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Original poster

Am I being a CF? Ebay

53 replies

Yex · 26/08/2022 22:19

My 3yo DD has been pleading for a barbie camper van for Christmas. I looked online and they're not cheap (not for my budget anyway) at £70-£100 brand new.

I checked ebay on the off chance and found one going for auction which ends in 6 days or so and can be posted. Bidding starts at £5.99 and I've placed an introductory bid of £15 (well aware the seller will want more than that and I'm going to increase, I just wanted to get ahead of any other interest)

On a whim I decided to message the seller and ask what ballpark figure she was looking for as I really, really want it for my DD and would gladly buy it right away if she'd consider selling it to me directly.

I very rarely use ebay and after sending the message thought shit, they'll think I'm being a CF.

So was this bad etiquette and unreasonable on my part or do you think it doesn't hurt to ask?

OP posts:
Slopey · 27/08/2022 03:27

Don't worry about having asked the seller. People do it all the time. I just reply that I'm happy to let the auction run thanks.

ThisMightBeMyOtherUsername · 27/08/2022 05:52

i don’t mean to derail but OP I never understood why people bid early on eBay, simply driving the price up. Wouldn’t it be better to wait till the last moment?

Babiesarenotrobots · 27/08/2022 06:20

My advice is to not panic buy. You will regret it. Christmas is ages away so hold out for one with all the parts and in great condition. And next time, don't bid above the sellers opening offer. They chose that price as the minimum they'd be happy to take. I watch items then bid in the last few seconds - like everyone else!
Have you checked vinted?

londonrach · 27/08/2022 06:25

Have look on local Facebook all under £15 and some free!

Piffle11 · 27/08/2022 06:29

You can ask the seller to cancel your bid. It's in their interest to do so if they know you are no longer going to buy the item if you actually win it. I've had buyers asking me to cancel bids in the past, it's easy to do. I've had people win an auction and then not pay, and ignore my messages. That's annoying. But to let them know before the auction has ended… I really don't see the problem. All this 'legal and binding' stuff is rubbish: and eBay don't really give us stuff.

Piffle11 · 27/08/2022 06:32

Oh, and also, I've had prospective buyers contacting me asking me if I have a price I would willing to sell it for before the auction has ended… I don't think this is cheeky, and if no one else has bid on my items and I will always consider it. I still always go via eBay, though: I don't know if it is still possible, but previously a seller could add a 'buy it now' price, even whilst the auction was live. But as soon as someone else has bid, then I won't end the auction early.

Tiani4 · 27/08/2022 06:35

Just let this auction go through. You've now now and cannot retract it. The other fb facebay caravans whilst pick up close, aren't exactly what you want

Heee are the rules for retracting a bis

  • you have more than 12 hours left on auction
  • AND
•	The seller significantly changed the description of the item
•	You accidentally bid the wrong amount. For example, you meant to bid £20, not £200. In this case, enter the price you intended to bid as soon as you've retracted the incorrect bid
•	You can't reach the seller. For example, you sent the seller an email and it comes back undeliverable, or you tried calling the seller and the phone number doesn't work

Unfortunately under rules
You have no reason to retract your bid (as you can't use that you regret it and want to buy it elsewhere). If your bid wins and you don't pay for it even if you contact seller to explain, you still get a (non payment) strike with eBay . Get two or three of these and eBay suspend your account. It's not worth it

If I were you I would wait out this auction to see if you win it and don't enter into other arrangements to buy the bar ie caravan with anyone else until after it ends/ if you don't get it.

Also your bid of £15 may be successful. I sold my DDs barbie caravan for £10-15 on Fb local facebay

InFiveMins · 27/08/2022 06:54

Why don't you just see if your bid is successful, and if not, get one off FB marketplace? If there are plenty about then one way or another you'll get one.

slashlover · 27/08/2022 07:20

WYWNBU to ask, although if they had a set price they would have added a buy it now. They may also take £5.99 happily as we get them donated fairly regularly to the charity shop where I work.

Y would BU to ask to retract your bid.

Calphurnia88 · 27/08/2022 07:28

YANBU for asking the seller if they'll accept a buy it now price. I've sold items on eBay before and had buyers contact me to ask if I would accept X price. Some I've said yes to, some I've said no to. It doesn't keep me up at night.

I've placed an introductory bid of £15 (well aware the seller will want more than that and I'm going to increase, I just wanted to get ahead of any other interest)

YABU to think this ☝🏻 is how eBay works though. There's no such thing as an 'introductory' offer. The bidding ends when the bidding ends, so all you've done is driven the price up early for everyone, including yourself potentially. Much better to set an alarm on your phone and wait until the very last minute (literally) to bid and get the best price.

1Wanda1 · 27/08/2022 07:41

When I really want something on eBay I don't bid on it at all until the final 1 minute. Then I place my only bid - for the highest price I can afford to pay, irrespective of what the current price is at the time. So if it's an item retailing for £100 and I'd be willing to pay £65 for it but the current bid is only £15, I'd still bid £65 with seconds to go. That way, unless someone else has already placed a higher bid, you usually win the item for a price lower than your highest offer, because the system only places your bid up to the level you need to pay to win. E.g. current bid is £15, I bid £66, but the bidder on £15 had actually bid £30, I would end up winning for £31.

