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eBay

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

Original poster

seller not honouring sale

15 replies

diamondblack · 21/08/2013 13:00

I recently won an item on ebay. I was the only bidder. I paid immediately. 2 days after this i got a message from the seller saying that my bid did not meet the reserve price and if i wanted the item then i would have to pay more. I replied saying that if the had wanted to apply a reserve then they should have set one (there was no reserve price set) or they could have started off bids at a highrer level. I also told them they could have ended the auction early but didn't. I have had no reply.
My question is what action can i take against this seller and is there any way they can be made to honour the sale? I don't a refund I want the item!
TIA

OP posts:
TwoStepsBeyond · 21/08/2013 13:45

I suppose if they really don't want you to have the item they can say it is broken or sold elsewhere, so there's no guarantee that you'll get it, but I would open a dispute with ebay and see what they say. It is really bad of the seller, but I know how it feels when you let something go for a really low price and wish you'd started it higher. It may seem unfair but as a gesture of goodwill could you offer a little more? If you were getting it for a really good price, perhaps think what you'd have been happy to pay and split the difference, that way you will still get the item and they won't feel so hard done by.

LilyBossom · 21/08/2013 13:57

open a dispute to get your money back, do not pay them a penny more, file a non performing seller report against the seller and leave appropriate feedback and stars.

TwoStepsBeyond · 21/08/2013 14:21

If you don't mind losing the item then definitely just open a dispute but if its a one-off or you really were getting it for a steal, then don't make it too confrontational and see if you can resolve it amicably and still get the item.

You could even say, as they are't honouring the sale you've been advised to open a dispute but you don't want to negatively affect their seller rating (which they will want to protect if theirs is good, otherwise they probably won't care!) and you really wanted the item, ask them what they would have set as a reserve price. You don't have to pay that, but at least start a conversation about it.

Original poster
diamondblack · 21/08/2013 14:33

Thanks guys,
They have said how much they will accept and it's not even close to what i bid and i wouldn't pay it.
I don't want to lose the item if i can help it, can i contact ebay and get them to contact the member with like a warning without going through the standard resolution centre where i will just get my money back?
Can i do the non performing seller thing without the resolution centre?

OP posts:
nickstmoritz · 21/08/2013 14:34

Anyone who has sold has probably had to let something go for a disappointing price and perhaps learned to adopt a different strategy for selling. Happened to me recently, I sold an amazing vintage skirt for a small amount because I was silly and started it at 99p to end at a funny time. Of course I was a bit fed up but more with myself than the buyer who was delighted and left great feedback. I would never not send, it is not on but some people just don't want to play by the rules. I have had someone not honour a bid because I won it cheaply, of course they made something up about it being damaged or something. As they were obviously very new to ebay I let it go and messaged them with some tips to sell it with a higher start. No hard feelings but in general I believe it is about you win some you lose some isn't it? so people should honour the auction.

I think Lily is right all you can do is get a refund and report them etc

nickstmoritz · 21/08/2013 14:37

I would let it go btw. Hopefully you can get the same or similar from a nicer seller. Don't give them your money.

Original poster
diamondblack · 21/08/2013 15:09

exactly, it has happened to me as well. i am not going to find the same thing again - much like your vintage skirt - just wish i'd bought something from you! They are not even pretending it's damaged, they have just blatantly said they will not honour the price.

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Original poster
diamondblack · 21/08/2013 15:11

If it was an everyday item i could get again i would let it go. I won it for 99p and they want £30! which i will not pay. As it's only 99p that's why i' not bothered about the refund and want the item.

OP posts:
nickstmoritz · 21/08/2013 15:30

In that case try contacting ebay customer support through the live chat thing (you will need the item number) and they might be able to help but I have got the feeling the seller will not be very helpful, sadly :(

Oh and have you got a record of messages from the seller? that might help.

LilyBossom · 21/08/2013 15:40

you can't force the seller to let you have the item for 99p sadly - if they refuse to sell it there is nothing you can do except report and leave appropriate feedback and low stars.

Have they relisted it?

lljkk · 22/08/2013 07:17

Doesn't sound like room for compromise, reporting them is the harshest punishment you can give (I think I would report).

EhricLovesTeamQhuay · 22/08/2013 10:14

You can't make them sell it to you but you can give bad feedback. Putting a reserve price on costs money and they were silly to try to save that money and risk selling it for too little. They will be disappointed if they try to relist and expect £30, if you got it for 99p it's obviously not 'worth' more as nobody else wanted it.
You will have to let this go I think.

Flibbertyjibbet · 22/08/2013 10:29

Agree with ehric. If it only went for 99p then it's not worth £30!

Think you'll have to accept you are not going to get it as they seem like that kind of seller. eBay can't force them to sell it to you. What I'd do is contact eBay live thingy that some one else suggested, and find out where you sent copies of the emails with them saying they want £30 and will not honour the sale. Who knows they may get their account suspended. And leave appropriate neg feedback with low stars.

Sometimes my items go for a lot less than I'd like. But it's eBay and as I get excited myself when I get a bargain, I can't really begrudge someone else when it happens to them!

Original poster
diamondblack · 22/08/2013 13:35

Thank you for all your replies. I have messaged the seller once more to say that i will report etc if i do not have a response within the next day. I have also emailed ebay and was meant to get a response within 24hrs but i havent. I can't find the live chat function anywhere, does anyone know where it is?
I also cannot for the life of me find how to report the seller, i keep going round in circles following their links, can anyone help with this?

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