Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

Flip

Original poster

Confused - new seller

17 replies

Hazeleyedbaby · 27/06/2013 22:29

I very recently listed my first items for sale on eBay. Auction has 3 days left. Just had a question asking if I have a buy it now price in mind?

I don't know what this means as I thought once bids were placed the winning bid dictated the price. I have 5 bids on the item and 55 watching so think this is someone trying to pull a fast one?

How should I respond to this? Any advice greatly received

Thanks

OP posts:

fergoose · 27/06/2013 22:55

up to you - if you want to add a buy it now you need to cancel the bids first, if you don't want to do a buy it now then just leave the auction to run. Is entirely up to you.

Cloudkitten · 27/06/2013 23:17

It's up to you but personally I just let auctions run once they have bids. With 5 bidders and 55 watching (bear in mind there are a lot of non-bidding watchers out there tho) possibly they are trying to get a bargain. I have never cancelled bids off to add a buy it now price and in fact I didn't know you could, because it makes for disgruntled bidders. Fergoose - can you definitely cancel bids just to stick a buy it now on for one buyer? have you actually done this? It's not the sort of practice Ebay normally encourage or facilitate IMO.

I have provided a buy it now price if I have not got any bids and I feel like it. I usually pick a price that would make me happy because the temptation (and the askers know this) is that you will curb the asking price for fear of seeming rude, tapping into a general reluctance to talk money.

If you want to/have to turn requests down I always do it as nicely as possible no matter what (there are some nutters out there). I usually reply something like many thanks for their enquiry but I was just planning on letting the auction run. Kind regards etc.

HTH

Original poster

Hazeleyedbaby · 28/06/2013 03:06

Thank you for the advice. I was just about to reply and there is an option to add reply to listing. Presume I don't tick this? How do you know of questions are visible to others?

OP posts:

Rulesgirl · 28/06/2013 03:26

From what I understand once there is a bid on the item then you cannot change it.

fergoose · 28/06/2013 06:42

if you tick it the answer is visible to others

you can change an item, but you need to cancel the bid, and there needs to be 12 hours or more to run of the auction.

Original poster

Hazeleyedbaby · 28/06/2013 08:55

Ok still a bit clueless. I want to let the auction run. Will reply to the person who asked for buy it price to let them know. Is it the norm to make replies visible?
I don't want to start on the wrong foot as a seller.

TIA

OP posts:

Cloudkitten · 28/06/2013 08:57

The option to add reply to listing shows the question and your answer to all and sundry. It's useful if you've (for example) missed a detail off your listing that others would find useful. I probably wouldn't do it for someone asking about a buy it now price, unless you got two or three people asking the same, then I would

Cloudkitten · 28/06/2013 09:06

Another piece of advice is that if you are a busy person, don't get involved in people asking something that requires you to change the whole listing (eg cancelling bids to add buy it now, or changing the form to include postage abroad, or can they do some sort of wierd payment etc). In my experience it always turns out to be more trouble than its worth unless you are selling a rare object that is unlikely to sell otherwise.

If it's the usual Ebay stuff (household/clothes) and you don't have masses of time to spend then just list it, get the money and post it Expensive stuff (or anything that sells for over £10) I always post signed for and I state this on the advert to show why the postage costs are higher. People tend to accept it if they know the reasons why you are doing something.

Oh and postage costs for something innocent like a coffee maker or other equipment can be higher than you think. I once listed a coffee perculator (looks like a kettle) and put, I think £5 on the postage, which I thought was probably slightly steep but would cover me). It turned out to be too heavy to send 2nd class signed for so had to go 1st and it was something rediculous (can't remember what) but maybe £10 or £12. Anyway it was far far more than I'd stated. Same with heavy coats or children's wooden block type toys. Just be careful you are getting postage right.

Original poster

Hazeleyedbaby · 28/06/2013 09:10

Thanks for all the great advice. Much clearer now.

OP posts:

Cloudkitten · 28/06/2013 09:12

oh and another: if you list something big/bulky as collection only, don't get sucked into organising a courier. If they want to organise their own man and van, that's the most I will go to, with the caveat that I can't pack it as I don't have suitable packing materials (eg chest of drawerrs) so they will need to make sure man and van has (say) sheets or cardboard to protect the goods.

Otherwise you will find yourself ringing couriers, getting a good price, PACKING IT according to courier rules (some are strict), and waiting in for the courier to arrived which may or may not be a timed collection.

If you're the kind of person to whom this is water off a ducks back then hakuna matata however I am the sort of person who can't bear messing. Take it or leave it, buyers if they want it they normally find a way to deal with it.

fergoose · 28/06/2013 10:17

do not ever let them organise their own courier or man with van, unless they pay you with cash or bank transfer

only ever take cash for collected items - never paypal.

Cloudkitten · 28/06/2013 10:55

Fergoose - curious as to why wouldn't you take Paypal for collected items? I have. If they have paid in advance what's the problem? Quite clearly you make sure they either make the payment in advance of collection or it's cash on collection. Nobody except the most foolish would agree to be paid by Paypal after the collection and in all the 10+ years I've been on Ebay no buyer has even suggested it obviously nobody would fall for that. What's the difference between paying for an item by Paypal and then you post it, or paying for an item by Paypal and then they collect it? Paypal is secure - they can't take back the payment.

Also why not let them organise own courier/man with van? It's the organiser pf the transport who would have to have paid the courier in advance, they won't collect without having been paid already, and as for man with van, if he expected payment from me at the same time as collection the item, he could leave without payment OR item.

(not picking here - genuinely curious as to your observations/experiences in case I have been missing something over the years)

fergoose · 28/06/2013 11:12

because they can claim not received and get their money back - you need your own online proof of delivery, you don't have this if they collected or arranged their own courier.

EskSmith · 28/06/2013 12:55

I agree with Fergoose. Do not accept paypal unless you have proof of delivery. Paypal will automatically refund the buyer unless you do, even if the item was listed as collection only.

Unfortunately on ebay it is seller beware :(

Rulesgirl · 28/06/2013 17:24

I thought that once a bid has been made that you can't change it???

fergoose · 28/06/2013 17:26

you can if you cancel the bid.

Original poster

Hazeleyedbaby · 28/06/2013 22:44

Thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.

OP posts:

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread