eBay question

[Jim65]

Be careful about ending auction early especially if someone messaged you about the item. Red flag to Ebay and they could suspend your account

[hcv123]

My policy:

If I am very educated on a particular item, I have no problem ending early for the "right price". If I am less or unfamiliar - I let it finish - have had both upside (mostly) and downside surprises.

[steve B]

When I was selling, I only had maybe 5-6 offers to end an auction early. I don't do that. All those items ended up selling for more than the offer. Most for about 5x the offer.

Plus, at the time ebay had language that posting an auction was a contractual agreement to sell the item for the high bid unless there was a reserve.

It wastes peoples time looking at auctions and putting them in watching/ setting bids etc.
So thinks for being "that guy" if there was a blocked seller list you'd be on it.

[mckinneyj]

fwiw... if one clicks on "contact seller" on the page of an ebay auction you will be presented with a "select a topic" pick list that includes a "make an offer" selection. If you select it and the item does not already have a "make offer" option you will be informed that "The seller hasn't enabled offers for this item. See if they'll consider — send a message with your best price." So, ebay is not discouraging making offers (though they will expect the seller to consummate any sale via ebay - they'll also likely not permit any exchange of email addresses via their messaging unless well obfuscated).

[jchcollins]

If you do your eBay listings as BIN's instead of auctions, you can end them anytime no problem. It's when you are running an auction that has already received bids that they get antsy if you start ending too many things early. In the fine print I believe, I think they say you are supposed to acknowledge that after listing something you will sell it per ebay policy, which means no negotiating behind their backs. I'm not really sure as I rarely do straight up auctions anymore. Back in the day though that is all eBay did (everything was an auction) and so the rules got kinda strict.

[CobbSpikedMe]

I've never asked a seller to end an auction early, but have made offers. I tell the seller that if the item doesn't sell (because I think it's listed too high to begin with) then I'll pay $X amount and will click a Buy It Now if they relist with my price as the BIN. It's worked a few times in the past. I don't believe in ending an auction early if there are bids already placed.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by CobbSpikedMe

I've never asked a seller to end an auction early, but have made offers. I tell the seller that if the item doesn't sell (because I think it's listed too high to begin with) then I'll pay $X amount and will click a Buy It Now if they relist with my price as the BIN. It's worked a few times in the past. I don't believe in ending an auction early if there are bids already placed.

I've done this too. A little communication can go a long way. I've asked someone to change their BIN on the fly, and then I will immediately click it. Win-win.