Calphurnia88 · 27/08/2022 07:49

1Wanda1 · 27/08/2022 07:41

When I really want something on eBay I don't bid on it at all until the final 1 minute. Then I place my only bid - for the highest price I can afford to pay, irrespective of what the current price is at the time. So if it's an item retailing for £100 and I'd be willing to pay £65 for it but the current bid is only £15, I'd still bid £65 with seconds to go. That way, unless someone else has already placed a higher bid, you usually win the item for a price lower than your highest offer, because the system only places your bid up to the level you need to pay to win. E.g. current bid is £15, I bid £66, but the bidder on £15 had actually bid £30, I would end up winning for £31.

Exactly.

Itshotoutthere · 27/08/2022 08:19

Oooh. DD hardly plays with her's. Might ask her if she wants to sell it on eBay.

Antsinmypantsneedtodance · 27/08/2022 08:25

Yex · 26/08/2022 22:19

My 3yo DD has been pleading for a barbie camper van for Christmas. I looked online and they're not cheap (not for my budget anyway) at £70-£100 brand new.

I checked ebay on the off chance and found one going for auction which ends in 6 days or so and can be posted. Bidding starts at £5.99 and I've placed an introductory bid of £15 (well aware the seller will want more than that and I'm going to increase, I just wanted to get ahead of any other interest)

On a whim I decided to message the seller and ask what ballpark figure she was looking for as I really, really want it for my DD and would gladly buy it right away if she'd consider selling it to me directly.

I very rarely use ebay and after sending the message thought shit, they'll think I'm being a CF.

So was this bad etiquette and unreasonable on my part or do you think it doesn't hurt to ask?

Is it this one?

www.vinted.co.uk/kids/toys-and-games/dolls/2125490972-barbie-camper-van

If so i'd use vinted instead. More reliable and you'll get it at a known price rather than days waiting to see if it goes up. You can also send an offer.

Antsinmypantsneedtodance · 27/08/2022 08:26

To add there are loads on vinted.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 27/08/2022 08:37

Chalk this one up to experience. You might get it, you never know!
I don’t think you’ve been cheeky, I did the same recently with some clothes that DS m needed by a certain date and the seller was happy to add a BIN price.
FB marketplace can be good as its easy to see what’s available locally, but remember it’s only August so you’ve got time on your side to get things ready for Christmas

Thatsplentyjack · 27/08/2022 08:44

That's not cheeky at all. You don't need to increase your bid either unless you are outbid. You will pay the lowest bid price so if bo one else bids on the camera you will get it for the starting bid price I'm sure.

Wonnle · 27/08/2022 08:56

Toddlerteaplease · 26/08/2022 22:32

EBay will not be happy if she ends the listing early and sells to you privately. Good luck.

eBay won't give a shit , you cannot even report non payers these days .
Used to be 48 hours and you could open a case , now it's all done automatically and it's 7 days before they tell you the buyer hasn't paid

Original poster
Yex · 27/08/2022 08:58

Thank you all for the tips on bidding.

I've only ever used ebay a few times so I'm a total novice.

I'm going to do as suggested and just wait it out. I won't bother with the Facebook ones with missing accessories.

I haven't had a reply from the seller yet but others have started bidding now as the price has gone up to £13.50.

OP posts:
BrightYellowDaffodil · 27/08/2022 09:00

Yes, you've been a CF. If seller was open to offers, they would have added the make an offer option to their listing. On Ebay it's considered very bad practice to message a seller with an auction running and ask them for a buy it now price.

You might feel like that but other sellers don’t. I’ve changed things to BIN if a potential buyer has asked - if I’ve put something on eBay I want to sell it; I don’t really care how it happens.

Wonnle · 27/08/2022 09:02

If i'm buying off eBay these days I use Auction Stealer , set the maximum you are willing to pay and it puts the bid in for you 1 to 3 seconds before the end of the listing . You still win if someone has bid more than you on an automatic bid though

BungleandGeorge · 27/08/2022 09:05

I wouldn’t buy one without the accessories, that’s half the point of those sets. Theres
plenty around, you don’t need it for ages. Just wait out the eBay one

Skyeheather · 27/08/2022 09:07

Don't panic and buy one without the accessories, there's plenty of time before Christmas to find a complete one.

Don't forget some retailers (Tesco, ASDA, Argos) have toy sales in October/November time so you might find a new one with some money off.

Also lots of people tend to have a clear out towards Christmas to get rid of toys not played with to make room for new ones coming so you might find some more second hand ones coming up for sale.

Caroffee · 27/08/2022 09:15

You should be able to retract a bid on Facebook. I've done it before.

Relaxalotl · 27/08/2022 09:40

BungleandGeorge · 27/08/2022 09:05

I wouldn’t buy one without the accessories, that’s half the point of those sets. Theres
plenty around, you don’t need it for ages. Just wait out the eBay one

I agree. I would have considered the swimming pool pretty essential at your DD's age and been disappointed not to have it. For the sake of a few quid, I'd pass on the cheaper FB one.

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