hifive Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 I was selling an item that was bid up to $345. In the last minute, one of the bidders retracted his bid and thus the item sold for a final price of $202. This is completely unfair as the retracted bidder wasn't even the high bidder. A buyer should not be allowed to retract his bid if he isn't even the high bidder. :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY1 Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 I was selling an item that was bid up to $345. In the last minute, one of the bidders retracted his bid and thus the item sold for a final price of $202. This is completely unfair as the retracted bidder wasn't even the high bidder. A buyer should not be allowed to retract his bid if he isn't even the high bidder. :angry: 585114766[/snapback] so don't sell the item. Tell the highest bidder you won't sell it to him becuase a different bidder retracted his bid. Sometimes people have 2 accounts, they bid up the item so no one else would bid and at the last second they cancel thier higher bid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerus Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 so don't sell the item. Tell the highest bidder you won't sell it to him becuase a different bidder retracted his bid.Sometimes people have 2 accounts, they bid up the item so no one else would bid and at the last second they cancel thier higher bid. 585114785[/snapback] Yeah, youre right. Its a common ebay scam. People use 2 accounts, one to boost the price up so nobody else will bid, and another one that bidded on it before the boost. At the end of the auction, the boost account retracts the bid, and the second bidder wins... or the way they did it to you. I'm not necessarily saying that what happened to you was a scam, but it does happen so I'd investigate it a little bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hifive Posted December 17, 2004 Author Share Posted December 17, 2004 Well, I refunded the $202 the bidder sent. And sent an email stating I'd accept a price of $300: that's still $45 below her final bid. If it's two separate people, I don't see why the bidder would refuse. But if it is the same person scamming me, she might refuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aem4162 Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 people do have legitimate reasons for cancelling bids, like if the seller changed something in the description. i had to cancel a bid because i found out i was going into the hospital the next day - i wouldn't have had access to a computer to pay for the item if i'd won. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hifive Posted December 17, 2004 Author Share Posted December 17, 2004 Yes. But the person cancelling the bid wasn't the high bidder. So he wouldn't have won anyways. I'm pretty sure he only wanted to lower the score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerm Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Surely if he wasn't the highest bidder then him retracting his bid wouldn't make any difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicane-UK Veteran Posted December 17, 2004 Veteran Share Posted December 17, 2004 I didn't think you could just retract the bid.. thought you (being the seller) had to approve every retraction and there had to be some spectacularly good reason for them trying to back out of the auction - like my house has just been reposessed or i'm about to be deported or something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnmnky Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Kerm, Yeah, but the high bidders proxy bid would have come down to the next higgest level. At the thread starter : That what reserves are for. If you run the risk without one, then tough luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerm Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 - like my house has just been reposessed or i'm about to be deported or something! 585116289[/snapback] Got something to tell us Chicane? :p Kerm, Yeah, but the high bidders proxy bid would have come down to the next higgest level. 585116297[/snapback] I got ya, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muzzle79 Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 That's why theres a reserve price option so it wont sell below what you want. I dont' agree with retracting bids in the last 12 hrs of auctions though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnmnky Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 At thread starter, look at the $202 winners history (in the feedback) and see it the ghost bidder also appears on other purchases. Then you'll know if you've been boned. But if the ghost only bids once at the end, then of course they won't be there. Did the $202 bidder bump their own price up a few times? Like to get above the reserve, and then make a massive bid. that would also be suspect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hifive Posted December 17, 2004 Author Share Posted December 17, 2004 The retracted bidder put up a massive max bid of $340. The high bidder at the time was $345. Then the minute before the auction ended, the second bidder retracted his bid of $340 for "wrong bid amount" and lowered the price to $202. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnmnky Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 I reckon you've been boned, was it still above your reserve though? Is $202 still a good price? Sounds like a good tactic though, lol. I'm never going to use it though. I can't stand scammers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAH Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Set a minumum bid you'll accept, then don't sell if you don't reach it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callaway Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Yeah, youre right. Its a common ebay scam. People use 2 accounts, one to boost the price up so nobody else will bid, and another one that bidded on it before the boost. At the end of the auction, the boost account retracts the bid, and the second bidder wins... or the way they did it to you. 585114942[/snapback] Lol, that's clever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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