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Original poster

Buy it now etiquette

16 replies

dalziel1 · 06/05/2014 08:25

We had a garage clear out at the weekend and now I am trying to sell some of the stuff on ebay. I started with two items and they are proving popular but not the way I expected. No one is bidding but I keep getting private messages making offers.

Is this the way it often goes these days?

OP posts:
Original poster
dalziel1 · 06/05/2014 08:28

actually that's not 100% right. I have a 99p bid too.

OP posts:
LavenderGreen14 · 06/05/2014 09:01

most people bid in the last seconds - and some want to end the auction early to get a bargain. Depends what price they offer you. But if local pick up only accept cash never paypal.

Original poster
dalziel1 · 06/05/2014 09:18

This morning, I had an offer for £15 for a child's bike that went round the street once and that was all. It still has all the rubber bits that stick out of brand new tyres but get worn off as soon as you use them. It cost £100 four years ago. So, obviously its not new any more, and it doesn't come with a warranty.

I was thinking I'd likely get £25-30 for it. Does that sound reasonable or is £15 actually a good offer?

OP posts:
LavenderGreen14 · 06/05/2014 09:40

no idea - depends on make and model. How much do they sell for on ebay - have you checked completed items?

Freckletoes · 06/05/2014 09:53

My opinion-if people are making you offers the item is desirable and they are trying to ensure they get it but for a bargain price. They are trying to avoid losing out in a bidding war at the end of the listing. Keep your items running and watch the bidding go up in the last few hours of the listing!

LavenderGreen14 · 06/05/2014 10:24

£15 is a pretty low offer. You did read about not taking paypal didn't you?

does your auction end at the right time of day, good photos, is your feedback good, many watchers etc?

WanderingAway · 06/05/2014 10:28

People bid on ebay at the last second so that they dont get into a bidding war and so that they pay as little as possible.

My dc have had two bikes in their life and i have spent a grand total of about 15 pounds altogether on them. They have been in brand new condition as well.

Armadale · 06/05/2014 10:30

I don't know if it helps, but I was watching a pine chest this week that I wanted to buy. I bid £10 for it (the minimum bid) just so I could find it again, basically, but knew I would need to pay more than that in the end. I didn't want to put in a big bid with days to go before the end in case it upped everyone elses bid too much. On the last day I put my maximum bid up to £101, and no-one bid until about 2 minutes before the end when three people bid, but my automatic bid up to £101 outbid them so I ended up winning it for £76. The seller could not see my automatic bids or know I was prepared to go higher, to them even when I'd bid a maximum of £101, it still looked like I'd bit £10, if that makes sense. So I wouldn't accept offers, i'd keep the auction going.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 06/05/2014 10:30

You could message them back with a counter-offer - a bit higher than you think you would settle for, and then negotiate. Then, if you are happy with the price, you can (I believe) end the auction early and relist it with the BIN price mutually agreed on, so the buyer can buy it.

I would advise always using PayPal, because that gives you the best protection, as a seller.

If you already have a bid on an item, I am not sure you can stop the auction - or it might be harder to do so.

In the future, always set a starting price that is not too far from the lowest you are willing to accept.

Nanny0gg · 06/05/2014 10:49

I would advise always using PayPal, because that gives you the best protection, as a seller.

Not if it's collection and you read all the advice on here and elsewhere.

LavenderGreen14 · 06/05/2014 10:50

never ever use paypal for collection - it gives the seller no protection whatsoever!

Original poster
dalziel1 · 06/05/2014 13:22

The going rate - based on buy it now pricing - seems to be £30. TBH I'd be happy with that, although it must be rare to be selling a bike that only ever went to the end of the road and back twice. So £15 was a bit of a cheeky offer, right?

OP posts:
Original poster
dalziel1 · 06/05/2014 13:26

What wrong with paypal?

I am planning to take cash for the things which the buyer needs to collect but after the big things have gone then there is other stuff -clothes, small toys that I was planning to offer next and post to the buyer. So, then it would have been a paypal transaction.

It works well whenever I have bought anything, but is it no good from a seller's perspective?

OP posts:
LavenderGreen14 · 06/05/2014 13:42

if posting with online proof of delivery it is fine - if collected buyers can claim not received and you have no online proof of delivery.

glammanana · 06/05/2014 15:23

Remember if you change to a buy it now price to factor in the cost of doing that as it doesn't come free.When I have done home collection I have always had a receipt signed by buyer that they are happy & inspected the goods so many people come back weeks later saying they have found a fault according to the Community Boards and if you have no proof of collection you have to refund if a problem.

LavenderGreen14 · 06/05/2014 15:33

who told you to get a signed receipt? That is worthless if a buyer pays by paypal and does not ensure anything.

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