OT, Ebay fee for ending early

[drc]

It sounds like a not unreasonable idea to me. Get complains from bidders and no doubt eBay about people ending early. The only issue is would be when the seller makes an honest boo boo, or there is other seller as honest snafu, and ends it without selling it off ebay-- which may happen a fair amount. I've accidentally double re-listed a lot and had to remove one-- though no one had ever yet placed a bid.

[D. Bergin]

Yeah, I don't mind this at all in practice.

Problem, as DRC stated, every once in awhile auction software will erroneously double list an item, and I might even do it myself every once in awhile if I get distracted during my listing process and forget I hit the list button already.

If they kept it to items that already received bids, I think that would be the perfect scenario.

Edit - Just noticed the OP mentions it is for items that has bids.........then I agree.

[bobbyw8469]

Another reason not to sell items on Ebay.....they keep shooting themselves in the foot.

[thecatspajamas]

For once, eBay implements something that might actually have the intended effect (deterring ending an auction early to take an offer off-site) without severely hampering all other selling.

The only reason I can see that anyone would be against this is if they are in the habit of ending listings early, which either means they are already pissing off prospective bidders, or are habitually clumsy with their listings. I might fall into the latter category on occasion, but if it keeps items that I'm watching from suddently becoming unavailable, I'll take my occasional lump for the greater good.

[Texxxx]

The problem I see is that ending an auction early hurts bidders not eBay. Why should eBay gain on it. The fee should go to charity or something like that. Lol like that would ever happen.

[drc]

Sellers often end auction to sell off ebay, and avoid eBay's take.

[sdkammeyer]

Originally Posted by drc

Sellers often end auction to sell off ebay, and avoid eBay's take.

exactly!!

hey thanks for the heads-up on this ladder7. i am constantly listing larger items (wood chipper, king size mattress, snow blower) on both craig's list and e-bay for local pick-up only. i have cancelled "buy-it-now" e-bay auctions early because the item got sold on craigslist. i would never end an auction that has bids on it though ..... thats just rude and bad business.
thanks again!

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by Texxxx

The problem I see is that ending an auction early hurts bidders not eBay. Why should eBay gain on it. The fee should go to charity or something like that. Lol like that would ever happen.

Ebay powers-that-be would strongly disagree with that statement. Anything that side-steps their fees (as an offsite transaction certainly would) would be something they consider to hurt eBay.

I probably should have clarified my earlier statement that the reason, from eBay's standpoint, for not wanting you ending an item early and taking the transaction off-site is not to keep the item out there for other potential buyers, but rather to make sure they get their cut of the transaction. If they just wanted to protect other potential buyers, they wouldn't have an option when ending a listing early to "Sell item to high bidder(s) and end listing early."

The only way eBay gives any money to charity is if you pay them a hefty percentage to do so for you (see eBay's "Giving Works" program).

[HRBAKER]

Sounds like a good business call to me. No issue here.
Sorta of like charging you an advertising fee if you decide to
take an off line offer.

Sellers may need to reevaluate a strategy of listing the same
items on multiple venues if they have an issue with it.