware of this? It is for sale by xxx on ebay.

Agent Joel has entered at 1:07 PM
1:07 PM Joel

Hello David
Auction houses do sell on other platforms for the same lots.

We advise auction houses to be very attentive once the sale goes live to sell the lot to the correct platform.

1:11 PM David Maupin

I'm not sure I understand. This item is "for sale". Not an auction on ebay. I can go buy it now and then it will not be available at auction.

1:12 PM Joel

If they sell the lot they will then have to remove it from their catalog on our platform.

Auction houses have 2 hours prior to the sale to remove or add lots to their sale.

Now if they do not remove the lot and sell to LiveAuctioneer bidder and someone does buy it on another platform that will cause problems and we would have to intervene in the case.

1:17 PM David Maupin

Well, it's still on ebay and your auction goes live in 45 minutes. I bet if I'm high bidder for less than they want on ebay, they won't sell it.

1:19 PM Joel

We have no control over that. We only will intervene if they sell it to LiveAuctioneers buyer and do not fulfill the transaction.

1:20 PM David Maupin

That's what I'm saying. If I buy it in your auction for less than it is advertised on ebay, they may suddenly pull the lot and say it is "unavailable".

1:21 PM Joel

As stated they can make any changes 2 hours prior to the sale.

If the sale is live they cannot make any changes.

1:22 PM David Maupin

OK. I guess we'll see what happens.

disregard, we were typing at same time

Wow, as soon as the item closes, please name this AH.

Here's the item I was referring to. It sold at Saco River Auction today for $1400 + buyer's premium. It's still listed on ebay as "buy it now" for $2499.99. I guess I was talking to a LiveAuctioneer rep, not a Saco River rep in the above message since I was signed into their site. Somehow you can bid through that site, rather than Saco River which is what I did. Anyway, I would guess that the ebay seller just forgot to remove this card from his sale list.

Did you win it?

No. Although it went cheap.

hmmmmm
 

about 1700. for a lower end ex is cheap? I gave up my set a while back but that seems like a not that cheap price - forget about the 2500. bin. I will admit to not currently having access to any price guides and retaining a poor memory.

edited to add that I'm not trying to be snarky although it may read that way. Curious is all.

Give or take a few hundred the price sounds about right to me too.

But if 2 crazy collectors fought for it in an auction I could see close to the BIN.....

I guess I don't understand the strategy . Hope for a high BINon eBay while on another auction may seem ambiguous to many potential buyers .

I bid some pretty outrageous prices on several lots of ungraded 1950 bowman baseball. I bid high enough I thought I would win several. Win the smoke cleared, I wasn't even close. I felt Saco got top money on the bowmans. Prices are crazy right now.

Mark

The Robinson was nuts

I've done this exact thing before. Didn't realize until I got an offer.