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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If you sold something on eBay and it made 99p....

112 replies

DowntonTrout · 14/09/2013 22:07

And was worth much more-

I "won" an item on eBay and have paid 99p. My maximum bid was higher- a fair price- but no one else bid.

I am embarrassed. It is a collection only item, so I will have to front up and hand over £1. Actually I feel like a twat. It wouldn't be so bad if it was going to be posted. Plus the seller has not replied to me asking where to collect from. This makes me feel worse. Similar items are listed as buy it now for £25/35- I don't know if they're selling but it would have cost £75+ new. ( it is nearly new.)

So if you sell something like this and it only makes 99p do you just grin and bear it? How would you feel about someone turning up at your house with 99p and AIBU to feel bad? Should I give them more anyway?

OP posts:
Ezio · 14/09/2013 22:28

My mum and stepdad ebay alot. If its likely to fetch a good amount, always a reserve on it, even if it dont sell first time, you can relist.

If your not fussed about it and just want rid, dont bother.

SuperiorCat · 14/09/2013 22:28

We've sold stuff technically worth more than 99p but as others have said something is only worth what someone will pay, ergo worth 99p.

We weren't at all unhappy about it, it was on ebay cos we wanted rid.

Original poster
DowntonTrout · 14/09/2013 22:29

Oh god! I've just realised that I bought something last week, paid on PayPal (£3) and gave her cash as well!

I felt bad enough that time. She didn't say anything- gosh I'm dumb!

Ignore me. This is karma isn't it?

OP posts:
Yakky · 14/09/2013 22:32

I won a childs bike a couple of weeks ago for £1.21.
Arranged to go and collect thinking I'd give them a fiver as it seemed a very low price.
When we got to the house it had 6ft gtes with an intercom system. I pressed the intercome the gates slowly opened and I found myself on a half mile trek to the "main" house. On the way I passed the tennis court and granny annex.
I had only got a five pound note in my pocket and felt like a complete twat when he offered to go and find some change. I said it would be fine and hastily hurried off, because, of course, he was obviously really hard up and the £3 odd change would make a bit difference to him.
I left the property pushing the bike with the gates slowly closing behind me wishing for the ground to swallow me up.

mediawhore · 14/09/2013 22:34

I once won. Moses basket and rocker stand for 99p. I gave a fiver when I collected as was embarrassed for getting it so low. £5 was still a massive bargain!

BalloonSlayer · 14/09/2013 22:36

Agree they probably just wanted rid of whatever it was.

I knew someone who advertised a perfectly ok sofa on freecycle.

Had no interest.

Put it on ebay and sold it for 99p. Waived the cost of course as he just wanted to get shot of the bloody thing.

Also the [probably apocryphal] story of the person who left a fridge in their front garden with a sign saying "Free - please take." No one took it so they changed the sign to "For sale - £10" and it was immediately stolen.

LittleRobots · 14/09/2013 22:39

I sold a sofa for 99p. Nothing wrong with it but we were moving and it saved us carting it off to a charity shop.

Yakky · 14/09/2013 22:39

Bloody Hell, everytime we leave anything in the front garden it's gone within 5 mins. Keep telling the DCs not to leave their bikes, footballs, etc as they'll have vanished before they can turn round.

Lj8893 · 14/09/2013 22:39

I won a sofa for £3 before. I felt a bit embarrassed handing over £3 and taking away a good condition sofa but that's the way it goes!

Ezio · 14/09/2013 22:40

Balloon, its bizarre, isnt it, like some people only want things when they feel like they conning the another person out of something.

Doubtfuldaphne · 14/09/2013 22:40

I sold loads of baby items and they made 99p. I wasn't bothered, I just wanted it all out the way as it was cluttering up the house. The lady gave me £5 as she felt bad which I found funny.
I wouldn't feel embarrassed at all, its how ebay works!

Original poster
DowntonTrout · 14/09/2013 22:43

I am now stunned that the woman I paid twice didn't say anything!

This is making me feel better.

OP posts:
FourLittleDudes · 14/09/2013 22:45

I won a swinging baby chair for 99p, it was collection so I turned up at the house with my £1 coin, the seller refused to take the £1 as she was embarrassed and insisted I take it it away for free.

Original poster
DowntonTrout · 14/09/2013 22:48

I am now going to search for swinging baby chairs on EBay....

OP posts:
IneedAsockamnesty · 14/09/2013 22:50

My ex once accidentally sold a car on eBay for less than £2.50 it was the funniest thing I have seen in my life.

LegoAcupuncture · 14/09/2013 22:53

You won it fair and square. like others have said, its the risk the seller takes listng at 99p.

My DH is one of those twatty buyers who would insist on his penny change.

stiffstink · 14/09/2013 23:04

I have won things for pence before, went to collect with DSis and she was mortified that I didn't pay more.

Not so mortified when we went for a few drinks with the coinach she wanted me to give to the seller.

Saffyz · 14/09/2013 23:10

If people want more for an item, they should use a higher starting price or put a reserve price.

WhereDoAllTheCalculatorsGo · 14/09/2013 23:10

I have won a couple of items for 99p in the past that coincidentally and very unfortunately were damaged so the sellers had to cancel the sale and refund me Hmm.
eBay rules say that the contract is binding in law, so you can't just 'Change your mind' but there's not much anyone can say if the item was smashed...

LydiasLunch · 14/09/2013 23:25

I won a fantastic buggy for 99p. The seller claimed it had suddenly gotten damaged and wouldn't sell it to me. :)

ArtemisKelda · 14/09/2013 23:30

I felt like that when I won a Moses basket for £3 on eBay, I asked DH to give a fiver. The seller was really lovely too.

FutTheShuckUp · 14/09/2013 23:46

Sock- please tell more!

Saffyz · 14/09/2013 23:49

You can always leave a comment in feedback for items which mysteriously got "damaged" after you won them for 99p. Put something like "would have been a great item, sorry to hear it was damaged before it could be despatched". Then at least if they try it too many times on various people there will be something for eBay to see.

Saffyz · 14/09/2013 23:50

Having said this I did genuinely break something once, before it could be despatched! Blush Buyer wasn't happy but there was nothing I could do except refund and apologise.

upsidedownbacktofronttopsyturv · 15/09/2013 00:10

I won a great Pushchair for a few £ (I can't remember the exact price) the woman phoned up and said it was damaged (a bar at the back that never effected the pushchair that much ) did we still want it. We said "yes" as it was a last pushchair for long day trips until DD1 grew out of it (2.5)

When we got it it was perfect and the bar was intact and fine. DD1 still calls the pushchair the pork buggy (it was beige) and still speaks fondly of her "pork buggy" and tells DD2 that her buggy was better as it was a pork buggy.

It was the best buy I have ever had on Ebay shame about everything lately that has had to be sent back to the sellers on either Ebay or Amazon